As I prepared to write this blog this morning, I heard a song by Tosha Cobbs that I’d never heard before. It is from her Royalty tour. Written by Travis Greene, the lyrics state, “I am royalty. I am who You called me. I believe I am Yours. Oh, yes, I am.”
The United States and, indeed, our culture is suffering from an identity crisis. After decades of rejecting God, we now stand confused and directionless. Biological standards that have existed from the beginning of time are now denied. Our nation struggles with direction and purpose, as fully illustrated by our government’s lack of unity on any topic.
The Church at large has also drifted. My friend and the leader of Assemblies of God US Missions, Pastor Choco De Jesus, often used the term “drift.” The Church has drifted away from its purpose and its mission. How can this happen? Because we have lost our identity.
These institutional problems do not extend from the institutions but the individuals working within them. Whether it is the government or the Church, drift begins in the heart of individuals. If our sense of meaning, purpose, and missions waver, the institutions we work within also waver.
Paul addressed our identity in his letter to the Galatians (3:26-29). Here is a brief outline of this section adapted from Dr. Warren Wiersbe’s Be Series. It shows six ways in which Christ should define us.
V26 – You are defined as God’s Child.
V27a – You are defined by baptism in Christ.
V27b – You are defined by Christ as you clothe yourself in Him.
V28 – You are defined by your unity with Christ.
V29a – You are defined as Abraham’s offspring.
V29b – You are defined as heirs to the promise.
We are often defined by our traits, experiences, or whatever we choose. Christ, above all else, must define your life. You are not, first and foremost, a person of a specific race, nationality, gender, socioeconomic class, or anything else apart from Jesus Christ. Human nature is to worship that aspect that defines us. Some worship their race above all else—some their gender. In our current culture, chosen sexuality supersedes everything else.
When you come to know Jesus, He is the only definition that genuinely matters. He is also the only thing I want people to see in me. I don’t want to be known as a short white guy with a PhD. I’m not, first and foremost, Jenna’s husband or Natalie, Micah, Joy, and Joshua’s dad. Above all, I am defined by Christ. From that place, purpose and mission naturally flow. I am His, and His purpose for me is well-defined. I live to worship and serve Christ.
You may be struggling with questions of identity, purpose, or mission. You may feel you are only defined by your past or the choices you are currently making. Jesus wants to bring you freedom. He wants to free you from all the ways the world defines you and how you define yourself.
When we welcome Jesus into our lives, He redefines us. Let’s be honest: His definition is far greater than anything I can come up with. I am a child of God, and that’s a pretty good place to be.
Through Time 