Identity and Purpose: aligning your behavior to your identity in Christ
How you view yourself, that is, your identity, has a lot to do with finding your purpose in life. We all live out of our identity, so it’s important to make sure you choose the right identity.
We Have Multiple Identities
We all have multiple identities. For example, I am a father, a husband, an author, an American, a wine enthusiast, a Timberwolves fan (NBA basketball), as well as a follower of Jesus. Sometimes those identities work together, but other times they can be in conflict with each other. It’s important that we understand that conflict and prioritize which of our identities matter the most.
The Apostle Paul and His Identities
The apostle Paul is a good example of identities in conflict. Before Paul came to faith in Jesus, he was a persecutor of Christians. His identity was that of God’s Defender of the Faith. God’s Warrior of Righteousness. And because he had those identities, he aligned his behavior to those identities by persecuting Christians. His purpose flowed from his identity.
Paul Found His New Identity in Christ
But when Paul encountered Jesus, he was humbled and he discarded his identity as God’s Warrior and Defender. He let that identity go and he took on a new identity, that of God’s servant, aligning his behavior to his new identity.
That’s why Paul said, What shall I do, Lord? in his telling of his conversion (Acts 22:10). Paul was willing to do whatever God asked him to do instead of what he felt his identity as God's Defender required him to do.
Paul explained what this meant to him when he said:
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Which Identity Has Your Allegiance?
I think this is where many Christians go wrong today. Instead of following Paul’s example by abandoning the behavior of their negative, or less important identities, they choose to continue allowing their other identities to take precedence over their identity as God’s child.
For example, we see this in how people let their political identity dictate their behavior even when it runs contrary to God’s will. Or they behave in a way they think their sexual identity, or ethnic identity, or theological identity requires them to behave rather than their spiritual identity as God’s child and follower of Jesus.
Does Your Behavior Make You a Hypocrite?
As a result, these “believers” show the world an inauthentic Christianity. They aren’t truly following Jesus, only taking on his name, which often earns them the label “hypocrite.” They are merely following their own desires under the guise of Christianity. They are posers…and the world can tell…wanting nothing to do with a self-serving religion. They see these people as spiritual pretenders who only use their religion for personal benefit.
Let me ask you: Is there a part of your identity that affects your behavior more than your identity as God's child?
Excusing Your Behavior
I mentioned above how we do this, but there are many other, simpler examples. For instance, people often excuse their temper by joking that they are Irish or they are a redhead. Or their age gives them permission to act a certain way… “I’ve always been this way. I’m too old to change now.”
Or maybe their job makes them think that they “have to” act a certain way because the industry requires it, even though it is contrary to who Jesus called them to be.
In each instance, people’s behavior flows from their preferred identity even if it conflicts with their faith in Jesus.
So, what are some identities that you have that you use as your excuse or permission to behave in a way that's contrary to the life of Jesus?
Your Purpose Is To Align Your Behavior With Jesus
If you have taken on the name of Jesus and have chosen to follow him, that means that every day your goal is to align your behavior with your identity as God’s child and follower of Jesus. This is a big part of your purpose. If you claim to be a Christian then your purpose is to live out of THAT identity.
If you think about it, a good portion of the Bible calls us to do that, from the Ten Commandments, to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, to all of Paul’s letters. God is continually calling us to behave like his child so the world will come to know him.
If you have taken on the identity of a Christian, I hope this is your desire… to be conformed into the image of Jesus.
A Prayer for Transformation
Here’s a prayer that might be helpful if this post is resonating with you at all:
Father God, help me to see how I might be giving myself permission to behave in a way that is contrary to my identity as your child. Forgive me for misrepresenting you in this world. Fill me with your Spirit to align my behavior with my identity as your child so the world might clearly see who you are. Amen.
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This is adapted from a recent sermon of mine. Email me here if you’d like the text of the full message that I shared on Identity and Purpose. Or, you might be able to catch the audio of the message here (see April 21, 2024)
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