It is also easy for people to mistake our identityas disciples of Christ...and we don't help our cause in many cases. Let's look at what our identity is first...then we will look at how it can be mistaken by the world for something else.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Ephesians 1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
So, our identity with Christ consists of several things: we are chosen; a royal priesthood and a holy nation; adopted sons; children of God; the Body of Christ.
Are we easily identifiable with the characteristics above to all who look at us? Consider the medieval times. Each King had a banner that was flown before him as he traveled and over his castle. Each banner was different and each crest and colors were specific to each king. People knew who the king was and where he was from just by the banner that was flying. When he would send messengers to other kingdoms they flew that banner or they had a seal that identified who they belonged to and whose business they were attending to. If they did not have these identifiers with them, then they could be mistaken as spies or even outlaws by the kingdom they were traveling through. Today, what is the banner we should be flying?
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Love! The greatest of these is love, Paul said. Love is also the first fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians (Galatians 5:22-23). Can others look at you and see the love you have for other people? Can they see the joy, peace, kindness, goodness, self control, etc. that is growing inside you? Can they listen to your words and know that you are an adopted child of God?
Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Have you crucified your flesh and natural desires? What are you putting out there for people to see first? Just notice that Paul told the Galatians "those who are Christ's HAVE crucified the flesh..." If we are Christ's and we belong to Him, then we have to crucify our flesh and put off the ways of the old man. We can no longer walk in the way of our flesh, because if we do, then our identity will be mistaken by those around us. We might have the appearance of one that has the King's banner outwardly, but when they take a second look and compare us to Christ, will they think they have made a mistake in their identification of us??
I used to believe that just telling people my beliefs and that I was saved, a born again, blood bought spirit filled Christian was enough. I have learned in the last few years that it is not. God makes it very clear throughout His word how I am to act and behave and speak. What I am to say and the behavior we are to put away is clear. I have to have inside of me the fruit of the Spirit that is so bountiful that it can be seen by any who look at me and who talk with me.
In the world, when a couple adopts a child, that child's identity is changed. No more does that child carry around the last name he or she was born with. It is officially and legally through the court system changed to the last name of the adoptive parents. Why? So the child can be identified as belonging to their family. If the name is not changed, then the child cannot be identified as belonging to the adoptive parents. Well, it is no different with our spiritual adoption. We should be changed so that we can be identified with the family we belong to and that family is the Body of Christ. It is a Body that Jesus, our bridegroom, is returning to receive. The Body is to be spotless and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27). The Body is to have a new identity.
So, I ask today...Can you be a victim of mistaken identity? Can people recognize who you belong to...who your adopted Father is when they talk with you? OR...do they still see you the way you were before you were saved? Are you cursing and using foul language? Are prone to bouts of outbursts of wrath and anger? Do you gossip about others? Are you living in sin with a boyfriend or girlfriend without marriage? And the list goes on and on...
God places the seed of righteousness within us. He places the seeds for the fruits of the Spirit within us. It is up to us to learn how to cultivate and grow them through the Holy Spirit. (Read the post Are you like the Cursed Fig Tree?) It is up to us put off the ways of our old man so that we can confidently know our own identity. It is up to us to put on the ways of our Father so the world will know who we are and who we belong to.
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