Webster’s Dictionary defines “Identity” as the distinguishing character or personality of an individual.
Maybe you have no idea what that distinguishing characteristic is, and you find yourself asking who am I?
We all ask ourselves this question in our life, sometimes we’re doing this as we approach Jr High and High School. Suddenly, your body is changing and what is Algebra?
Once that’s over and done with, you’re off to college or trying to find your way in the work world and that question still pops up, who am I?
I have often thought that the struggle with identity is just a struggle for the younger generation in the world today but if I’m being honest, it is a struggle we all face in our lives.
If you call yourself Christian and you’re struggling with identity, do not worry because the church during Paul’s day had struggled with this too.
In the church of Galatia, Paul the apostle encountered a crisis of identity that concerned him so much that he wrote a letter about it, talking about who we are as Christians.
Jews and Gentiles were each at odds with their identity as new Christians, the Jews were telling the Gentiles that they ought to act like Jews and the Gentiles were confused about what they were getting into, so Paul writing to these Galatians says this about the identity of a Christian.
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and
the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
That is your identity, you are no longer who you used to be, but you are identified with Christ who lives in you.
Paul recognizes the real heart of their issues; they had an identity crisis.
They were stuck in this awkward space when they became Christians that they went back to who they were before Christ, but Paul reassures them and us that we have a steady foundation of identity to rest on when we come to Him.
We are sons and daughters of the living God, who redeemed us and has adopted us.
So, our identity is this: we are His.
When you wonder who you are, take comfort knowing that the Son of God defines you, not the world or even us, He does.
~ Chris Andrade