“Who am I?” has become one of the most prominent questions of our time. Children – teenagers – adults – those in later life – are wrestling to find an answer that truly satisfies. Secular voices are, at best, confusing. Some are deeply concerning. The images and voices of our culture create more questions than answers and leave many unsettled without any clear answer to one of life’s most basic questions.
Christian believers are not free from such pressures. We see the same images and hear the same confusing voices. The world’s way of thinking is powerful and persuasive and the pressure to conform to what the apostle Paul calls ‘the pattern of this world’ (Romans 12:2) is very real.
Yet, because of Christ, we have a very different voice to attend to and a very different image to which to conform. Indeed, according to the Bible, we are not just called to a new identity; in Christ we are given one. ‘If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone the new is here!’ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Being ‘in Christ’ is one of the apostle Paul’s favourite ways to describe a Christian. It captures the idea of union with Christ – and it means that our identity is now bound up with him. His Father becomes our Father (Galatians 4:4-7); his righteousness, our righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21); his glory even becomes our glory (John 17:22).
This speaks to so many of the things we wrestle with. When overcome with fear and anxiety, Jesus tells us we are behaving as if there were no heavenly Father to care for us (Matthew 6:31-33) – we have forgotten our identity as much-loved children. In the face of feelings of guilt and shame, we have lost sight of our identity as those made fully righteousness because of our union with Christ (Isaiah 61:10; Romans 8:1). In times of despair, we need reminding that our ‘life is now hidden with Christ in God’ so that, ‘when Christ, who is [our] life, appears, then [we] also will appear with him in glory’ (Colossians 3:3-4). It speaks directly to many of our contemporary struggles – to body image, toxic masculinity, transgender, assisted suicide and more besides.
These truths get forgotten, however. And even when they are remembered, they sometimes fail to make a difference. Precious gospel truth just doesn’t seem to penetrate the fog of doubts and fears. We know we ought to be able to speak to ourselves, and others, about our identity in Christ. We know we should be able to do it with words that really make a difference – but somehow we just can’t seem to see how.
Next year’s national conference from BCUK is going to focus on precisely this issue. We’ve called it Identity: conversations exploring our union with Christ. Because we want to be Bible and theology rich, the conference will explore the wonderful biblical promises that flow from union with Christ. And because we want to be relevant and practical, we will also explore how we can take those truths and bring them to bear in our conversations with others.
The main sessions will lay out the Bible’s teaching about our union with Christ and why it matters. Our seminar series will tackle a range of contemporary issues in practical ways. This year we are also going to be running four different post conference workshops – each of which, in their smaller setting, will provide a more hands-on training experience. The details are all on the link below. More updates to the event page will follow as main session titles and seminar topics are confirmed.
We are so very excited to be making the move to Keswick. This gives us so many new opportunities – not just to open the conference to more people, but also to expand our seminar and workshop sessions. Accommodation and breakfast is not included – which means you can choose something suited to your individual needs. All other meals and refreshments are provided in the cost of registration. By eating together on site we can maintain the same strong social heart of the conference that we have come to appreciate so much.
More than anything, we want next year’s BCUK national conference to leave us thrilled beyond measure by the wonderful new identity that God has provided for us in Christ. Do join us.
