Greetings,
At the time of our baptism we voluntarily agreed to surrender our identity. We came to see the real self as God sees us and were buried with Him through baptism into death (Romans 6:4). We recognized that what we are, had to change and so committed to that process. We covenanted with God to take on a new identity – the identity of Christ. As the Apostle Paul told the church in Corinth, “… carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus … that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:9-11). This path of life is not an easy one – it is narrow, straight and difficult. Seeing the need to shed our old identity and embrace a new one is more easily said than done. The old man doesn’t die easily.
Our physical, mortal flesh is strongly attached to this world. Our environment has been manipulated by the ruler of this world, Satan, to provide the maximum deterrence to humans forming a relationship with God. Additionally, our human nature responds easily to the urgings of the prince of the power of the air to resist change. Essentially we like our identity, and self-focus comes naturally in this environment created by Satan. As Paul pointed out, “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do” (Romans 7:14-15).
Our commitment to an ever-deepening, spiritual identity remains even in the face of pressure. “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:24-25). The focus of our mind is very important. We need to be increasingly attached to the source of Light and moving away from the source of darkness. Our new identity is in the Light.
With this in mind, consider the words spoken by Pope Francis recently. He spoke in response to the rise of the populist style of government (support for the concerns of the “ordinary people”), particularly in the U.S. and Europe. He warned of seeking a savior in times of crisis. At such times, he stated, we look for a savior to give us back our identities. The Pope then cited the example of Germany and Hitler. These are interesting comments, given the source.
We have witnessed the truth of these observations in both the Church and the secular world. When God allowed the pressure of doctrinal heresy under the guise of “new truth” (which was neither new nor truth), we saw many members revert back to their former religious identity. While we marveled at this, it was a natural reaction. Now we live in a secular society which is openly embracing a populist style of government. Many are looking for a human savior to “… at this time restore the kingdom …” (Acts 1:6). It is very easy to revert back to our former identities – either in part or in whole.
We are to be diligently seeking to build a building and to be clothed with a habitation from heaven. “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up in life” (2 Corinthians 5:1-4). That building and clothing are spiritual and represent our baptismal commitment. “… always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:10-11).
Let us not become distracted from the awesome task of taking on the identity of Christ. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Satan wants us to look for a savior in the physical realm rather than focus on the real Savior. By the power of Almighty God, we can shed the physical and take on a new, spiritual, Christ-like identity.
Warm regards,
Brian Orchard
