"Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free but Christ is all and is in all." Colossians 3:11
Identity has become a hot topic in our culture in recent months, from a famous male athlete who has chosen to identify as female to a Caucasian woman working for the NAACP who has chosen to identify as African-American. It is amazing just how much of our meaning in life is derived from how we identify ourselves, whether it is in terms of ethnicity, nationality, pastimes, the homes we live in, the cars we drive, the food we eat, our kids, our toys, our faith, our politics, our social media profiles. Social media not only provides a means of defining our identity, but it gives us the opportunity to express our identity in our quest for affirmation, as evidenced by many who recently changed their profile pictures on facebook to the rainbow flag. The truth is, how we identify, for most, is at least as much about how we are perceived by others as how we perceive ourselves.
But for those who are followers of Christ, these issues raise some very profound questions: Is our source of identity a matter of choice? Is identity merely a matter of personal preference? Is identity subject to the whims of ever-shifting cultural values? Or is our identity derived from something more substantial…unchanging? Is our identity greater than Supreme court rulings, the latest views expressed by the white house, or cultural opinion?
In answer to these questions, I offer up Colossians 3:11, “Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free but Christ is all and is in all.” The categories Paul mentions here are hard for us to relate to, even strange. But his point is clear--for the Christ-follower, it isn't your ethnicity, socio-economic standing or religious pedigree that matters...it is who you are in Christ. According to Paul, the identity of the Christian is wrapped up in Jesus.
In a similar verse, Paul expands the categories to include sex, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). These words sound strange in a culture that has become increasingly dominated by sex and sexuality. According to Scripture, however, our identity is found in something, or someone, far more profound. Our identity is found in Christ. Christ is all. In a culture that says sexuality is all, pleasure is all, passion is all…God’s Word speaks a countercultural message. Not only does it say Christ is all, but Christ is in all. In context, Paul is not preaching pantheism (that all is god). He is indicating that all who belong to Jesus have Jesus dwelling within them. We do not become gods, but we who have trusted in Christ’s sin-conquering death receive His Holy Spirit.
And it is because we have His Holy Spirit within us that we are not only enabled, but called, to live lives that are pleasing to Him. Accordingly, in Colossians, this statement is immediately followed up with moral imperatives (Col. 3:12ff). In other words, if Christ dwells within us, if we belong to Christ, then we are called to live our lives by His rule, His teachings, His Word. Our identity is grounded not in the ever-changing views of culture, but in the clear, unchanging teachings of Jesus. He is Lord. He is our identity. Everything else is secondary. Our image on social media is secondary. Our sexual preferences are secondary. Every single fad or craze that comes down the line is absolutely secondary!
In view of this reality, how trivial our love affairs with fleeting identities must seem to Jesus. And how tragic it must seem to Him when we set aside His fellowship, His purposes, and His Law to jump on the latest bandwagon. Certainly, this includes pursuing or affirming lifestyles opposed to God’s Word (Rom. 1:24-32). But it also includes marginalizing Jesus for the sake of the latest dietary regiments, smartphone apps, or entertainment sensations. In and of themselves, such things may not be bad, but when we allow them to cause us to set aside the things of God, then they are simply not worth it.
So, how do we avoid such pitfalls? There is no easy answer in a world where we are bombarded with things competing for our affections. But certainly a significant part of the answer has to do with increasingly finding our identities in the unchanging, eternal person of Jesus Christ. It is our relationship with Christ that defines us. And it is this relationship that defines for us how we are to respond to the ever-changing values of the culture in which we live. No matter how popular an author or speaker or social media campaign may be, it is Christ and His Word that must be our compass, our rule, our true north.
Letting Christ and His Word define our identity and values may not win us many popularity contests. But we must remember that this world will not go on this way forever. As the angels told the disciples in Acts 1:11, following Jesus’ ascension, “’Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’” Jesus is coming back! This reality is far more significant than the decision of any human court, whether the Supreme Court or the court of public opinion. And the truth is, when He returns, so many of the things we considered so important are going to seem, well, silly. But the things we gave ourselves to which counted for eternity will be sources of unimaginable joy in His presence (1 Thess. 2:19-20).
So, believers, stand strong on the unchanging Word of God, the source of our identity. Let us live fervently and faithfully for the only Judge whose opinion matters—our Lord Jesus Christ!
For a great discussion on the recent phenomenon of those who "identify" as Christian changing their profile pictures to a rainbow, see Kevin Deyoung’s blog.