June 2014, Identity in Christ

Imagine becoming married … exchanging vows and rings … joining hands and hearts. Now together as one, you drive to the airport full of excitement about your honeymoon.

You both arrive at the ticket counter: Oh no! … your wallet! Racing to the car, you yell, “I’ll be right back, honey – right back!”

Amy waits, and waits … until the plane departs. Frantically searching the airport, it appears her new groom has vanished!

Such is the case of Sean McNulty, who three days later was found wandering … disoriented … bug-bitten from head to toe. He didn’t know his new bride. He didn’t even know his mother. Because he had amnesia, he didn’t even know his identity.

Identity

What would it be like to not know your own identity? How can you have peace? How can you have joy? How can you know your purpose in life?

Sadly, many people today live with spiritual amnesia. They simply don’t know who they are.

Your identity determines your worth.

Let’s assume someone informs you that $10,000 has been deposited in your bank account. You enter the bank and say to the teller, “May I please have $100?” The teller asks for your account number … if not that, your name. But because you have amnesia, you can’t provide any information. If you continue to ask for money, the only thing you’ll receive is a security escort out the front door. Yet, once you identify yourself, you can quickly receive the cash. Therefore, your identity determines your worth and your ability to draw on your reserve.

Your identity determines your destination.

Some time ago, I flew from Dallas to Atlanta to speak at a convention. I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Prior to final boarding I made a quick phone call using what I thought was extra time.

owever, when I walked to the gate to board, the ticket agent told me they had already started assigning seats to standby passengers and that I needed to first check in at the main desk.

My heart raced as I approached the agent at the desk and handed him my ticket. He scanned his computer screen, checked for my name … and after what felt like an eternity, said with a smile, “Yes, you are on this flight. You may now board the plane.” Indeed, my identity was directly linked to the destination of that plane.

Even more critical is our identity in terms of ultimate worth and eternal destination. The Bible says there are two different “identities” or “families” for all human beings: those who are in Adam and those who are in Christ:

“Since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22).

The question is: To which of these two families do you belong? Ultimately, your personal identity within one of these families determines your characteristics and your inheritance.

Your identity determines your characteristics.

Our physical charac­teristics are determined by our biological families. In college, my freshman roommate was Josephine Eng from Hong Kong. She had straight black hair, dark brown eyes, a dark complexion and a small frame. In stark contrast, I had curly blond hair, light green eyes, a fair complexion and a medium frame. No matter how much time I spent with Josephine, I could never possess her physical characteristics.

Likewise, because you are born into Adam’s family, you inherit his family char­acteristic –a sin nature. Psalm 51:5 says, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” Consequently, our natural inclination is to sin.

However, God made it possible for you to change families and, thus, to receive a new identity – a new nature! You can be “adopted” into the family of Christ and become a child of God. Then you lose your old identity in Adam and receive a new identity in Christ: “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Your old sin nature is supernaturally exchanged for a new divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4). This new identity provides you with new worth based on God’s invaluable re­sources and a new desti­nation throughout eternity. Consequently, for you to have the characteristics of Christ, you must be in a different family.

The Bible says, “To all who did receive him [Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

Realize, you don’t have to live with amnesia. When you become a child of God and are adopted into the family of God, your struggle with low self-worth is replaced with godly self-worth – the kind that enables you to know your true identity in Christ and experience the exciting transformation that comes from seeing yourself through God’s eyes.

Yours in the Lord’s hope,

June Hunt

Dear Friend,

What happens when you long for your dad’s guidance but he is not there for support and encouragement? What happens when you work to earn your boss’s approval yet the bar of expectation rises higher and higher? Repeated rejection is the breeding ground for low self-worth. But, what a comfort to know . . . “To all who did receive him [Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

Each of us knows someone who is hurting with life’s struggles . . . health concerns, divorce, grief, unemployment. Our mission is to use God’s promises to bring hope to a broken world. We appreciate your gifts to Hope For The Heart, which help us reach more people through broadcast, biblical resources and counseling. We’d like to encourage you to become a regular Monthly Giving Partner. Why? Because giving monthly is critical for sustaining and growing our outreach to more people.

How can you join our Monthly Giving Partners program? Complete the enclosed card, become a partner online, or call 1-800-488-HOPE (4673). As a special thank-you to those giving $30 or more each month you will receive an exclusive weekly e-devotional from June, a prayer journal and 20% off biblical resources to share with family and friends. Thank you for joining us in prayer and financial support to help others find biblical answers for the challenges they face today.

Thankful for you,
Denise Henry
Director of Donor Relations

YOUR GIFT CHANGES LIVES.

• $30 monthly provides two callers a biblical resource.
• $45 monthly funds an hour of radio time.
• $50 a month means two people in desperate need will receive professional counsel-turning no one away for lack of funds.

If you’re on Facebook, I invite you to connect with me at Facebook.com/June.Hunt.Hope. And if you’re not, take it from me: You’re never too old to start! See you there!

For your convenience, you can donate to this ministry via our website, www.HopeForTheHeart.org.