Lost Identity

Lost Identity

Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."

I cannot tell you the many people that have came to me about losing their identity. Most of us keep our identity in our wallets. Identification is something that we use quite often. Identity (according to Webster’s Dictionary) is the state or fact of being the same or individuality. One of the most common proofs of identity is our driver’s license. When you write a check, the clerk will ask you for your driver’s license number if it is not already printed on your check. Many banks require us to have our driver’s license number. When we go to insure our vehicle, we must have a valid driver’s license. The most crucial time to share our proof of driver’s license is when we are stopped by a police officer. You know you had better not even think of driving a vehicle without a valid driver’s license.

Another proof of identity that we use, is our social security card, or number. In fact, we are asked for this proof of identity so often that most of us have this number memorized. I had an 8th grade Health teacher that encouraged our class to memorize our social security number.

Thank God that he did. I use that number all the time. In fact, I memorized my driver’s license number also. Then I went a step above that, and memorized my credit card number. I used to blow the clerk’s mind at Sears, when I would recite that 16 digit credit card number to him. I even memorized phone card numbers. Now, I try to memorize Scripture.

Our identity is something that specifically denotes who we are. Today, I would like to present a message to you entitled, "Lost Identity." Our text taken out of the book of Galatians, chapter 2, verse 20 reads these words written by the Apostle Paul, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:"

I cannot write down on paper how many Scriptures that make reference to crucifying the old man and his deeds. Let me first clarify who the old man is. The old man is a metaphor used by the Apostle Paul to show that when a person becomes a Christian, he or she receives a new man. The old man refers to a person’s old life before receiving Christ.

Col. 3:9, "ye have put off the old man with his deeds;"

Peter referred to this old man in his first epistle in chapter four, verse three. I Peter 4:3, "the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:"

Eph. 4:22 "put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;"

As we can see, the old man is the old life of sin that we used to lead. The common thread we see, from the Bible is this, when a person comes to Christ, as a sinner, or the old man, Christ gives he or she a new man. That is to say, a life that is free from sin. The angel plainly said in Matt. 1:21, "he shall save his people from their sins." We are not saved in our sins, but from our sins.

Joseph spoke against sin in Genesis 39:9, "how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

Moses spoke against sin in Exodus 20:20, "And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not."

Ezekiel said in Ezekiel 3:21, "the righteous sin not."

John said in John 1:29, "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world."

Jesus said himself to the impotent man in John 5:14, "thou art made whole: sin no more." He said the same to the woman taken in adultery in John 8:11, "go, and sin no more."

Paul said in Romans 6:6, "our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

The one that has been made a new man is freed from sin. Rom. 6:7, "For he that is dead is freed from sin."

John the Revelator said in I John 1:7, "the blood of Jesus Christ...cleanseth us from ALL sin."

I John 3:8, "He that committeth sin is of the devil;"

Paul says in our text, "I am crucified with Christ." Paul is saying to us in a metaphoric way, when I repented of my sins on Damascus Road and asked Jesus Christ to be my Savior and Lord, something wonderful happened! I abolished my old sinful habits. I spiritually crucified my old man with all of his wicked ways, all of his filthy words, all of his selfish deeds, and all of his lust. I lost my identity. You may see Paul in the flesh, from the outward appearance, but the man that is inside is Jesus Christ.