Dr. Pat Polis, “The Church Mechanic,” discusses stolen identity and identity in Christ. Credit card thieves aren’t the only ones attempting identity theft.
Recently, I received a fraud alert text from my credit union alerting me of a charge that day of $938.00 using my debit card for a purchase in New Jersey. Fortunately, the charge was caught and declined and did not affect my account. However, there was another charge the same day of $500 at a similar store in North Carolina. This time they also used my PIN number, so the charge went through.
Someone stole my identity.
A Thief in the Night
In John 10:10, Jesus said that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. Then Jesus also said that He (Jesus) comes to give life, and that life abundant. A dive into the original language defines the word destroy as “cause to lose;” and the word abundant is defined as “to have an advantage.” Jesus was saying that the thief will steal or kill to cause us to lose the advantage we have in Christ.
What is that advantage? Our new identity, an identity that the thief wants us to lose sight of. Just what is that advantage – our identity in Christ? We are no longer considered strangers but adopted into God’s household as sons and daughters; we are redeemed from the penalty and power of sin through Christ’s death and resurrection; we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and given a new life; we are given a spiritual gift; we have access to all the promises of God; we have peace with God and are loved by God.
The Ultimate Theft Protection
With all that we are given by grace through faith, it is no wonder the thief will use deception, doubt, discouragement and distraction to steal our identity in Christ.
Galatians 2:20 assures me of my identity which cannot be stolen: “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Dr Pat Polis
The Church Mechanic
For helpful information to grow your ministry, join Dr. Pat Polis for The Church Mechanic Thursdays at 5 p.m. on Joy 620 WRJZ/102.5 FM.
The post Stolen Identity vs. Identity in Christ first appeared on Joy 620 WRJZ.