book excerpt
The world gives us different identities from the moment we are born, through life, and up
until the very end when we die. From these identities we assume various roles and
responsibilities; and these may bring us joy, pride, and a sense of belonging, yet on the
other hand stress, pain, and even sadness. Therefore, the number of identities we acquire
through the natural process of life can either complement each other or cause strife or
conflict in our lives, unless there is a solid foundation from which we can be able to
maintain normalcy and stability, apart from which we risk feeling like we are being
pulled from different directions. Christians are no exception.
From the instant we are born, before we may even have a name, the midwife or
whoever is doing the delivery shouts, “It’s a boy!†Or, “It’s a girl!†Right there and then,
when we first make our contact with the world, already we are given a title or identity.
However, when we get saved or born again, something magnificent happens to us.
There is a great transformation which takes place inside which revolutionizes and
changes us forever. We do not necessarily feel it with our senses because it happens in
the spiritual realm. “Why in the spirit and not in my flesh or soul?†you ask. Because God
is a Spirit, He cannot dwell anywhere else but in your spirit. According to John 4:24,
“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.â€
We are human beings even as Christians; we get born naturally and go through
the changes of life, we live on this earth just like everybody else, yet really we are
spiritual beings who live in physical bodies and have souls. The Spirit of God comes to
reside in your spirit upon salvation, hence the Bible says we become God’s temples (1
Cor. 6:19).
We become one with God when His Spirit is joined to our spirits, and this is what
being born again is all about. This miraculous birth and transformation which takes place
spiritually is the foundation and rock by which we can live victorious, successful,
peaceful, and meaningful lives as we begin to realize who we really are as the children of
God. We begin to fully appreciate our salvation which came as a result of Jesus’ death
and resurrection, and we embark on seeing ourselves from God’s perspective as we now
belong to Him. If we identify ourselves as the children of the almighty living God who
loves us beyond human comprehension, we can trust Him that He only wants the best for
us. And if we totally submit to Him, we can live purposeful and satisfying lives as He
begins to transform us into Christ’s likeness.
In the midst of a chaotic and ever changing world, as children of God we can
enjoy peace and stability when we know that we have victory and life from the inside that
can make it possible for us to withstand whatever the world may throw at us. In truth it
does not matter what our circumstances are like or what roles or responsibilities we have
to fulfill, everything else falls into its perspective place, just like a piece of puzzle; you
have to get that one big piece right then the rest will be easier. As a Christian that is
knowing that first and foremost you are a child of God.
Chapter 1
The Different Identities and Titles of Life
When we are born, we are given names by family members. A name can be chosen for
various reasons. It could be after a beloved friend or relative, dead or alive, and
sometimes with the hope that the child may have some of the desirable characteristics of
that dear person. In the case of a deceased relative, it may be hoped that their memory
will continue.
Some people choose names because they like how they resonate whether or not
their meaning is known. Unfortunately, maybe just like me, you know of people whose
names have nothing inspiring or positive at all about them whatsoever. Names like
Doubt, War, Pain, and the like. Although there is usually a story or meaning behind them,
personally I have never understood why a new life should be burdened with such
negativity and heaviness in a name.
As we go through life, we obtain titles or identities along the way. We enroll in
school and become students. We have different titles or identities to our siblings—we
become brothers and sisters, and nephews and nieces to other family members. We are
identified differently to the rest of the community and to our neighbors and friends. And
these bring us some sense of belonging, joy, and security as well as certain
responsibilities.
We may eventually go to college and become graduates or dropouts, if for some
reasons we do not finish college. As will be discussed later, there are some identities in
life we have power, choice, and control over, whereas others are just inevitable. Later we
may be employed and be known as employees and workers. We get married and have our
own children and before you know it, we are parents ourselves. As we are all aware, this
is not necessarily a concrete sequence of events for everybody; but it illustrates that as we
get older in life, our identities, roles, and responsibilities change whether we are born
again or not. And, if we do not have a stable foundation from which these changes occur,
we might find ourselves feeling lost, overwhelmed, and even fragmented. Having
mentioned that; God does want us to excel in our studies, to marry the right partners, and
have kids as predestined by Him and according to the plans and purposes for our
individual lives.
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