A New Identity
2 Corinthians 5:16-21

When you were born you were given a family name, an identity.  If you end up in prison, you lose that name and your identity becomes a number. When you travel to other countries, you must have a passport which tells the immigration agent where you are from.  Certain jobs give you new identities by which people would identify you.  For instance, officer so and so, Doctor…x, NCIS, NYPD, ect. They are not just known by their names, but also by what they do.
When you become a Christian, you too are given a new identity.  The problem we have a times is truly remembering who are; we tend to forget what it means to have this new identity.
When you become a Christian, you transition from dark into light; from death into life.  Paul reminded the Corinthians Christians about how this new identity makes them citizen of heaven.  He also reminded them that this is God’s purpose to give us a new identity. With a new identity comes also a different perspective in life.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  Those who are in Christ become new, they get a new identity which is found in Jesus.
The Bible teaches us that by faith in Christ we become children of God.  John 1:11-12
Eph.1:13 we are included in Christ when we heard and believed the gospel message.
This identity in Christ is also known as the new birth (being born again) John 3:3.  No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.

This was God’s plan and purpose v.18  All this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ.
God made us possible for us to have a new identity; this was possible by Jesus’ death on the cross.  A Christian is someone whose identity is in Christ.  Every time you find the prepositions in, by or through Christ; it tells you of your new identity. We are reconciled to God through Christ. V.18 //Rom.5:10
     – Our lives are hidden with Christ in God Col.3:3
     – We are declared righteous before God through Christ. Rom.5:1
     – We are not condemned because of Christ. Rom.8:1

Our new identity in Christ was God’s plan; he reconciled us but also gave us all the ministry of reconciliation. (v.18)  What is this ministry about? (v.19)

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ.  God would not count people sins against them because of Christ.  (v.21) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This ministry of reconciliation is given to everyone who has been reconciled.  This is the task of every Christian now.  God has committed to us the message of reconciliation (v.19)
Do you want to know why you have been given this new identity in Christ? Why God placed you in right standing with him? So that you go and tell others that they too need to be reconciled with God.  You are to tell others that they must believe in Jesus in order to have peace with God and be declared righteous before the great Judge.  This message of the gospel has been committed to every Christian.
Every Christian or Christ’s followers has been given a new identity; they are now agents of reconciliation.
We are Christ’s ambassadors through whom God is making his appeal to the world to come to him. (v.20)
An ambassador represents his government in another country where he lives. (an authorized representative or messenger; an official)
You are I present God and his kingdom in the place where we live; in the place where we work, where we go to school, where we play and so forth.  God gave you a new identity, a new birth; he also gave you a task to accomplish until he takes you to the last country where you will live under his supreme dominion.  He has made us agents of reconciliation, ambassadors in this world.  This is our mission; this is our identity now. 

Do you really know who you are in Christ? Not knowing who you are, and your mission will have you misrepresenting God in this world.

You are Christ’s ambassadors if indeed you have believed in Jesus.
This task was appointed to us church as individuals and if we don’t find the way no one will.