The Christian's True Identity: What It Means to Be in Christ

by Jonathan Landry Cruse

With its identity politics, numerous gender identity options, “selfies,” and “you-do-you” mentality, society emphasizes individualism, but it seems like people are having a harder time than ever figuring out who they are. The problem is, they are looking for their identity in the wrong places.
Are you seeking your identity in relationships, a career, family, race, gender expression, or other circumstances―and feeling dissatisfied? Then this book is for you.
Author Jonathan Landry Cruse offers a fresh, sometimes witty, truly radical, freeing answer to the important question of who you are and helps you understand what the Bible has to say about everything you need for a lasting, fulfilling identity that is found outside of you and in Christ.

Table of
1. Union with Him
2. Chosen in Him
3. Pardoned in Him
4. Righteous in Him
5. Adopted in Him
6. One in Him
7. New in Him
8. Secure in Him
9. Alive in Him
10. Communion with Him

Genres: Theology, Christian Living, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity

155 pages, Paperback

Published March 19, 2022

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a time of deep uncertainties and stress, this book serves as a very helpful exposition for Christians -- new, seasoned, young, and old -- to more deeply understand who we are in Christ. As the author begins the book, he asks the question, "Who am I?" As he explains, "we are defining ourselves all the time through the decisions we make and the actions we take, in the ways we spend our time and the people we choose to spend it with, and by what we consider to be the most meaningful and fulfilling in life" (p. 1).

The author does a very good job of relating our modern American culture to continually point us to Christ. For example, he encourages those in culture to take an "honest self-reflection and assessment" of our standing before God. As he rightly points out, "in our day, many people thoughtlessly presume they have no need to change and that they are inherently good -- to imply otherwise is insulting. This is part of the cultural identity crisis we are going through: many people assume that they are good, and therefore that entitles them to make any lifestyle decision they want, free from the judgment of others. If it seems right to them, that's because it must be right. No one dare say otherwise." (p. 35). I would only add that this is a view widely held not only within our culture but in the Church itself. He rightly points out that the Biblical view provides a very different approach to our nature: that we are spiritually dead in our nature, quoting Thomas Cranmer's timeless prayer of confession and referencing Eph. 2:1.

The author is also willing to take important modern issues straight-on. For example, on his exposition on being "One in Him," he speaks of the important matters of Christian community, which in theological terms is "communion" with fellow believers. "The society of Eden before the fall was one in which man perfectly loved God and perfectly loved neighbor" (p. 79), which summarizes God's law. As he helpfully reminds us, "Anyone who entertains racism, sexism, classism, elitism, xenophobia, or any other kind of discrimination has forgotten that humanity was made for union and communion with one another. We must remember that an identity we all share -- no matter our faith, race, or gender -- is that we are all made in the image of God" (p. 80).

I know that I will use this book frequently as a helpful reference for new Christians. For example, I correspond with prisoners through a Christian ministry. Many of the incarcerated are feeling heavy with burdens and even struggle with the potential for joy in this life. In particular, I found his chapter "Alive in Him" as a very helpful resource that can speak to such feelings.

In addition to private reading and study, this can be a very helpful book for group study since it has questions at the end of each chapter that can be used as the basis for more in-depth discussions in a group context.

I highly recommend this book.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 The first few chapters of this book almost caused me to put it down. His reformed theology comes on VERY strong, which was not what I was expecting when approaching the book. However, this is one of the few theology reads that I thought actually got better as it went on. (Most start off strong and fizzle out or repeat themselves too much). I would not recommend this book to other people based on the intensity of his theology at the start, but I will use the information I gained as a tool for conversation.

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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Many of us are raised believing that Jesus is simply the way to salvation. But no—He is salvation. He is the way, but He is also the life! He is both the giver and the gift. He is not a means to an end; He is the end. We are not to come to Christ looking for Him to give us something (like salvation, sanctification, a better life—or at least a better car), but instead we are to come to Christ looking for Him.

