Identity And Promises In Christ

The concept of identity and promises in Christ is deeply rooted in biblical theology, emphasizing the believer's new status and the fulfillment of divine assurances through Jesus Christ. This identity is fundamentally linked to Christ's role as the promised "seed" and the inheritor of God's covenants ^{[4, 6]}.

Central to understanding identity in Christ is the idea that believers become "Abraham's seed and heirs according to promise" by being "Christ's" ^[5]. The promises made to Abraham, such as the blessing of all nations through his seed, are understood to be fulfilled in Christ ^{[4, 7]}. Paul, in Galatians 3:16, clarifies that the singular "Seed" refers to Christ, not to multiple descendants ^[4]. Adam Clarke notes that this refers to the spiritual head, Christ, and all believers in Him who are children of Abraham by faith ^[11]. Therefore, the identity of a Christian is intrinsically tied to Christ's identity as the fulfillment of these ancient promises ^[14].

The promises of God are not merely general statements but are specific and reliable, "yea" in Christ ^[9]. These promises are contained in the Scriptures and were made to Christ, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and the Israelites, extending to all who are called of God and those who love Him ^[2]. They are confirmed by an oath and establish a covenant ^[2]. Charles Hodge emphasizes that God's promises are not simply announcements of cosmic laws but are personal declarations from a God capable of speaking with other persons ^[10]. These promises are "exceeding great and precious," given by God's glorious power ^[13].

Through Christ, believers experience a profound transformation in their identity, marked by Christian liberty. This liberty is foretold in Isaiah (42:7; 61:1) and conferred by God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit ^[1]. It is achieved through the gospel (John 8:32) and confirmed by Christ (John 8:36) ^[1]. This freedom encompasses liberation from the law, the curse of the law, the fear of death, sin, corruption, the bondage of man, and Jewish ordinances ^[1]. It is described as "the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Romans 8:21) ^[1].

The assurance of these promises and this new identity is a key aspect of Christian faith. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines "assurance" as a fullness of faith that leaves no room for doubt, an unwavering conviction of the truth of Scripture's declarations ^[3]. The resurrection of Jesus serves as God's pledge that His revelation is true and worthy of acceptance ^[3]. This assurance is not merely intellectual assent but a joyful steadfastness in the conviction of having grasped the truth ^[3].

The Church, composed of true believers, is the recipient of these promises. Charles Hodge states that the attributes ascribed to the Church in Scripture and the promises made to it are fulfilled only to believers ^[8]. They alone are considered the children and heirs of God, and the body of Christ in whom He dwells ^[8]. God's promises are often accompanied by signs and seals, such as circumcision for Abraham and baptism for believers, serving as pledges of His commitment ^[12]. Tertullian highlights that the promises of Christ are consistent with those predicted by the Creator, demonstrating a continuity in divine intention ^[15].

