Biddeford Church of Christ

Our world is fighting a very serious battle that seems to center on one’s identity.  People desperately trying to find meaning and purpose by identifying as something they are not.  These battles, which were once waged in silence, are now overtly displayed, and even pushed upon society, demanding acceptance, and approval.  Can we as God’s people learn from what we see going on around us?  Consider for a moment the following question, “Who are you?”  In most cases, I suspect our answer would be limited to the world we live in; that is, I am a brother, sister, husband, wife, son, daughter, father, mother, and the list goes on.  If you were to look up the word identity, you might find the following: the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.

What does this have to do with us or our Christian walk for that matter?  I believe it has everything to do with it!  A couple weeks ago I did a lesson from 1^st Corinthians and in it I talked about how a church family, so riddled with problems, could be identified as “…those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…” (1^st Corinthians 1:2).  I want us to consider some words once again from the apostle Paul to this church with the intent of understanding just how important who we understand ourselves to be matters in this life.  I want to talk about our true identity.

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit

the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived.” (1^st Corinthians 6:9)

As was noted in the previous lesson, this church family was not conducting themselves as they should.  The were dividing themselves along the lines of certain men like Apollos, Cephas, or Paul.  Paul would ask them, “Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you?  Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1^st Corinthians 1:13).  Then there is the tolerance of “sexual immorality” which is mentioned in 1^st Corinthians 5.  Or in chapter six, where we find them bringing fellow believers to “the judges in the law courts” (ETRV) who themselves “think and live” in a way contrary to God (ETRV, 1^st Corinthians 6:1).  It must have pained the apostle Paul to pen these words, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ” (1^st Corinthians 3:1).  The ETRV reads “…like ordinary people of the world.”  Yes, their identity was the “sanctified in Christ Jesus”, yet they were also “called”; that is, invited or appointed to be “saints”, set apart by God from the world around them.  They were to be different because God has made them different through Christ!  Why though?  Why be different?  Because option B is not worth it.  Paul asks them plainly, as is noted already, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?” (1^st Corinthians 6:9).  You should know better!  Then he lists some worldly behaviors and then stresses, these will not “inherit the kingdom of God” (1^st Corinthians 6:10).  Why bring them here?  What is the point?  This is the point!  This is no longer your identity!

“And such WERE some of you.  But you WERE washed, but you WERE sanctified,

but you WERE justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1^st Corinthians 6:11)

All of those who are in Christ Jesus WERE once part of this world.  We may not relate to those things mentioned, like fornicators, thieves, drunkards or even homosexuality, but they could.  Those things were once their identity, but not anymore.  They were washed; that is, to wash fully!  At their baptism God had remitted their sins of the past, changing who they were, as well as their future.  At that moment, God also sanctified them, that is, He made them holy.  Once again, the words of Peter come to mind, “…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1^st Peter 1:15).  Seek to become what God has already made you to be!  Be in this physical world what God has made you to be in the spiritual world.  As though to emphasize everything, he reminds them that through Christ they were justified; that is, to render just or innocent.  One commentator writes, “Your sins are pardoned, and you are accepted as righteous, and will be treated as such on account of the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ…”. Why stop their worldly behavior?  Because that is not what God made you to be!  That is not who you are!  You once identified with those things, but not anymore.  Things have changed.  You have changed.  Don’t be who you WERE, be who you ARE!

What can we learn from this?  We allurement of this world is no different than it was back then.  In reality, because of the modern age of technology, it might be even more challenging today.  Like those early Christians, the temptation to go back to worldly lifestyles is ever present.  It is important for us to pursue spiritual maturity so we can better fend off any attempts of the evil one to draw us back into his clutches. It is healthy for us to be reminded that such choices that bring us back into the world robe the believer of their hope.  Eternity is at stake.  This is not to suggest that we live a life of doubt concerning our relationship with God.  We will struggle with sin.  But there is a difference between struggling with it and embracing it anew.  It is equally important to remind ourselves of what God has done.  He has washed us clean!  He has sanctified us, setting us apart from this world!  He has justified us, making us innocent!  This is now you new identity in Christ.  I like this quote I found, “Your circumstances may change but who you truly are remains forever the same. Your identity is eternally secure in Christ.”  May God help us to rise and be who we are.

Dennis