In what ways can we seek a new identity in Christ like Jacob? Jacob to Israel: God Declares a New Name “God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob. You will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel will be your name.’ ” (Genesis 35:10) What Jacob’s Renaming Reveals • God alone bestows identity, not circumstances or human labels • The change is immediate and authoritative • The new name signals a new destiny and a new walk with God Christ Gives the Fulfillment of that Pattern • “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) • “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20) Ways to Seek a New Identity in Christ • Receive the Word as absolute truth – Just as Jacob accepted God’s pronouncement, believers take Scripture at face value concerning who they are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14). • Turn from the old self through repentance – Jacob buried foreign gods under the oak at Shechem (Genesis 35:4). We put off the “old self with its practices” (Colossians 3:9-10). • Wrestle in persistent prayer – Jacob’s night of wrestling (Genesis 32:24-30) shows the value of clinging to God until He blesses. Prayer aligns the heart with the identity God declares. • Build rhythms of worship – Jacob set up an altar at Bethel (Genesis 35:7). Regular corporate and personal worship reinforces who we are in Christ (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Walk in obedient trust – God told Jacob, “Go up to Bethel” and he went (Genesis 35:1-6). Acting on God’s commands confirms the new life described in James 1:22-25. • Speak the new name over life circumstances – God repeatedly called Jacob “Israel” afterward (Genesis 35:11; 46:2). Confessing Scripture—“I am God’s workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10)—reframes daily experience. • Surround yourself with covenant community – Jacob gathered his household before burying idols. Fellowship with believers encourages perseverance in the new identity (Acts 2:42-47). • Celebrate baptism and the Lord’s Table – These ordinances visibly announce death to the old and life in Christ (Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 11:26). Living Out the New Name Daily • Renew the mind in Scripture each morning (Romans 12:2) • Practice thanksgiving for what God already says you are (1 Thessalonians 5:18) • Reject condemnation; remember “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1) • Serve others, letting the new life bear fruit (John 15:8; Galatians 5:13) Standing Secure in the Promise • God never reversed Jacob’s new name; He will not revoke the identity He gives in Christ (Philippians 1:6) • The Holy Spirit seals believers “for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30) God renamed Jacob once for all; Christ does the same for every believer, giving a secure, purposeful, and eternal identity. |
    |