It’s almost like they kept it in the closet with a sign that read: “For Sunday use only"
Dare 2 Share - Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. (Romans 12:2)
I used to have a cat that played fetch. I would wad up a small piece of paper, chuck it across the room, and that feline would retrieve it faster than a Retriever. I would often wonder what went wrong with her little brain that made her confused about her kitty identity.
I also used to work with a group of high school students. No, most of them would not play fetch, but some of them were seriously confused about their Christian identity. It’s almost like they kept it in the closet with a sign that read: “For Sunday use only”. Oh I know that it’s easy to make compromises when we’re around our friends who aren’t friends of Jesus, but that is especially the time that we should display on the outside who we are on the inside. Perhaps it is because we don’t really know who we really are that makes it easy to live inconsistently with our true identity.
Who are we…really? Here are a few descriptions for starters:
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy." 1 Peter 2:9-10
"For you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness." 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5
"For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance from until the end." Hebrews 3:14
"You also, as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:5
"You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:13-14
"Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it." 1 Corinthians 12:27
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:10
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household." Ephesians 2:19
"Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:20
"And having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness." Romans 6:18
"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
That’s a brief overview of the incredible change that was granted to you instantly when you trusted Christ. At what cost were you given these astounding privileges? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. That is why it is so extraordinarily important that we live who we are everyday.
Questions:
1) Am I trying to fit in with a group where I didn't belong?
2) Do people around me know that I am a follower of Christ? Why or why not?
3) How can I live more consistently with my identity in Christ?
Digging Deeper:
Through the week, take one ‘identity’ verse a day and focus on reflecting its truth in your lifestyle.