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Liberty, Christian — Foretold -- Isa 42:7; 61:1. Conferred By God. -- Col 1:13. By Christ. -- Ga 4:3-5; 5:1. By the Holy Spirit. -- Ro 8:15; 2Co 3:17. Through the gospel. -- Joh 8:32. Confirmed by Christ -- Joh 8:36. Proclaimed by Christ -- Isa 61:1; Lu 4:18. The service of Christ is -- 1Co 7:22. Is freedom from The law. -- Ro 7:6; 8:2. The curse of the law. -- Ga 3:13. The fear of death. -- Heb 2:15. Sin. -- Ro 6:7,18. Corruption. -- Ro 8:21. Bondage of man. -- 1Co 9:19. Jewish ordinances. -- Ga 4:3; Col 2:20. Called the glorious liberty of the children of God -- Ro”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Promises of God, The — Contained in the Scriptures -- Ro 1:2. Made in Christ -- Eph 3:6; 2Ti 1:1. Made to Christ. -- Ga 3:16,19. Abraham. -- Ge 12:3,7; Ga 3:16. Isaac. -- Ge 26:3,4. Jacob. -- Ge 28:14. David. -- 2Sa 7:12; Ps 89:3,4,35,36. The Israelites. -- Ro 9:4. The Fathers. -- Ac 13:32; 26:6,7. All who are called of God. -- Ac 2:39. Those who love him. -- Jas 1:12; 2:5. Confirmed by an oath -- Ps 89:3,4; Heb 8:6. Covenant established upon -- Heb 8:6. God is faithful to -- Tit 1:2; Heb 10:23. God remembers -- Ps 105:42; Lu 1:54,55. Are Good. -- 1Ki 8:56. Holy. -- ”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Assurance — The resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:31) is the "assurance" (Gr. pistis, generally rendered "faith") or pledge God has given that his revelation is true and worthy of acceptance. The "full assurance [Gr. plerophoria, full bearing'] of faith" (Heb. 10:22) is a fulness of faith in God which leaves no room for doubt. The "full assurance of understanding" (Col. 2:2) is an entire unwavering conviction of the truth of the declarations of Scripture, a joyful steadfastness on the part of any one of conviction that he has grasped the very truth. The "full assurance ”
Galatians “Galatians 3:16 (LITV) — But the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed (it does not say, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," which is Christ). Gen. 12:7, 13:15; 17:7, 8; 24:7”
Galatians “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise. -- Galatians 3:29”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Christ — Anointed, the Greek translation of the Hebrew word rendered "Messiah" (q.v.), the official title of our Lord, occurring five hundred and fourteen times in the New Testament. It denotes that he was anointed or consecrated to his great redemptive work as Prophet, Priest, and King of his people. He is Jesus the Christ (Acts 17:3; 18:5; Matt. 22:42), the Anointed One. He is thus spoken of by Isaiah (61:1), and by Daniel (9:24-26), who styles him "Messiah the Prince." The Messiah is the same person as "the seed of the woman" (Gen. 3:15), "the seed of Abraham" (Ge”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prophecies Respecting Christ — As the Son of God -- Ps 2:7. Fulfilled. -- Lu 1:32,35. As the seed of the woman -- Ge 3:15. Fulfilled. -- Ga 4:4. As the seed of Abraham -- Ge 17:7; 22:18. Fulfilled. -- Ga 3:16. As the seed of Isaac -- Ge 21:12. Fulfilled. -- Heb 11:17-19. As the seed of David -- Ps 132:11; Jer 23:5. Fulfilled. -- Ac 13:23; Ro 1:3. His coming at a set time -- Ge 49:10; Da 9:24,25. Fulfilled. -- Lu 2:1. His being born a virgin -- Isa 7:14. Fulfilled. -- Mt 1:22,23; Lu 2:7. His being called Immanuel -- Isa 7:14. Fulfilled. -- Mt 1:22,23. His being born i”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 38: the Spirit, so that the gates of hell should not prevail against them — he means his sincere or his nominal disciples, — believers or unbelievers? These questions admit of but one answer. The attributes ascribed to the Church in Scripture belong to true believers alone. The promises made to the Church are fulfilled only to believers. The relation in which the Church stands to God and 138 Christ is sustained alone by true believers. They only are the children and heirs of God; they only are the body of Christ in which He dwells by his Spir”
2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 1:20: For all the promises of God in him are yea,.... This is a reason or argument proving what is before said, that "in" Christ "was yea", since "all the promises of God in him are yea"; and shows, that God has made many promises to his people: mention is here made of "promises", and of "all" the promises; or, as the words may be rendered, "as many promises of God". There are some which concern the temporal good of the saints; as that they shall not want any good thing; and though they shall be attended with afflictions, these shall work for their good, and they s”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 63: general law or economy. It is, however, to be remembered that God is a person, capable of speaking with other persons, of promising and threatening. These promises are not merely announcements of the results of cosmical laws, physical or moral. That Christ should be born of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Judah, and of the house of David, is not to be attributed to the working of any general law. Nothing pertaining to his advent, his person, his work, or to the application of his redemption, is to be accounted for in any such way. Ou”
Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 3:16: Now to Abraham and his seed - The promise of salvation by faith was made to Abraham and his posterity. He saith not, And to seeds - It was one particular kind of posterity which was intended: but as of one - which is Christ; i.e. to the spiritual head, and all believers in him, who are children of Abraham, because they are believers, Gal 3:7. But why does the apostle say, not of seeds, as of many? To this it is answered, that Abraham possessed in his family two seeds, one natural, viz. the members of his own household; and the other spiritual, those who were like”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 65: a pledge of the promise which He had made. When he promised to Abraham to be a God to him and to his seed after him, He appointed circumcision as the seal and pledge of that promise. So when He promised to save men 589 by the blood of Christ and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, he appointed baptism to be, not only the sign, but also the seal and pledge of those exceeding great and precious promises. No believer in the Bible can look on the rainbow without having his faith strengthened in the promise that a deluge shall never again destr”
2 Peter (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Peter 1:4: Whereby are given unto us - By his own glorious power he hath freely given unto us exceeding great and invaluable promises. The Jews were distinguished in a very particular manner by the promises which they received from God; the promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and the prophets. God promised to be their God; to protect, support, and save them; to give them what was emphatically called the promised land; and to cause the Messiah to spring from their race. St. Peter intimates to these Gentiles that God had also given unto them exceeding great promises; indee”
Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 3:17: Confirmed before of God in Christ - i.e. The promise of justification, etc., made to believers in Christ Jesus, who are the spiritual seed of Christ, as they are children of Abraham, from the similitude of their faith. Abraham believed in God, and it was reckoned to him for justification; the Gentiles believed in Christ, and received justification. Probably the word Christ is to be taken, both here and in the preceding verse, for Christians, as has already been hinted. However it be taken, the sense is plainly the same; the promise of salvation must necessarily b”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XXXIX.--CONCERNING THOSE WHO COME IN THE NAME OF CHRIST. THE TERRIBLE SIGNS OF HIS COMING. HE WhOSE COMING IS (part 5): not to permit, much less expect --whilst the promises should be ascribed to the good god, being such as the Creator, in His ignorance of the said god, could not have predicted. If, however, He did predict these promises as His own, since they differ in no respect from the promises of Christ, He will be a match in the freeness of His gifts with the good god himself; and evidently no more will have been promised by your Christ than by my Son of man”

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