About

What is FindTrueIdentity.Life?
The Website & Ministry Heart

FindTrueIdentity.Life is the online home of NewHeart Expressions (NHE), hosting Pastor Ron Browning’s Find True Identity Discipleship (FTID) and blog. More than a simple host site, it’s a living platform—still a work in progress, inviting guests to explore its pages and our ministry’s heart.

Founded in 2002 as Power of Purity, it evolved into NHE’s Find True Identity Discipleship throughout Pastor Ron’s decade-long recovery from a traumatic brain injury that brought cognitive and emotional challenges. As the discipleship path deepened, Find True Identity emerged as this ministry’s heartbeat. In God’s perfect provision, www.FindTrueIdentity.Life became available and was secured, launching as the online platform for NHE’s Find True Identity Discipleship.

God’s Word Defines, Describes, and Demonstrates the Christian’s True Identity in Christ

An Identity Purpose

• “I (Sovereign God) will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. And you will live in (freedom and peace)… You will be my people… I will be your God.” (Ez 36:25-28, NLT, emphasis mine)
• “For our sake He (Father God) made Him (Jesus Christ the Son of God) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God.” (2Co 5:21, emphasis mine)

An Identity Path

• “So we see that they were unable to enter the rest (of God’s Life) because of unbelief… (but then we see) we who have believed enter that rest… having passed from death to Life.” (Hb 3:19; 4:3; Jn 5:24, emphasis mine)
• “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the Life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me… Christ has set us free to live a free Life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.” (Ga 2:20, ESV; 5:1, the Message, emphasis mine)
• But those who entwine their hearts with Yahweh (the LORD) will experience divine strength. They will rise up on soaring wings and fly like eagles, run their races without growing weary, and walk through life without giving up. (Is 41:31, the Passion, emphasis mine)
• “And the mystery is that Christ lives in you, and He is your Hope of sharing in God’s glory… So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection Life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides…Your old life is dead. Your new Life, which is your real Life…. is with Christ in God. He is your Life.” (Co 1:27, CEV; 3:1-4, the Message, emphasis mine)

An Identity Promise

• “Now, may the God of peace and harmony set you apart, making you completely holy. And may your entire being—spirit, soul, and body—be kept completely flawless in the appearing of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. The One who calls you by name is trustworthy and will thoroughly complete His work in you.” (1Th 5:23-24, the Passion, emphasis mine)

“For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hb 4:12, emphasis mine).

NHE’s Core Value: ‘All of Grace, Faith in Christ’

For the GRACE of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all…
Titus 2:11

— The Gospel is God’s sovereign and loving initiative

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel,
for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…
the righteous live by faith.
Ro 1:16-17

— Repentance, when born from godly sorrow, leads to a Life of saving faith in Jesus Christ

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret…
2Co 7:10

…God has granted repentance that leads to Life.
Ac 11:18

— Atonement, Jesus’ substitutionary death making us right and ‘at one’ with God

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree,
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness

For Christ died for sins once for all,
the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
1Pe 2:24; 3:18

— Our Confession that Jesus is Lord, while agreeing with God about our sin, saves

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved.

For with the heart one believes and is justified,
and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Ro 10:9-10

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness…

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God,
God abides in him, and he in God.
1Jn 1:9; 4:15

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us ALL our trespasses,
by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.
This He set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Cl 2:13-14

— Expressions of the newheart naturally flow from Jesus’ Life living within—His Life of Love, Light, and Logic

The fruit produced by Holy Spirit
within you is divine Love in all its varied expressions:

joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures,
kindness in action, a Life full of virtue, faith that prevails,
gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit.

Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.

Keep in mind that we who belong to Jesus Christ have already experienced crucifixion.
For everything connected with our self-life was put to death on the cross
and crucified with Messiah.

If the Spirit is the source of our Life,
we must also allow the Spirit to direct every aspect of our lives.
Ga 5:22-26, the Passion

His Life — His Beauty — His Sovereignty — His Power. NewHeart Expressions exists to rescue those wrecked by relational and sexual brokenness, proclaiming a sovereign grace approach to the Exchanged Life: a biblical emphasis on the believer’s total reliance on the grace of God, rather than self-effort, to live the Christian Life successfully. It holds that both salvation and its ongoing spiritual growth are entirely initiated and sustained by God — where the believer, recognizing their inability to live the Christian Life successfully, “exchanges” their own struggling life for Jesus’ Life living in and through them (Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1 & 2).

What separates our identity from the roles and responsibilities we have?

My wife and I were attending our church community group one week and the issue of identity came up. And it is so easy for us to identify ourselves by what we do instead of who God says we are. But this error in thinking can entangle and lead us down broken paths of pain and misery.

Roles & Responsibilities

These are simply things we do—our relationships and activities. People say, I’m a parent—a mom or a dad, a friend, or I’m a doctor, a policeman, a teacher, a garbage man. We recognize these describe our relationships and connections, our duties and responsibilities. The roles that describe what we do, yet they must not define who we are. Why? Because roles and responsibilities can change, evolve, or end. Identity doesn’t. We can learn and grow in our identity but our core being can only be changed by an outside Source—e.g., Father God, His Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit.

