24^th October 2016

Identity - who are we? From headscarves and jihadi-joining youths to gender dysphoria desperates, identity obsessives are doing more than identifying and shaping themselves; much more. Their leaders want to get inside our heads and transfigure western and indeed global society.

Check the television advertisements, media articles, litigation cases, political agendas, yes and even denominational silences.

So, what are the identifiers of Christians? On a simple level for me, it’s things like avoiding shopping on Sundays, church attendance, and symbolic actions like benignly removing a cup of coffee or other object someone has placed on a Bible, eschewing trashy verbiage like ‘omg’. But there’s much more of course.

Like the courageous Christian couple in IS-occupied Mosul who said, “our identity is to live like Jesus Christ”. Or the determination ‘silence is the enemy of truth’, portrayed in the not to be missed ‘God’s Not Dead 2’ movie. 

Essentially it gets down to this. Our identity - and I exhort Christians here, is just this: actively holding true to any and all vows you have made to God. Inviting Jesus Christ into your life; baptismal vows, including parents over children; ordination vows; marriage vows. Any success our lives might achieve, flows from truthfulness to the vows we have made under God before men and women. That’s it.

Our identity is wrapped up in a lifestyle that exhibits and vindicates faithfulness to the promises we have made. Identity is essentially relational and is located above our self. We are not seeking to be somebody. That deadly virus infected at the fountain-head of humanity ‘you will be like’, has us scampering everywhere to be something, somebody.

Human doings rather than human beings. Doing, trying to be somebody, or looking for novel tastes in food, sex and travel without Godly relationship. Identity is in right relationships. And a right relationship is felt and enjoyed in right(eous) deeds that vindicate that relationship. The person who tastes life with vigour and joy says; “for you, God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.”’ (Psalm 61: 5). Heritage, identity, and personhood are all indicated by keeping one’s vows, and promises. 

Failed here? Get up and go again. That’s the grace of repentance.

Ian Clarkson is a UCA Minister in South Australia.

Ian's Column is published ACCatalyst (June 2016)