Identity is defined as "the collective aspect of the set of characteristics by which a thing is definitively recognizable or known." If our identity is in Christ, we should display characteristics that are recognizable as belonging to Christ. Our identity in Christ should fundamentally transform the way we live. As new creations in Christ, we are called to leave behind our old sinful ways and embrace a life that reflects God's character. This means living with integrity, kindness, humility, and love, striving to follow Jesus' example in our daily actions. Our identity as children of God empowers us to live by the Spirit, producing the fruit of the Spirit. Our identity in Christ also compels us to live in community with other believers, collectively reflecting God's love and truth to the world.
The way we are to live comes as a result of who we are in Christ, which first requires us to know Him. The more we know God, the more we will love Him. And the more we love Him, the more we will be like Him (John 13:34–35; 1 John 1:5—2:6; 4:7–12). How do we get to know God? A primary way is through studying the Bible. It is "breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16–17). The Bible tells us who God is, what He does, who we are, and how God desires us to live. It tells us the grander plan of history—God's perfect creation, the disastrous effects of sin, God’s promise of rescue, and His unfolding plan of redemption and restoration. We also get to know God by spending time with Him in prayer, obeying Him, spending time with others who know Him, appreciating creation, living in worship as a response to who He is and what He does, and more.
Our identity in Christ is not merely lived out personally, but in community. Many of God's commands relate to how we are to live with one another, so to obey Him necessarily implies being with people. But it is much more than that. The church is referred to as the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11–16), the household of God (Ephesians 2:19), and "a dwelling place for God by the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:22). Not only do we need one another to be reminded of our identity and equipped to live it out, but together we image or reflect God to the world (Matthew 5:14–16; John 17:20–23). Identity in Christ is not only about who we are as individuals before God but also about who we, together, are as God's people.