Understanding Human Identity in a Spiritual Context
Many of us remember the words to U2's song, "I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” where Bono sings: "I believe in Kingdom come, where all the colors bleed into one, bleed into one." In preparation for our coming "shift in approach," I have been laying some things out of late for all of you to consider. I pray you will give a listening ear to what I am about to say because it's really important to our long-term purposes.
Scriptural Assumptions About Humanity
From a scriptural perspective, we can reasonably assume a few things about the human condition. First, we can assume that God created all of us, and He bestowed certain shared traits upon us as human beings. We have hearts and stomachs and lungs and brains—all the parts that we all share. Then, He made us male and female—genetically—DNA wise. Of course, the Fall and pollutants and inbreeding and all sorts of other stuff have stepped in and got people all mixed up on how they see their identity—but from the get-go, He made us male or female. He also equipped us humans with some traits that He appears to have withheld from the other creations on earth—like opposable thumbs, the ability to reason, logic, and therefore the ability to calculate and to choose to act or not. We could say, we might say (because I’m not sure of His role in the fortification of sperm and egg), but we might even say that He also gave us personality traits, our individual characteristics, talents, and inclinations.
Traits and Talents in the Physical World
It appears that some people have actually been touched by God in that they have exceptional skills, talents, and capacities relative to intelligence, creativity, athleticism, and other areas of life. Because these things are realized and observed in the physical world around us, and because our world operates by and through them, we tend to make them—traits, characteristics, and talents—the focus of our lives and our individual identities. And because they are the focus, we bring them out through the things we communicate to others. They play a part in our opinions, prejudices, conversations, and assessments of this world. We approve of some things, and we find ourselves disapproving of others. Likewise, we promote some things and besmirch others.
We are known to congregate with birds of a feather, to protest when our sensibilities are offended, to demote and criticize others based on what we personally accept as good (and even as of God) and to demonize what we see as evil. Then we take all that we personally are here in this world, and we define ourselves and introduce ourselves by those things, saying or writing: I am a black female conservative. I am a Chinese gay capitalist. I am a gender-neutral environmentalist who is vegan and hates tattoos. That is all fine and good for this world and its ways. But what we are doing, what we are calling for, what we are setting up and want to focus on together with you is NOT of this world, because He said that “His Kingdom is NOT of this world.”
Identity in Christ
And because scripture makes it plain that in Christ, “all things become new.” That there is “an inner woman and an inner man through whom we now live,” that followers of Christ “walk by the Spirit and NOT by the flesh” and because scripture says, in Christ there is no Jew or Greek, bond or free, male or female, I suggest that in Christ there ought not be any race, political party, or sexual orientation. In Christ, there is no married, no divorced, no people with children, no childless. In Christ, there are Christians. Period. I see zero value in the faith community for believers who are seeking to love each other and get along to identify themselves as straight, gay, white, black, Democrats, or Republicans. Who cares if you are disabled, healthy, athletic, or home-bound? Who cares what your nationality is, your income, career, or the fact that you recycle? His Kingdom is NOT of this world.
Identity in the Kingdom
This world, and I suggest that there is tremendous power in people making Him their identity that is presented and making Him and His Kingdom their sole focus – instead of mixing him with other trappings or identifiers people use to define themselves. They don’t matter – not in the Kingdom – and if they don’t matter there, why would we allow ourselves to let them matter here? I am not suggesting that people do not engage in such things as members of the human race. Have at it. Rejoice in your German or Guatemalan heritage. Be proud to be an American, or to be hetero, or gay or whatever you are. It's fine and expected. But from what I can tell, when people start voicing their political views, or posting their race, or their sexual preferences and practices, or any other item that they surround themselves with other than Christ, divisions arise and people, who truly love Jesus, divide.
Focus on Christ Alone
Why would a Christian focused on the Kingdom want to be known by any other factor in his or her life? In this ministry, we have already taken the things of brick and mortar religion – doctrines, practices, theologies, and denominationalism and have said – we don’t care – believe as you want but keep it all to yourself. It only serves to divide us. But now I am also suggesting that people who first seek the Kingdom of God and who choose to associate with others communally or in an online setting, to refrain from identifying themselves in any way other than as followers or disciples of Christ, or children of His Kingdom – and leave the rest for our worldly engagements.
In talking about what God established through apostles and prophets, Paul said in Ephesians 4 that “it was” (verse 12) “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” and he adds: 13 Until we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
A Community of Faith and Love
We are looking to begin to gather in a setting where the description that I just read from Paul is possible. It can’t happen if people choose to promote or attack certain political parties, nations, races, economies, lifestyles, or world events. It will not be possible if people are proud or condemn anything others may take exception to – and so we will refrain from sharing them. In Christ, who cares if you are white, brown, gay, rich, Democrat, Republican, or cat lover. Peace and unity are destroyed by doctrine and it is utterly abolished by people who for some reason cannot refrain from making their pet opinions known on everything under the sun.
We want to be different, to enhance the Kingdom that is not of the world, not contribute to it to make it more like it. So let me make this clear: We are looking for people who are only interested in faith in Christ, and expressing love for God and neighbor as self. Not presenting or debating anything about this world – just promoting faith and love. So, we do not care about your personal stations in life, your money, or poverty, race or gender, or your political likes or dislikes. We don’t care if you are living in sin (as they say) if you are a monk or what religion you choose to endorse.
Boast in Christ. Glorify God. Humble yourselves and together we can become part of something that of His Spirit, and will, and ways. A refuge of true peace and love. It will take effort, self-control, and a desire to honor God and His will for His children over ourselves. But it is possible – in and through Him. Stay tuned! And if you want to be a part of this –
Email Contact Information
send us an email with your name and state or country of residence. Shawn@alatheamedia.com