WHAT'S THE CHRISTIAN'S TRUE IDENTITY ABOUT?
I've spent too much time trying to be clever or profound with this, it's a short book, I can be brief here. The book's point is pretty simple—despite all the noise and hubbub today about finding ourselves, choosing/shaping our identity. For the Christian, our identity comes from being rooted in Christ.

One of the—possibly the—greatest truths recovered by the Reformation was that union with Christ is at the core of all the blessings, all the amazing things that are true of the Christian, the Christian Life, and the Life of the World to Come. It's all rooted and grounded in Him.

John calls it "abiding in" Christ. Paul repeatedly describes our blessings "in Him." Cruse looks at ten passages from Paul's epistles where he uses the phrase "in Him," reviewing the passage, explaining how the passage reflects and teaches this truth about Christian identity, and applying it to the reader.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN'S TRUE IDENTITY?

Throughout this book we have considered how an identity in Christ far excels any identity the world might offer us. When we are in Christ we are chosen, forgiven, accepted as righteous, adopted into God’s family, placed in community, made new, and kept perfectly secure come what may. Our blessings in Jesus Christ are so expansive that it can truly be said that our union began in eternity with election and will forever continue in eternity with glorification.

That's pretty much what's covered in the book—done effectively, warmly, and clearly. Cruse has an easy-to-read, engaging style—he'll draw you in and make you want to learn more. He skillfully uses writers from throughout Church History, contemporary scholarship, and current cultural examples to help bring these truths to life.

I think it could be deeper, I think it could be more detailed. But that's not what the book aimed for—it's an introduction or a refresher, that's all. It's supposed to drive the reader to further study, further reading. It accomplishes that goal while pointing to glorious, foundational truths. I commend it to you for that.

[Neil McKinlay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jonathan Landry Cruse’s The Christian’s True Identity: What it means to be in Christ is a pithy primer for the new Christian, and an easy-to-read reminder for the mature, of what it means to be united to Christ. There are a myriad of explanations and applications throughout, serving to either deepen our knowledge and/or jog our memories about our unbreakable union with Christ.

[Stephen Hoogerhyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short book (155 pages) but it packs a punch. In an age when "identity", what it is and how and by whom it is defined, is such a hot topic, pastor Jonathan Cruse focuses us on our identity in Christ. As he states, "For the Christian, our identity is not something we earn, but something we are given. It is not something we find inside of ourselves; it is something that is intrinsically outside of ourselves in the person of Jesus Christ. He becomes our identity."

Cruse begins with considering our union with Christ, which he notes John Murray proclaimed as the central truth of the doctrine of salvation. He goes on to write about how we are chosen in him, dealing with the doctrine of election, which he characterizes as a biblical, big, and beautiful doctrine. He reminds believers that we have been pardoned in Christ, and he quotes Rachel Denhollander's words to her abuser Larry Nassar in court, words that proclaim the beauty of God's forgiveness to those who truly repent.

Next he considers how we have been made righteous in Christ, a righteousness earned by Christ alone and received by faith alone. He next shows how our adoption in Christ gives us our identity, shows God's intimacy, and provides us with a glorious inheritance. He reminds us that we are one in Christ, that every believer united to Christ is also united to every other believer in Christ. We are made new in Christ, and Cruse encourages us to be who we are, to leave sin and live like a saint. Cruse also encourages us that we are secure in Christ, because the love of God in Christ is secure, and because "the Son persevered in the accomplishment of our salvation."

Cruse reminds us that we are alive in Christ. "I want you to know that in Christ, and only in Christ, are you really and truly alive." And even death will not--can not--sever us from Christ. Finally, he exhorts us to seek deeper communion with Christ, using particularly the means of grace: Word, sacraments, and prayer.

The material in this book was originally preached in a sermon series, so the chapters are relatively short (about 15 pages) and each chapter can be read on its own. This is such an encouraging book, and such a great reminder of what it means to be in Christ. For those who are in Christ, this will be a great reminder to you. For those not in Christ, I pray that you would read this book and even more read the Bible, and so come to faith in Jesus Christ.

