Followers of Christ were first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11:26) because of what they believed, because of how they behaved, and to whom they belonged. Their identity was sure and strong. Forces at work in our culture want to rob the identity of Christians. Instead of a pure, peaceful identity as a child of God, they want us to appear confused, weak-willed, spiritually impotent, and emotionally unhealthy. A lot of people are simply walking away from what they once believed, and they are assuming the spiritual identity of the “crowd” or the popular culture around them.
There are identity thieves at the door of every heart. They wait for the chance to rob our genuine joy, peace, and confidence in Christ. They try to replace it with the counterfeit and temporary offerings of the present culture. It is the responsibility of every Christian to live in such a way that identity in Christ will be clear and significant.
This isn’t a new problem it was a problem in the first century as well. This is one of the reasons Paul encouraged Timothy 25 times in 1st and 2nd Timothy to be strong and endure in his work in Ephesus. In 2nd Timothy 2:1 Paul, inspired by God, told Timothy to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and these words apply to every Christian. If we are to live in such a way that our identity in Christ will be clear and significant we must be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
This Sunday we will look at 2nd Timothy 2:1 as well as some other verses in 2nd Timothy 2 that will help us to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and help us to live in such a way that our identity in Christ will be crystal clear.
Praying everyone has a blessed week.
In Christ,
Gary T.