Last week I noticed an unexpected charge on my debit card.
Following a short conversation with my wife, I realized that someone had gained access to my account and made an unauthorized purchase.
After calling my bank and reporting the charges, I also placed a freeze on my credit with all three credit bureaus to prevent any other fraudulent activity.
Somehow my identity had become compromised.
In 1 Peter 4:1-6, Peter encourages his fellow believers to live for God, abstaining from behavior that would compromise their witness for Christ Jesus.
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.
But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
When your identity is in Christ, it can never be stolen.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for giving me a new identity in You that can never fade, spoil, or be taken away. I pray that my identity would reflect Your goodness and mercy to all I encounter.
Action: Praise be to God, for our heavenly identity is eternally secure. But have you checked your credit report lately? Take a practical step this week and make sure your earthly identity is secure.
Frank Turner
Frank Turner is the founder of Break Bread, Break Chains and is the co-host of the following podcasts: Defund The Church, Relative Currency, Politically Entertaining, and Christ over Crypto. He is also the founder and creator of the op-ed site Fake News Syndicate.