Romans 12.1-2
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Our relationship with God is the foundation for everything in life. God is the source of our identity and purpose. He created us. He defines us. We are not defined by our circumstances. We are not defined by our job. We are not defined by our possessions or position in society. We are not defined by our passions and preferences.
We are defined by who we are in Christ.
It is essential that you understand who you are; that you know your identity. It is essential that you protect yourself against identity theft. Today’s commercial world certainly understands the importance of protection against identity theft. Due to the pervasiveness of credit cards, the internet, and electronic transmission of personal information, identity theft has become a big problem in today’s commercial world. Identity protection and recovery has become big business.
It is even more important spiritually. Knowing and protecting your identity in Christ is of singular importance. Mankind has been duped. Satan seeks to steal our identity. He lies to us about who we are; deceives us about what is important; tries to tempt and trick us into believing a lie about who God is and who we are in relationship to God.
This is an important principle because belief drives behavior. When we have a false belief about our identity, we behave and act in ways contrary to God’s design for us. Distorted belief about our identity leads to distorted behavior. People in our world suffer from bad behavior driven by wrong beliefs.
Your identity is an integral part of your worldview. Your view of yourself is inextricably tied to your view of God, the world, and your purpose and destiny. What you believe about your identity is not merely an intellectual or social exercise. It affects how you do your job, how you relate to others, how you worship, and how you live your life every day. Your worldview and understanding of your identity shapes the choices you make every day.
In order to truly know who you are, you must know the God who created you and understand and align your life with his design. You are not the accidental product of an impersonal universe + time + chance. You are not a cosmic accident.
Your life has meaning and purpose because God created you, redeemed you, and calls you to himself. God loves you!
“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” (Ephesians 5.8)
