A Case of Mistaken Identity

Paul writes to the church at Colosse about the importance of walking in a manner that reflects the inward change that Christ has made in us.  In the 2nd chapter, we read these verses:
6As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,7rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in itwith thanksgiving.And...9For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;10and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

We are complete in Jesus Christ - what does that mean?   That's really one of those mysteries we discover as we press into Christ, as we walk in the new birth, and allow the life of Jesus to flow from our hearts, that have been transformed, into our minds, so that our thinking is renewed, and into our actions.   It is certainly a daily process.   The power to live the Christian life is available, and will help ensure that we are not mistaken for someone who doesn't know Him.    Through choosing to embrace His truth about who we are - our true identity in Him - we can reflect His presence in us.

In 1st Peter chapter 2, we see 2 verses that remind us of our identity in Christ, who were are in Him, new creations who have been born again into a new life:
9But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;10who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

The loveliest village is readying itself for the East Alabama Youth for Christ and Youth First event tomorrow night called, "Characters of Character", featuring Uncle Si and Alan Robertson of the immensely popular cable show, "Duck Dynasty", and members of the Duck Commander team have been making news this week.

Todd Starnes of FoxNews.com reports that a video has surfaced of Phil Robertson speaking in 2010, doing some proclaiming himself - with a Bible in one hand and duck calls in the other – giving attendees a brief history of the religious liberty in America. He pointed out that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson were followers of God.

At a wild game dinner hosted by Berean Bible Church in Pottstown, PA, the patriarch of the family said, “You have a God-given right to live inside your mother...To debate whether it’s right or wrong to rip you out of your mother’s womb? What in the world has happened to us?”

“President Number Three said we hold these truths to be self evident – that all men are created equal,” Robertson said. “He’s a Genesis man. “They’ve been endowed by their Creator – with certain unalienable rights.”

Starnes notes that the show is hailed by viewers for its focus on faith and family.

On a lighter note, Starnes reports that some of the Duck Dynasty family members visited New York recently to promote the fourth season of their hit A&E reality show. The network put the family up in the Trump International Hotel across from Central Park.

Apparently hotel staff member was not accustomed to seeing a fully bearded guest wearing camouflage pants, as in the case of Jase Robertson.   

He told the hosts of the television show ‘Live with Kelly and Michael:  “I asked them where the bathroom was and he said, ‘Right this way, sir...He walked me outside, pointed down the road and said, ‘Good luck.’”

Alan Robertson told Fox News that that hotel worker “...assumed Jase was some homeless guy...This is not our first rodeo — which is another reason I stay beardless.”

Ironically, it’s not the first time the men of the Louisiana family have been mistaken for homeless people.

“One time, we were in New York City and people put money in Willie’s coffee cup,” he said. “Dad was speaking at a church once and one of the members showed him where the homeless shelter was.”

The Robertsons said they were “absolutely not offended” by the incident and said they love staying at Trump Hotel.

“We were laughing — wait until the Donald hears about this,” he said.

Truly, a case of mistaken identity here.   And, I want to key in on that word - identity - as we think together on today's lesson from the Front Room on The Meeting House.   As believers, we may be struggling or operating in a case of mistaken identity.   We have to be careful that our outward behavior does not contradict our inward identity, who we are in Christ.   What we believe about who we are will determine how we behave.

Think about that:  what we believe about who we are will determine how we behave.   If we believe and accept that we are sons and daughters of the Most High God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, then that should be what we reflect to those around us.   But, if the life of Christ doesn't flow through us, if the heart change doesn't quite make it to the head to renew our minds and to make good, Godly choices about what we do, then there's a contradiction, and we could be mistaken for someone who is not a believer in Christ.

And, conversely, a person could be mistaken for a Christian because of outward actions that are seemingly pious - church attendance, giving to the needy, doing the right things.  But, if that person is not born again, the outward behavior doesn't line up with the inward condition of the heart, which the Bible says, quite frankly, is desperately wicked.

We have to be careful that the actions that other people see is not windowdressing for a heart that is not attuned toward God.   And, we have to be so careful that our errant actions do not shortcircuit our witness for the Lord.   As Christians, we could easily be mistaken for those who are not.