In the parable of the prodigal son, the young man who sought out a life independent of his loving noble father found himself living the life of a pig instead of a prince. The parable gives us some good lessons. One of the less noticable elements of the parable was the concept of identity. Looking at the the young man, it would be easy to conclude that his identity were pigsty dweller. Yet in reality his identity was son of a noble man. When he came to his senses and went to his father's house, his father embraced him and called him son though he smelled like a pig pen.
A couple sundays ago at church, the sermon being presented gave me a renewed realization of a wonderful truth from the gospel message. And that truth is that when we come to faith in Christ, we are given a new identity. That alone is only part of the story though. What makes this so wonderful to me is that the identity given to me is not one that identifies what I am present like, but who I will be. The promise of Christ calls me a child of God though I know I don't fully honor God as Father as he is worthy. In the gospel, I am declared a righteous saint, though at times it would be hard to recognize it by my actions and attitude.
One of the principles that I see throughout the Bible is that God bestows upon chosen ones titles that describe not who they are at the time they receive it, but who God will one day make them to be. Take Abram for example. God chose him, called him out of his land and brought him to a new land. Then he gave him a new name, Abraham, which meant "father of nations". At that time, Abram had no children. He was aging and his wife was barren. But the new name signified God's promise concerning his future. And God fulfilled his promise!
And then there was David. God sent the prophet Samuel to the home of Jesse who had 8 sons, the youngest and least significant being David. His older brothers were fighting men of war, and David merely tended his father's sheep. Yet the Lord told Samuel to annoint David as King. Years later, God fulfilled his promise and the formerly unlikely young boy became king!
These are stories that reinforce the promise to all who come to faith in Christ:
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
-2 Corinthians 5:17
Our heavenly Father gives us this new identity. He credits to us now what he will one make make us. Even when significant changes mark ones conversion, old ways still shadow attitudes, words and actions. The shortcomming of these sins often squelch joy and confidence, leaving doubts and lack of assurance. The new identity we are given in Christ should remind us that what we are in part now, will be brought to completion one day! And our faith and hope should be in that!
"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure." -1 John 3:2-3
"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" -Philippians 1:6
"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." -Romans 8:29
