God Has Called You His. Here’s What That Means

Published October 22, 2025
God Has Called You His. Here’s What That Means

We all know the ache of wondering if we’re enough—if we measure up, belong, or are truly loved. Feelings of rejection or unworthiness are universal. 

But Scripture makes one truth clear for every believer: your identity is not up for debate. 

In Ephesians 1:3–14, Paul reveals what God says about who you are in Christ. And it changes everything. 

You Are Chosen 

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” (Ephesians 1:4) 

Before the foundation of the world, God thought of you. You are not an accident or an afterthought. He knew humanity would sin and still put a plan in motion through Jesus to reconcile you to Himself. 

Being chosen means God has a purpose for you. The season you’re in is not random—He trusts you with it. 

You Are Adopted 

“He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” (Ephesians 1:5) 

God didn’t just choose you—He brought you into His family. Adoption isn’t about perfection; it’s about being wanted. It’s about belonging, inheritance, and new identity. 

In the Roman world which Paul was writing about, adoption gave someone full legal rights of a biological child—the family name, status, and inheritance. Their past–whether they had been a slave, an orphan, or a citizen of lower class–was wiped away. 

God has given you His family name, Christian. Your inheritance is His grace and His mission. And just like an earthly father, He’s proud to call you His. 

You Are Redeemed 

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7) 

God wanted you in His family so much He paid the ultimate price—Jesus’ blood—to cancel your debt of sin. 

Jesus’ sacrifice doesn’t just credit righteousness to you by covering your past and future sins, but it also sets you free from sin’s power on your life by enabling you to live in righteousness. The chains that once held you down can become a display for the might of His grace. 

You Are Sealed  

“When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 1:13b) 

In the ancient world, a seal marked something as official, authentic, and protected. When you trusted Christ, God sealed you with His Spirit. 

That seal means His presence is with you always. Your security isn’t tied to circumstances. His Spirit equips you with boldness to live for His glory. 

How to Live From Your Identity 

These aren’t just nice platitudes Paul wrote so the Ephesians (and believers today) could feel warm and fuzzy about themselves. They are truths from which we should live. 

  • When you know you are chosen, you stop striving for approval—you’re already accepted.
  • When you know you are adopted, you stop acting like an outsider—you walk with a sense of belonging. 
  • When you know you are redeemed, shame loses its grip—you live as someone truly forgiven.
  • When you know you are sealed, you can take bold risks for the Kingdom of God—proclaiming His truth, giving generously, forgiving those who don’t deserve it, and loving unconditionally. 

    • Living out your identity is how you trade the pursuit of more for a life worth pursuing in Jesus Christ. When you embody these truths, others who don’t yet belong to God will see His glory reflected in You, and He can use that to give them a new identity, too. 

    God has called you His—now live like it. 

     

    This post is inspired by the first message of our “Identity” sermon series by Pastor Gaylyn Kelly. Dive deeper into how God sees you and what that means for your life by ordering a copy of Gaylyn’s book, “Identity: The Lies We Believe.”