[Scott Coulter]

For the 2023 #vtReadingChallenge, this is book #25, for the category "A Book About Christian Living".
This book also triple-covers the earlier category "a book recommended by your pastor", as he did indeed recommend this book to our church, and a number of us are reading through it and will gather to discuss it soon. This slim volume structures a discussion of the meaning and impact of the concept of the believer's union with Christ by focusing each chapter on a verse (or several verses) from one of Paul's letters where he uses the phrase "in Christ" or "in Him". I found this to be a helpful approach to the subject, and the chapters, while each longer than a "daily devotional" one-pager, each stood alone, and I read approximately one a day. No "shocking new revelations" here, but that's ok... well-expressed reminders of solid, Biblical doctrine and practice are always needed.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book that offers a deep dive into what it means to be a follower of Christ. It's not the fault of the author, but I was looking for something that dug deeper into how the things we call identities (ethnicity, race, gender, etc.) are not identities at all. If they were, we would have multiple identities and, I'm surmising, that humans can only have one: either a son of Adam or a son of God. If that is true, then what do we call those other things? And how do they relate to that one identity?

Regardless, this is a good read.

[Dan Hickman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and discussed this with a high school senior. This book provided great fodder for meaningful discussion about important theological discussion. The tenth chapter emphasis the importance of a reformed understanding of the means of grace: preaching, the sacraments, and prayer, reminding me that Calvin's view of the Lord's Supper led him to the opinion that "we should celebrate the Lord's Supper 'very often, and at least once a week.'" I suspect the evangelical church has abandoned that practice because it views communion as "a mere memorial meal."

[Mark A Powell · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I don’t agree with every doctrinal position here, my misgivings aren’t primarily theological. Sermon series seldom survive the conversion to book form and this is a strong example of why they are quite clearly two different manners of communicating. While all dealing with the same meta-theme, each chapter feels largely disconnected from others. The topic of discovering true identity is worthy of serious consideration, especially in our self-obsessed age, but this is not the book I’d hoped it would be.

[Vanessa Rivero · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy to read book about finding one's true and eternal identity in our union with Christ, rather than in the temporal and superficial, and even destructive identities the world offers to us. I read and discussed this with my church Sunday School class and benefited even more by the discussion comments. Even though this book has discussion questions following every chapter we didn't use them for our discussion, nevertheless we still had great discussion from just going over the chapter.

[Blanca Alejandra Hernández · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the author's way of presenting ideas in this book. Simple but at the same time so deep in each chapter.

The book describes what our union with Christ is and what our true identity, a real and valuable one, not ephemeral or futile, as the one that is sell to us in today’s world.

I felt that I learned a lot through this book and I’ll probably read it again in the future.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful presentation of the gospel in 10 short chapters with questions for discussion. I read it too fast, but I may revisit it, particularly if I ever have a friend or small group who would like to learn more about our being in Christ. Many beautiful quotes to underline!

[Celeste Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amen!

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read, and very insightful. I highly encourage this book, especially for young people or someone new to the faith.

[Joy Conkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful summary of what it means to be in Christ. Fundamental truths clearly stated for Christians at all stages.

[Mary Pellicano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and approachable, helpful study on what it means to have your identity found fully in Christ. Enjoyed going through this book with my Bible study group!

[Thomas Brunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are all trying to find our identity in this world, whether we are looking for it in money, career, sex, entertainment, hobby, family, or friends. All of those things, while they have their proper place and function are not meant to consume us. Rather, Christ the Bread of Life, the one who nourishes our soul is the one we ought to be supremely enjoyed. He is not, as Cruse puts it "a means to an end but the end, itself." The hope of being saved isn't even found in going to Heaven, but rather being with Christ for all eternity. The main premise of this book, from Jonathan Landry Cruse, is showing the flaws of the "identity Gospel" and how Being in Christ is where our identity and hope is found. He does these things well. The writing is good, rooted in scripture, the reformers, Catechism, and a little of other stuff, which are sources I'd expect from him. The examples are good and thought provoking and will stir your heart & affections for the Lord. So why 3 stars? Although there is a lot to like in theory, and actuality, and while I agree in a general way about certain things (if the author was just more vague or didn't get into them as much, I could agree more), I can't get over some of the theology errors. I of course, knew these ideas were in it. This was my 2nd time reading it. I think I had read it for the first time in 2021. I agree with his main premise in the book, I appreciate what he sets out to do, and how he speaks with clarity, boldness and conviction, also as I said, while I definitely disagree with several things I appreciate how much scripture is in this book. I like how this comes off like a collection of sermons. Solid, like a Catholic who technically still enjoys hearing Reformed preaching, solid, but flawed as expected.

