“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.” (Phil 3:7)
Identity theft. Big thing these days. People can take your personal information and make purchases that look like you made them. Calls to the bank. Arggghhh!! What a hassle to clear up.
What about you? Where is your identity? In your job? Your children? Your boyfriend or girlfriend? Your Harley? Your education? Your looks? Your home? Whether good things or bad things, all things are temporary. They can be stolen, lost, expire, move on, grow up, rust, wrinkle, or rot.
Where should we put our identity? In the Lord! Why? Because . . . “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isa 40:8)
Ask Paul. His identity used to be in a lot of things. “ . . . If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. (Phil 3:4-6)
But even he experienced identity theft. Here’s how he got over it “ . . . But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. (Phil 3:7-8)
Paul’s identity was now in Christ, not in the things of this world. As a prisoner with nothing to boast of he stood erect in court and boldly proclaimed to King Agrippa . . . "I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains." (Acts 26:29) Imagine saying that in prison garb and chains with an uncertain future ahead of you.
If you lost all that was important to you, could you say the same? You would if your relationship with Christ was your complete identity. That, my friend, can never be stolen.
Louie