What defines you?  Where do you get your identity from as the driving force of how you live your life?  I used to to question this for myself for many years.  I questioned my purpose, questioned my being, and what it was I am here for.  I also used to to think that my identity as a man was bent purely on my ability to work hard to make more money to support my family.  It seemed like this was going to be the call of my life to just work and achieve “success” in that light.  I was blinded for many years unsure of who I was or not wanting to come face to face with the false-self I had created in my brokenness.

I’ve discovered a new Truth however.  My life is not defined by my career successes, it’s not defined by how much money I can make, it’s not defined by my social status in any light.  No…my identity as a man is found in Jesus Christ and Him alone.  My first identity through Christ is son.  I have been adopted, into sonship with the Father through Christ, as all of you have who have come to real faith in Jesus.  As Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians in chapter 1 verse 5, “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention His will.”  God identified me as his son through Jesus and in Him I am alive.

1 John 5:12 says, “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” It all hinges on our faith in Christ.  Our willingness to accept Him and all His works.  We have the life of Christ in us if we accept Him in our life.  If we don’t, as John said, we do not have life.  This is what I can say Christ has done for me.  I see this world and God’s epic story in such a different light now.  Before it was through blinded vision.  I was dead.  I saw only what this world had to offer and although I knew of Christ and believed to a certain degree.  Augustine said, “He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent,” however, I never opened the door of my heart to Christ who was there for years pounding away hoping I would let Him in.  I didn’t listen for a long time nor give my consent to come in.

Now that I have opened the door for Christ, it is through Him alone that I am made new and made the man I am meant to be.  My old self is now dead.  As Paul said in Romans 6:6, “…our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we no longer are slaves to sin.”

I will never let anything else in this world define me in any way.  My identity is now found in Christ and Christ alone.  As the song says, “In Christ alone, my hope is found.”  I look to Him for every aspect of my life.  I look for His guidance through the Holy Spirit.  I know now that I am no longer dead, I am alive.  I pray the same for your life.  I pray that you will allow Christ to enter your heart.  He wants to come in.  Christ says in Revelation 3:20,”Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”  Christ is asking that we open our hearts to Him now.  He came so that our hearts could be restored and made new, but it is purely by our choice.

Never let this world define you.  Never let your circumstances, your job or lack there of, your home situation, your friends, or anyone around you define who you are.  If you open your heart to Christ and are sanctified in Him, He is who identifies you in sonship and as a saint.  It through Him alone that we have life.  I will live my life in this way as a son of the Father raised to a new life through my Big Brother, Jesus Christ and restored in union with the Father.