Identity

Defensiveness and self-protection reside deep in the heart of our fallen nature, stirred up by lurking lies and weighty whispers. “You have fallen short, again!”, we hear. “I’ll do better!”, we respond. Oh! how our old man is forever tethered to the shame of the garden’s exposure and our inclination to cover up. Who likes to be told that they have missed the mark? But Scripture calls us higher, leading us to a new perspective that rises above the ditch of our faults and failings, laying correction as a critical path leading to our identity as children of God. God disciplines those whom he loves, and his correction does not mean his rejection.

As we approach God’s precious word and as it makes its way into the courtyards of our heart, we need be settled on who we are, seated in the certainty of our standing with God as our Father in Christ. This assurance must be the vantage point from which we view and receive the Scriptures. This conviction is wrapped in the knowledge that he is our Father and we are his adopted children. This is our settled relationship to him. Before we can process and absorb the convicting correction that scripture brings, our hearts must be enlightened with the “ἐπίγνοσις” (epίgnōsis) ¹ knowledge that we are his — hand-inscribed, Spirit-sealed, forever perfected, brothers and sisters, adopted children of the Father.

We belong to him. Period.

In the security and stability of the sure foundation of his great love and enduring faithfulness, we can receive the strong words of Scripture knowing that they are written to us, not as illegitimate children, but as sons, for our growth and for our good. For we have, by an amazing grace, peace with God the Father through our Lord, Jesus Christ; and any hard sayings that come from the Scriptures are not to isolate, but to validate the endearment we have to his heart. We are accepted; not rejected.

What does a good father do? What does our gentle God do? He speaks, with kindness, that which we truly need to hear because we are his beloved. As his child, he wants nothing less for you than a worthy walk in the abundant life he promises.

My wife and I have five children: four girls and one boy. Training and correction played an important role in the raising of our little ones (who are now all adults). With five children, all close together in age, listening and obeying was critical to their safety. We saw this played out with our fourth child, Hannah, one afternoon after church. Our family was heading out to the car and Hannah ran ahead, towards the street, to get into the car. What she didn’t see was a vehicle approaching our car as she was about to enter the street to open the car door. “Hannah stop!!”, I yelled. And she stopped immediately. The approaching car flew by, I let out a deep sigh of relief and held her.

No discipline seems pleasant at the moment we are receiving it, but its fruit is pleasant. The words we receive through God’s Word are not meant to expose or push away or embarrass or chide. His words to us are his stamp of approval on who we are: loved children of a Father who loves us too much to allow us to go blindly on in our own way.