When navigating, it is obviously important to know where you are to start with. This seal has climbed out of the sea for a rest – its navigational skills are not in question but it looks as if it is asking the question, ‘Who am I?’. Likely, it was probably asking, ‘Who are you taking my picture?’. The seal didn’t actually know the name of the beach or the nearest town but it knew where home was and how to return. The question, ‘Who am I?’, had no relevance to the seal whereas all human beings find it a question of the greatest personal relevance. What answers do you come up with when you consider this for yourself?
- ‘In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity’ – Erik Erikson
- ‘Human identity is the most fragile thing that we have, and it’s often only found in moments of truth’ – Alan Rudolph
- ‘The value of identity of course is that so often with it comes purpose’ – Richard Grant
- ‘Spiritual identity means we are not what we do or what people say about us. And we are not what we have. We are the beloved daughters and sons of God’ – Henri Nouwen
Jesus Christ was very clear about his identity as the Son of God, both human and divine. His powerful attraction is that whilst he did not sin yet he loved us who have and gave himself to give us a new identity that could be free from sin. The Bible is clear that all people have freewill but that none of us can resist the allure of sinning. The amazing gift of Jesus for those who receive it is to be free from the penalty of sin and to be able to resist sin. Adam and Eve were unable to resist sin but a forgiven child of God has begun living with a new nature and destiny. Jesus was fully human and divine; a person ‘born again’ now has an eternal spiritual nature living in a mortal human body. So a follower of Christ can choose to resist sin by that spiritual nature or to yield to its power in the weakness of his or her natural physical body – but now at last there is a choice! We can live to please God by resisting sin or endure the sorrow that sinning brings to him.
- ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy’ – 1 Peter 2:9-10
- ‘… those who are still under the control of their old sinful selves, bent on following their old evil desires, can never please God. But you are not like that. You are controlled by your new nature if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that if anyone doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ living in him, he is not a Christian at all.) Yet, even though Christ lives within you, your body will die because of sin; but your spirit will live, for Christ has pardoned it. And if the Spirit of God, who raised up Jesus from the dead, lives in you, he will make your dying bodies live again after you die, by means of this same Holy Spirit living within you’ – Romans 8:8-11 TLB
- ‘Jesus replied, “What I am telling you so earnestly is this: Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Men can only reproduce human life, but the Holy Spirit gives new life from heaven; so don’t be surprised at my statement that you must be born again!’ – John 3:5-8 TLB
- ‘For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love’ – Galatians 5:13 NLT
Are you more like a chameleon or a butterfly?! The chameleon is like someone with a split personality and tries to fit in with wherever it finds itself – that is the temptation. The butterfly looks back at its old life as a caterpillar crawling along nibbling leaves before flying off in its beautiful new body. So it is with the one who is ‘born again’, no longer subject to the old earth-bound sinful nature but free to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Now that is real, fulfilling and glorious freedom. Even when we still mess up, God will help us because we are his. It’s almost too good to dare to believe but this is the gospel of grace to all who are ‘in Christ Jesus’.
- ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time’ – 1 Peter 1:3-5
These things are some of the deep mysteries of God. What is your answer to the question at the start – ‘Who am I?’. If your faith is in Christ rather than in yourself, you have a new identity which God has put his seal upon:
- ‘Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His;” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to keep away from wickedness”’ – 2 Timothy 2:19 NASB
These are the words of life – you’d better believe it if you want to find both yourself and the way home! If you have made this choice, live in the freedom with great joy. If you are still mulling it over, here’s a wonderful song from Hillsong for you to enjoy that should help:
‘Who You Say I Am’ –
For more reading: https://connect4life.org.uk/c4l-boosters/freedom/