"...the fact of being who a person is..."
I am...an Earthling, a middle-aged female, Caucasian American, living in the 21st Century. Currently, a Texan.
Is that identifying enough? Is that who I am?
I am...an adopted daughter, wife of one man, mother to eight, grandmother to two, half-sister, aunt, and a friend to many.
Is that enough to identify me?
Upon what do we base our identity? Is it by what others think of us or expect of us? Or, by comparing ourselves among ourselves? (not wise, the Bible says) Do we base who we think we are on what we do or don't do? For instance, "I'm a church-goer." "I'm not a thief." Perhaps, our identity is based upon our gifts or talents, strengths or weaknesses of character and personality, or physical attributes and abilities or disabilities. Often we are known for our work or our avocations. Our ethnic, religious or cultural connections, as well as our financial status are also identifying factors.
But, do they define who we really are?
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12)
"I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14)
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)
"HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME." (Revelation 4:8)
The great I AM is the only One truly qualified to identify me.
I have come to believe that the only accurate reflection of our true identity is to be found in God Himself, His Word, His Holy Spirit.
I want to see myself as the great I AM sees me.
All the other means by which we size ourselves up are nothing more than shifting sand. We cannot make one hair white or black, or add a single cubit to our stature. Our perceptions of our identity can change, do change.
So, what is God's perspective of us?
"And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise." (Galatians 3:29)
If we can say:
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)
Then,we are:
His sheep,(John 10:27), children of light (John 12:36), His disciples (John 13:35), aliens, strangers, pilgrims (1 Peter 2:11), (Hebrews 11:13), a holy people, a peculiar people, (Deuteronomy 7:6), a peculiar treasure (Malachi 3:17), children of God, heirs, co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), children of promise (Galatians 4:28), redeemed (1 Corinthians 6:20, 1 Corinthians 7:23), and a living and holy sacrifice (Romans 12:1)
Consider these words from Romans 12:
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
In other words,
"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4:10)
Perhaps, it seems I've deviated from the original premise of my treatise. Allow me to summarize my thinking with these verses:
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
..." and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." (Ephesians 4:24)
"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."(Galatians 3:27)
There's our identity!
IN CHRIST!
Serving and glorifying Christ Jesus, Our Lord, with the unique gifts that He has created in us,
is the only identity that will survive an eternity.
I am a daughter of the King! (Psalm 45:13)
I am...an Earthling, a middle-aged female, Caucasian American, living in the 21st Century. Currently, a Texan.
Is that identifying enough? Is that who I am?
I am...an adopted daughter, wife of one man, mother to eight, grandmother to two, half-sister, aunt, and a friend to many.
Is that enough to identify me?
Upon what do we base our identity? Is it by what others think of us or expect of us? Or, by comparing ourselves among ourselves? (not wise, the Bible says) Do we base who we think we are on what we do or don't do? For instance, "I'm a church-goer." "I'm not a thief." Perhaps, our identity is based upon our gifts or talents, strengths or weaknesses of character and personality, or physical attributes and abilities or disabilities. Often we are known for our work or our avocations. Our ethnic, religious or cultural connections, as well as our financial status are also identifying factors.
But, do they define who we really are?
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12)
"I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14)
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)
"HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME." (Revelation 4:8)
The great I AM is the only One truly qualified to identify me.
I have come to believe that the only accurate reflection of our true identity is to be found in God Himself, His Word, His Holy Spirit.
I want to see myself as the great I AM sees me.
All the other means by which we size ourselves up are nothing more than shifting sand. We cannot make one hair white or black, or add a single cubit to our stature. Our perceptions of our identity can change, do change.
So, what is God's perspective of us?
"And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise." (Galatians 3:29)
If we can say:
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)
Then,we are:
His sheep,(John 10:27), children of light (John 12:36), His disciples (John 13:35), aliens, strangers, pilgrims (1 Peter 2:11), (Hebrews 11:13), a holy people, a peculiar people, (Deuteronomy 7:6), a peculiar treasure (Malachi 3:17), children of God, heirs, co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), children of promise (Galatians 4:28), redeemed (1 Corinthians 6:20, 1 Corinthians 7:23), and a living and holy sacrifice (Romans 12:1)
Consider these words from Romans 12:
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
In other words,
"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4:10)
Perhaps, it seems I've deviated from the original premise of my treatise. Allow me to summarize my thinking with these verses:
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
..." and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." (Ephesians 4:24)
"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."(Galatians 3:27)
There's our identity!
IN CHRIST!
Serving and glorifying Christ Jesus, Our Lord, with the unique gifts that He has created in us,
is the only identity that will survive an eternity.
I am a daughter of the King! (Psalm 45:13)
