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Who Am I?
Daniel Valles 7/15/04 www. informedchristians.com

Have you ever sat down in a quiet place and pondered over who you are?  Many people contemplate where they are going in life, the afterlife, why them, etc.  Have you ever sat and described yourself as a Christian?  As a human, my physical characteristics are nowhere near impressive and unique.  However, as a Christian, there should be notable differences between what I am, and what an unsaved person is.  The caliber of character should be unmistakably as that as one of a child of God.  So what are you? 

I filled out this short declaration of status recently, and am using it not only as a public profession as to who I am and my desires and goals in life, but also as an inner reflection on what type of Christian I am striving to be.  If I do not know what I am striving to be, or do not fully realize what a Christian can be, then I might not ever put forth the effort to attain those desires.  Allow me to cover five basic questions about my status.  Who am I, with respect to my position and function in life?  With whom or what are my loyalties aligned?  Under that pledge, what is the purpose of my mission?  My duties and responsibilities are...  Therefore, what jurisdictional authority am I under?  My commission comes from...  How are decisions made that direct the course of my life?

WHO AM I, WITH RESPECT TO MY POSITION AND FUNCTION IN LIFE?

I am a Christian, a child of light.  I Thessalonians 5:5 states, "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness".  Ephesians 5:8 says, "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light."   Matthew 5:14 reminds me, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

I am a watchman, with the duty to warn the saved and unsaved about God and His commands.  Ezekiel 3:17-21 states:

"Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul."

I am a son and child of God.  Galatians 4:6-7 says, "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."  I John 5:1 says, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him."  As a child of the Highest, I am commanded "But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil."

As salt, it is my job to hold back corruption, preserve that which is good, and make the world thirst for God.  Matthew 5:13 says, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."

I am His steward.  Luke 16:2 is a reminder that I should constantly be aware of: "How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward."  I am also His servant.  Daniel 6:20 says, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?"  Matthew 24:46 again reminds me, "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing."  Psalm 31:16 cries, "Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake."  I can rejoice in crying aloud, "O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds." - Psalm 116:16.  I can beseech my Master, "I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies." - Psalm 119:125.

WITH WHOM OR WHAT ARE MY LOYALTIES ALIGNED?

I pledge allegiance to God - all powers that be are ordained of God (Romans 13:1).  I must obey God, even when the powers ordained of God command disobedience to God.  Deut. 13:4-8 clearly states:

"Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;
Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth;
Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him"

Deut. 27:10 says, "Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day."  Romans 13:4-6 states, "For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.  For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing."  I am also subject to authorities on earth (kings, parents, etc.) as long as they do not require disobedience to the highest authority: God.  Daniel 3:18 says, "But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."  Daniel 6:13 says, "Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day."

UNDER THAT PLEDGE, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MY MISSION?

My duties and responsibilities are to fear God: the greatest commandment.  Eccl. 12:13 sums it up by stating, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."  This entails any aspect of obeying the commandments and principles outlined in His Word.  Luke 11:28 says, "blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it."

I am to eschew evil.  I Peter 3:11 commands, "Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it."  I am to abhor that which is evil.  "Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." - Romans 12:9.  I am aware that failure to follow my responsibilities will be charged against me, and that I must strive to be found a faithful steward.  "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." - Matthew 25:12.

THEREFORE, WHAT JURISDICTIONAL AUTHORITY AM I UNDER?

My commission comes as a steward and servant, dependant on my work, whether faithful or other.  "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." - Matt. 16:27.  "Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets." - Luke 6:23.

I am rewarded for following the precepts found in God's Word.  "Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth." - Psalm 58:11.  "But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil." - Luke 6:35.  "If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward." - I Cor. 3:14.  "The labourer is worthy of his reward." - I Tim. 5:18.  "...thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great." - Rev. 11:18.

My primary commission is based in heaven.  "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." - Matthew 5:12.  "Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward." - II John 1:8.  "behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." - Rev. 22:12.

HOW ARE DECISIONS MADE THAT DIRECT THE COURSE OF MY LIFE?

I trust in the Word of God (the Bible).  It is the moral and spiritual compass for my life.  "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." - I Thess. 2:13.  God's Word is the sole trustworthy source of truth.  "Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." - Prov. 30:5-6.  "...blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." - Luke 11:28.

My faith can only be effectively demonstrated and lived (inwardly and outwardly) by reading and aligning to the Word of God.  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." - Romans 10:17.  "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." - Eph. 6:17.  Only the Word of God can properly discern and reveal the thoughts and intents of my heart.  "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." - Heb. 4:12.  Only through the Word abiding in me can I have victory in my life.  "I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." - I John 2:14.

WHAT SHAPES YOUR LIFE?  WHO ARE YOU?

As we examined various verses from God's Word, did those verses come readily to mind as precepts and commandments already instilled in your life?  Or are you trying to live your Christian life in an aimless manner, changing with every whim and emotion?  Do not try what feels right.

Phil. 3:14-20 reminds us:

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:"

I Peter 4:1-4:

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
For 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:
Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.

Live for God, foremost in all you do.
Maranatha!