My True Identity . . .

Now when you read the title to this post, you might already be thinking that I am about to reveal to you that I am a secret agent, or that I live in the middle of a forest swamp in a submarine . . . . well . . . sorry to disappoint you on that score, but I've been thinking a lot lately about my true identity as a Christian.  Who am I, really?  When people see or talk to me, who do they think I am?  Am I just another one of those people who say, "Oh yes, of course I'm a Christian," but then leave God just as a side note in their lives?  

My biggest prayer for this year is that Christ would be my true and only identity!  I found this quote from John Piper that is super good and encouraging on true Christian identity.  Please read it, because it is sooo worth at least 5 minutes of your time :)

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"There is a lot of discussion in our day of self-concept or self-identity. How do we view ourselves? It is an important question. And what I hope you read is that the specifically biblical angle on this question is that Christian selfhood is not defined in terms of who we are in and of ourselves. It's defined in terms of what God does to us and the relationship he creates with us and the destiny he appoints for us. In other words as a Christian you cannot talk about your identity without talking about the action of God on you, the relationship of God with you, and the purpose of God for you. The biblical understanding of human self-identity is radically God-centered.

Who am I? Who are you? You are a God-chosen one, a God-pitied one, a God-possessed one, a God-sanctified one. The very language of our identity in this text (1 Peter 2:9–10) necessitates that God be included as the one who acts. Our identity is not an end in itself, but for the sake of priestly service, which Peter defines as proclaiming the excellencies of the One who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

God made us who we are so that we might proclaim the excellency of his freedom in choosing us. The excellency of his grace in pitying us. The excellencies of his authority and power in possessing us. The excellencies of his worth and purity in making us holy.

In other words he has given us our identity in order that his identity might be proclaimed through us. God made us who we are so we could make known who he is. Our identity is for the sake of making known his identity. The meaning of our identity is that the excellency of God be seen in us.

Therefore being a Christian and making the greatness of God known are almost identical. We can do it in church services with preaching and singing and praying and reading. We can do it in our small groups as we tell each other what God has been for us, or what we need him to be for us. We can do it at work as we tell people what we love about God and why we think he is great. And we can do it in a thousand different ways of love that suit our situation and personality."

--Quote from John Piper

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