[Cassandra Chung · Rating 5 out of 5]

At some point in time last year, my church was encouraged to pick this book up to be read in our respective accountability groups. So, that's what two other girls and I did for last year (and the earlier part of this year)!

This book chiefly deals with some key doctrines in the Christian faith and how these doctrines apply to us practically. In dealing with union, being chosen, pardoned, being made righteous, being adopted, being one in Christ, made new, secure in Christ, alive in Christ and communion with Christ, the author paints a rich picture of what these doctrines mean to us today in a world increasingly fueled by individualism and identity politics. Each of the chapters within this book cites relevant Bible verses in helping us understand where these doctrines come from in the Bible: in that respect, Landry displays a strong knowledge in the Bible.

Each doctrine is divided in chapters, making this book a light and easy read despite its comprehensive content. Landry also uses everyday examples to illustrate his points and in helping us understand in a more practical manner the manifestations of these doctrines in the life of a Christian. Landry also uses very simple language and concise sentences making it not just suitable for working adults but also university students, those approaching their twenties and older teenagers.

I loved this book so much that I (and a couple of other friends of mine!) got a former youth of mine a copy for her baptism, at about the time she begins preparing to leave for university. I would recommend this book if you're keen to have a simple read on core doctrines in the Christian faith in respect of our relationship with Christ and how it applies to our everyday life.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Explores several aspects of the Christian's union with Christ. It's a worthwhile topic, but this book wasn't as insightful as I expected given the topic and author. Chapters end with study questions.

Notes
Union with Him
Christ is the giver and the gift. He's not a means to the end, but the end. We don't come to Him for something (salvation, sanctification, better life), but for Him. He's everything we need. Ephesians 1:3, 23; Romans 8:32; 1 Corinthians 3:22.

"… everything you need for lasting, fulfilling identity is found in Christ and only in Christ."

Pardoned in Him
Christ's "passive" obedience refers to His suffering (using original meaning of "passive" from Latin "passio," "to suffer").

Righteous in Him
Jews were required by John the Baptist's command to submit to baptism, so Jesus did so for sake of His people, not for Himself (Matthew 3:13–15).

Adopted in Him
All believers, male and female, are referred to as "sons of God" to show inheritance, because sons (not daughters) were the ones adopted for inheritance purposes.

New in Him
Discipline and asceticism can't keep you from sinning. Only Spirit-given faith that you're already dead to sin (Romans 6:1–3; 2 Corinthians 5:14–16; 13:5; 1 John 3:6, 9) can keep you from it.

Sanctification isn't simply about being good; it's being like Christ; recognizing who you already are in Him (Colossians 3: 1-3).

Don't try to please God by being good in your own strength; please Him by being like His son, which will produce goodness.

Secure in Him
Perseverance verses: Romans 8:31–39; Jude 1; John 6:37–39

[Andrew Canavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short book truly delivers on the title: Christians will be reminded to find their true identity in (their union with) Jesus Christ. Cruse communicates in this book the multi-faceted jewel of being in Christ. He does so with doctrinal clarity, pastoral warmth, wise application, and an engaging style. While it would be excellent for private devotional reading, it would also make a wonderful book for a Sunday School class or Bible study to work through. I look forward to recommending this book far and wide!

[Bauer Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable, accessible introduction to our union with Christ through the letters of the Apostle Paul. The opening chapter is exceptional!