Understanding Identity
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| Identity determines how we view God, ourselves and the direction our lives will take |
Some are faced by the dilemma of double lives. On one hand they are seen to have wonderful social lifestyles. But when everyone is gone and they are all alone, they find themselves desperately engaged in a losing battle against temptations in their personal walk which come upon them on a daily basis.
In a world full of lust and corruption they wake up to the shocking reality that they are trapped in addictions they do not seem to be able to overcome and do not have the courage to share with anyone else. Some have attempted suicide as a way out of the distress and pressure of living this in this dual identity.
In a world full of lust and corruption they wake up to the shocking reality that they are trapped in addictions they do not seem to be able to overcome and do not have the courage to share with anyone else. Some have attempted suicide as a way out of the distress and pressure of living this in this dual identity.
There are many who are struggling with issues in their lives which do not conform with the image of God they have been fed with over the years. Some look at the happenings in the world through the media and wonder, where is the God we hear being preached over and over again? Is He there? If so, where His grace, goodness and mercy? How come we read of powerful revivals in history and none is taking place where I live? I believe in God, yet why am I personally going through so many things in my life which I do not understand?
It has given rise to the question, could there be a deeper meaning to the identity of God and the message of the Gospel than we have been led to believe? These and other questions set me off on a quest to find real answers. It was a path that led me into confrontation with the very foundation of what I believed as a Christian and what I understood to be the true message of the Gospel.
This is something I know the enemy does not want you to hear. If you are reading this I want you to know right now that it is not by coincidence.
John was the beloved apostle because he had the closest of relationships with Jesus on earth. It is he who rested his head upon the Jesus' breast which is a symbol of true intimacy. He was acquainted with Jesus right down to the finest details, from the time He woke up to the time He went to sleep. He knew how He ate His food, the type of clothing He wore and even secrets that He did not share with the other disciples. In the final moments at the cross, this was the disciple into whose care Jesus committed His own mother.
When this same John, now an aged, matured man of God, met the same Lord Jesus as He is, the encounter was so unexpected, he fell at His feet as a dead man. (Revelation 1:17). What made the difference?
Everything we are as believers, from what we believe and the prayers we pray to the lives we live are shaped by our understanding of identity. How we view God determines how we view ourselves and the path our lives will take. Therefore, it is imperative that we first understand the true identity of the One who created us. This is actually not as light as it sounds. Many assume, like I did for many years, that we already know Him. However, as we will soon see, much of that is simply knowledge about Him coming from who we are and how we view ourselves. This is not be the popular way the masses want to go. Yet this is the way to real freedom. It is unpopular because there is a cost factor involved. We have to prepare to be stripped and everything about us even in the innermost depths exposed. However, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10).
Contrary to what many may be willing to believe, to accept the real identity of our Maker, even for the most mature, is not a comfortable affair. Even Job, the most righteous person of his time, when confronted with this reality, confessed that he had only known God by the hearing of the ear and now repented in dust and ashes. When the messianic prophet Isaiah saw Him high and lifted up, he was torn apart and began pouring himself out in repentance. Though the disciples were fearful in their boat when a storm broke out at night, they were terrified when they saw Jesus walking toward them.
What would happen today if all the humanistic veils were to be stripped off and we were to see Him as He truly is, in the attributes that make Him divine? Is it something we are prepared for? Human nature is such that we'd rather get on with our daily lives within the comfort zones we have built undisturbed. If we are honest with ourselves, we are even scared of what we might find out and if we start going down this path and how it might affect us. It is easier to simply continue with the views we and others around us have about ourselves in relation to Him without questioning those views in the light of truth.
This is the exact same fear that prompted Adam and Eve to hide themselves when they heard the true God approaching (Genesis 3:8). It has been said that man's greatest fear is the fear of the unknown. Even sincere, well-meaning persons would much rather postpone this subject till their lifetime on earth is over. We find it easier to just carry on, convincing ourselves that we'll deal with it later. Unfortunately, when that time comes, it is often too late.
As we will soon see, the message of Jesus not only challenged the secular and religious people of His time, it also confronted the lives of His own followers. Needless to say, some of these statements have often been taken out of context and misapplied as though He was addressing the lost. One such occasion is when He spoke the following words to those who already believed. We would consider these today as Christians.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31-32)