So, what is our true identity? How does God identify us? Coz’ that’s what matters. In other words, what lies at the center of our being? Our core? What is the rhythm of our heartbeat?

Jesus’ call in the Gospels, reads like this:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?
Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your Life.

I’ll show you how to take a real rest.
Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it.

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
(Matthew 11:28-30, the Message)

True Identity

Humanity’s core—the human spirit—reflects who we really are. Revealed in three realities: a person’s nature, identity, and destiny (a person’s true desire). Only two paths exist. The human spirit is either unrighteousness or righteousness—sin or holy—sinner or saved. So, how does God identify you?

Humanity is born in sin. Everyone enters this world with a nature to sin—i.e., we are all born as sinners. Because of this condition, we wrestle with sins, and that inner conflict erupts into actual sinning. Even the good we do is tainted, because it flows from a heart inclined toward sin.

But a righteous person has no such inclination, because that person has been reborn. Born of God. And that heart-change now determines their nature, identity, and destiny—a person’s true desire. Self-effort nor will-power can accomplish such change. It’s something we can’t produce on our own. It’s impossible! The leopard can’t change their spots (Je 13:23) — i.e., the sinner can’t stop sinning. They remain trapped in their sin condition. Where the sins they battle continue to erupt and damage their lives with sinning. Eventually, the heaviness of sin, sins, and sinning becomes too much; so, the one trapped in their sin, the one who is sin-dead dies, destined for an eternal death.

So how then does anyone ever become righteous?

When God grants a repentance that leads to genuine faith in Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15; John 1:12). In that moment, we receive God’s own Life—newness of Life (John 1:12; Romans 6:4). Our nature to sin is exchanged for Jesus’ righteous Life (2Co 5:21). Our heart’s condition is transformed from sin to righteousness, forever! When? When we… … …

Repent and Believe
(Mark 1:15)

This is the great exchange of 2 Corinthians 5:21: God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Our sin is placed on Jesus; His perfect righteousness is placed within us. We are no longer spiritually dead but made alive in Christ (Ep 2:4–5).

We also receive a new identity rooted in Jesus’ perfect obedience. God no longer counts our sins against us—they were nailed to the cross (Cl 2:13–14). With this new identity comes a new destiny—a new heart with right desires—an exchange of want to (Ro 7:22; 8:5–8).

So, if there really is a new me, alive and righteous, and the sin condition is gone forever…

Why do I still struggle with sins & sinning?

Salvation is not a marathon or an instant change, but a lifelong journey. We need to understand that we are one person with two parts worked out in three distinctives—three stages:

• we have been saved — this is the once-and-for-all great exchange; our spirit (i.e., our nature, identity, and desire) has been made perfect—with Jesus’ perfect Life; we have everything we need to live the Christian Life successfully! (2 Peter 1:3-4). We have it all. We have God—all of God—living within our hearts… yet we must consider stage two—
• we are being saved — this is our ongoing experience; where our soul (i.e., our thinker, chooser, and feeler) is being made perfect. And this second stage of perfection has a life-long learning curve in the arena of spiritual growth…. so, until then we eagerly anticipate our full transformation on Resurrection Day (Ti 2:11-14)… when—
• we will be saved — this is our future hope, when our bodies will be fully redeemed and perfected at Jesus’ return; completing God’s work of salvation within us—spirit, soul, and body (Ph 1:6; 1Th 5:23-24) — a new body!!! (1Th 4:15-17).

The glorious exchange of 2 Corinthians 5:21—our sin for His righteousness—unfolds gradually over time. The war with sin has been won for those whose repentance has ignited a Life of saving faith in Jesus Christ within their hearts. We’ve been made perfect now and forever. Though the battles with sins and sinning continue until Resurrection, we rest in knowing that the final victory is certain. We fight not to earn righteousness (i.e., perfection), but from the righteousness (the perfection) we’ve already been given in Christ. In discipleship we learn what that righteousness—that perfection—really is and how we grow in it.

So, Who Am I?

So, every person born of God—i.e., truly saved—can say: I’m a child of God—i.e.,: I’m accepted! I belong!! I’m competent!!! All because I’m alive with Jesus’ Life living in me!!!!!

The spirit-chamber of the human heart is holy, righteous, and perfect. Three synonyms. So, the soul-chamber of our hearts is being made holy, righteous, and perfect. Then on Resurrection Day our bodies will be made holy, righteous, and perfect. And we will be completely holy, righteous, and perfect—spirit, soul, and body (2Th 5:23-24).

Until then, we live from Jesus’ righteous Life—His Life living in us—everyday. A Life we’ve already received. A Life of acceptance, belonging, and competence. A Life we’re growing in. A Life eternally secure.

Made perfect. Being made perfect. Will be made perfect. To become more and more like Jesus—perfect—spirit, soul, and body. That’s the path for those whose repentance has ignited a Life of saving faith in Jesus Christ.

So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good,
for we are His lovers who have been called to fulfill His designed purpose.

For He knew all about us before we were born
and He destined us from the beginning to share the likeness of His Son.

…predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…
Ro 8:28-29 (the Passion) …with a repeated line from v29 ESV