Our Identity

Our Identity

“There was a man named John sent by God, who came as a witness to the light….”

“Finally they said to him ‘Tell us who you are, so that we can give some answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say for yourself?’ He said, quoting the prophet Isaiah, ‘I am a voice in the desert, crying out: Make straight the way of the Lord!” (John 1: 6 – 8; 19 – 28)

John was anointed by God. God sent him to prepare the way for Christ. To understand his identity and his mission, he turned to the scriptures. We discover our true identity only in the scriptures. The Holy Spirit anoints each Christian for a mission. What is the specific nature of my own mission? What does the scripture say on this?

“In the scroll of the book it is written of me, my delight is to do your will; your law, my God, is deep in my heart. I proclaim the saving justice of God in the great assembly. See, I will not hold my tongue, as you well know. I have not kept your saving justice locked in the depth of my heart, but have spoken of your constancy and saving help. I have made no secret of your saving and steadfast love, in the great assembly.” (Psalm 40: 7 – 10)

This is what scripture says about my mission:

What I will do is already written in the Book. - “To do your will.”

In what specific context? - “To proclaim the saving justice of God.”

Where? To Whom? – “In the great assembly.” To use what God has done for me as a platform to proclaim his saving justice, his constancy, saving help, his faithful and steadfast love.

What does scripture say of my mission?

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength. By calling me into his service he judged me trustworthy, even though I used to be a blasphemer and a persecutor and contemptuous. Mercy, however, was shown me, because while I lacked faith I acted in ignorance; but the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that was in Christ Jesus. Here is a saying that you can rely on and nobody should doubt: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I myself am the greatest of them; and if mercy has been shown me, it is because Jesus Christ meant to make me the leading example of his inexhaustible patience for all the other people who were later to trust in him for eternal life. To the eternal King, the undying, invisible and only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1: 12 – 17)

“Rejoice always, never cease praying, render constant thanks; such is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus … He who calls us is trustworthy, therefore he will do it.” Amen! (1 Thessalonians 5: 16 – 24)