In our fast-paced, ever-changing world, it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of daily life. We often find ourselves swinging between joy and despair, constantly trying to control our circumstances and extract value from our fleeting experiences. But what if there was a different way to approach life? What if we could find stability and peace amidst the storm?
The key lies in understanding our true identity in Christ and learning to live from an eternal perspective. This profound shift in thinking can transform how we navigate the challenges and triumphs of life.
The Temporal vs. The Eternal
Scripture tells us that there are two realms of existence: the temporal and the eternal. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, we read, “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
The temporal realm is everything we can see, touch, and experience with our physical senses. It’s the world of constant change, where our circumstances, emotions, and even our bodies are in a state of flux. This is the realm where we often try to find our worth and identity.
In contrast, the eternal realm is unseen but just as real. It’s unchanging, complete, and where our true identity in Christ resides. This is the realm where God dwells and where our spirit is anchored when we put our faith in Jesus.
The Swing Illustration
Imagine your life as a tire swing. The rope of the swing is anchored above in the eternal realm, secured to your identity in Christ. The tire itself swings back and forth in the temporal realm, affected by your thoughts, feelings, and circumstances.
Many of us spend our lives trying to control the swing, attempting to keep it on the “good” side through our own efforts. We believe that if we can just manage our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors well enough, we’ll find peace and stability. But this approach leads to exhaustion, anxiety, and a performance-based acceptance that’s contrary to the grace we’ve been given.
Instead, we’re called to focus on the anchor point – our unchanging identity in Christ. By fixing our gaze on the eternal, we can find rest and peace even as the swing of our earthly experience moves through ups and downs.
Our True Identity in Christ
So what is this identity that we’re meant to anchor ourselves to? Scripture gives us a beautiful picture:
- We are new creatures in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
- We are complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10)
- We are the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
- We are joined to the Lord and are one spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17)
These truths aren’t just nice sentiments – they’re the bedrock of our existence as believers. They don’t change based on our performance or circumstances. They’re eternal realities that we’re called to live from.
The Challenge of Living from Above
If this identity is so secure, why do we struggle to live from it? The answer lies in our past and our present reality.
Before coming to Christ, we lived entirely in the temporal realm, learning to extract value and meaning from our performance, relationships, and circumstances. Ephesians 2:1-3 reminds us that we once walked according to the “course of this world,” fulfilling “the desires of the flesh and of the mind.”
Even after salvation, we still inhabit bodies perfectly suited for earthly existence. Our souls – with all their emotions and thoughts – are still very much engaged with the temporal realm. It takes a deliberate choice, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to live from our eternal identity rather than our temporal experiences.
Renewing Our Minds
The key to making this shift is found in Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Renewing our minds isn’t a one-time event but a daily practice. It involves:
- Regularly reminding ourselves of who we are in Christ.
- Choosing to believe God’s Word over our feelings or circumstances.
- Bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)
As we do this, we begin to live from a place of rest rather than striving. We find peace amid chaos because our anchor holds firm in the eternal realm.
The Fruit of Eternal Perspective
When we learn to live from our eternal identity in Christ, several beautiful things happen:
- We exchange works for grace – no longer trying to earn what Christ has freely given.
- We trade achieving for resting – finding our value in who we are, not what we do.
- We replace anxiety with peace – knowing that our core identity is secure regardless of circumstances.
- We move from exhaustion to renewal – as we tap into the power of the Holy Spirit rather than our own strength.
This doesn’t mean life becomes easy or that we never struggle. The swing of our earthly experience will still move through ups and downs. But we face these challenges from a different perspective – one anchored in the unchanging love and purposes of God.
A Daily Choice
Living from an eternal perspective is a daily choice. Each morning, we have the opportunity to fix our gaze on the unseen realities of who we are in Christ. We can choose to renew our minds with God’s truth rather than being conformed to the patterns of this world.
As we do this, we’ll find ourselves increasingly able to echo the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
This is the invitation before us – to live not by sight, but by faith. To find our identity not in the swinging circumstances of life, but in the unchanging reality of who we are in Christ. As we learn to do this, we’ll discover a peace that surpasses understanding and a joy that transcends our circumstances.
May we all grow in our ability to live from the eternal perspective, finding rest and renewal in our true identity as beloved children of God.
Pastor Bryan Ross
Grace Life Bible Church
Grand Rapids, MI
January 24, 2025
Resources For Further Study
The Rest of the Gospel: When the Partial Gospel Has Worn You Out by Dan Stone
The Swing Illustration: Learning To Live From The Eternal Perspective YouTube Series