My ID is...

 

You know that moment, when you turns your head as you drive, for the unsightly scene or brand new car -- the moment of interest, the moment of awe, the moment of thousand questions raise above your head -- and you just could not resist yourself from turning your head. We have all experience such moment. We can relate to it. The reason? Brand new thing would always be far if not slight difference than the old. That is the whole point of a corporation pumping money on R&D; to make sure even the slightest change would pique the interest of the potential buyer.

Be it brand new car, brand new phone or gadgets, or even brand new partner; brand new things will always pique the interest of the masses -- for better or worse. The same applies to our character or identity. Even the slightest change would turn the heads of some people while a complete change will turns the head of everyone. People will be wondering the common why, what, how questions -- just to gain knowledge over the source of such noticeable change. Today’s epistle reading speaks of the same idea that applies both in the original context as well as today’s context -- the identity that will challenge the stream of globalization.

When John wrote this letter (1 John), he wanted to address some half-hearted Christians who still confused thinking about Christ. The same with our situation these days. Christ’s finished work on the cross still be the foolishness for the wisdom of this world. Quite honestly, no political affiliation would think that it is a wise thing for a leader to die for a reason that mass majority would not agree with: die for our sin. Because the subject of sin carries different meaning in many religions, and for a ‘mere’ human to die for someone else’ sin, it is appalling or perhaps blasphemous, to say the least. Why this knowledge matter?

Many philosophers would argue the significance of everything, hence the logic of Christ was illogical. No wonder many of the Christian back then finds it difficult to stay in that faith for the common school of thought taught them their devotion to the deity will be justly reciprocate. There is some truth to that. God surely will reciprocate but not according to our will and certainly not as how we think it would be. He gave us something far more precious than the visible gifts and blessings: the new identity -- not based on who we were or what we did to acquire it but based on Who He is and what He has done for us.

It sounds uninteresting, right? Certainly, if your goal to seek religion is to be blessed in abundance on this world (that being said, I am not against us being rich). “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1). Something precious has been given to us; the privilege to be called the children of God. In the world that constantly fascinated with the sense of divine, as some would go to such length of calling himself ‘god’, this certainly a comforting thing to be heard. But their understanding at that point of time would definitely incline towards the myth of ‘demi-god’ -- half human half god. John making sure that this is not the case when it comes to the proclamation as the children of God.

The value that set the Christian apart from the rest of the people in this world is the fact that we reflecting the very person that define our identity as Christian; Christ. This reason is foolishness according to the world for a simple reason of not knowing Him (verse 1). Knowing Him or not knowing Him makes a different between life or death. What there is to know about Him then? Peter brought the same argument to the table when he saw that the people were astonished upon seeing him healing a lame beggar (Acts 3:12-19). The faith in Jesus’ name has enable the man to walk again. Faith that this Man; Jesus Christ of Nazareth (Acts 3:6), the Son of God, has died as the propitiation of our sin. This faith inspire hope, enable change in a person. So, we believe it should.

Why this proclamation as the children of God always being repeated through ages over and over again like a broken record? Because the ignorance to this marvelous gift of new identity would consequently means that we never believe in His finished work through His Son, Jesus Christ. This new identity comes hand in hand with the fact that we are to believe in Him who granted us this gift. God’s love upon us, through the death of His Son (John 3:16) has torn the veil of sin that separates us with God. Truly we were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), but that image has been stained by the sin, hence, it should have brought relief to us, Christian, that by believing in His finished work through His Son, we may once again claim the privilege of being His children; made in His own image. Not only that, our faith in Him would restore our defected physical and spiritual bodies to be like Him as we finally be able to see God face to face once again (the last time human ever did was in the Garden of Eden before the Fall). (Verse 2, cf; Romans 8:23).

What a good news for us to receive! No other religion would have such confidence to proclaim the identity as the children of God except for us Christian. Hence, such claim does not come without some weights to carry.  “I, the LORD your God, am holy.” This phrase has been repeated five times in the book of Leviticus to constantly reminding the people of God that they too should consecrate themselves before approaching God for Who He is: Holy (Leviticus 11:44,45; 19:1; 20:7,26). His holiness imperative to our holiness. Without which ours would mean nothing. It makes a lot more sense to put this into a perspective with an analogy; suppose you are born into an European family, you would fancy blue cheese because your parents did and the same goes to Asian family, we would fancy durian because our parents did. The logic is this; God the Father proclaiming us as His children -- our Father is Holy, likewise we should reflect the same holiness.

No. I am not talking about self-righteousness or selfish display of religious piety. No amount of that would actually mean anything if it does not based upon our faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross for our sin. By believing that He has taken upon Himself that very curse of death for the original sin (Galatians 3:13), the only right response is to stop living in the sin as if we are crucifying Him over and over again (in which case, illogical) (Hebrew 6:6). Hence, it is only fair when John said that “no one who keeps on sinning has either seen Him or know Him” (1 John 3:6). Our faith in Him should trigger an active response. We should want to be holy. We should want to be pure. Just as we groan for the liberation from this broken world that has brought nothing but sadness, pain and death. That hope for ultimate restoration should inspire us to prepare ourselves by constantly consecrate ourselves before seeing Him face to face when He comes to judge the world and bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him (Hebrews 9:28).

Friends, this world is very good in making us generic and acceptable by the masses. But what is the price that we will pay for that? Our value as the children of God. This Easter, as many other Easters before this and is to come, will be a reminder to us that Christ has paid the ransom to grant access for us to come before the God at His throne of grace. This knowledge should inspire us to be like Him; to be holy as He is Holy. However, do not worry if you have sinned prior reading this. Count yourself as blessed for God has brought you to this point of time, to draw you closer to Him once again. That, my friend, is the greatest love of our Father.