This week, I was listening to a sermon about belonging. Belonging to God. Belonging to a fellowship of believers. The pastor used the movie Toy Story to illustrate his point. Do you remember how Andy wrote his name on the bottom of Woody's shows, marking him as belonging to Andy? No one could deny that Woody was Andy's toy.
As I listened, I thought about how God has always marked his children. In biblical times, God gave an outward sign that the Israelites belonged to Him. He commanded that all Israelite males be circumcised as an outward sign that they belonged to God.
Then He gave the sign of baptism, an indication of an inward change and a sign that we, as Christians, identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ.
I remember a time when I tried to deny I was His. I was so angry over my divorce that I decided to live like so many others--going to church on Sunday but living like the world the rest of the week. It seemed as if the more I ran, the more He pursued me. Eventually, I realized that at the core of my being, I was His. I could not deny He had marked my life.
2 Timothy 2:13 tells us that even when we are faithless, He is faithful because he cannot disown his own.
If that doesn't describe a way God marks believers I don't know what is! He is faithful even when we are not! What a beautiful promise to know we cannot escape Him!
Outside of baptism, we no longer bear physical signs that we are marked by God, so how do we know we are His?
A trajectory of growth. 2 Peter 1:5-7 says, "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love." A true Christian will make progress. That doesn't mean that we are always moving forward because we are human, and we all lose our focus at times. But, a true Christian will progress throughout his or her life.
As you see, it's a choice to grow. We must make an effort to become more like Him, to allow Him to mold us into His image. As we grow, we see ourselves becoming more like Him, exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) in ever-increasing measures.
Obedience. Ah, yes! It's easy to say we are Christians, but if we are truly transformed by Him, our lives will be marked by obedience. 2 John 1:6 says, "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love." We show our love for the Father by being obedient to what He has called us to do. How do we know what He has called us to do? Be walking so closely that we see where He is at work and we join Him in His work (John 5:19-20).
Forgiveness. Scripture clearly states that God expects us to forgive others if we want our sins to be forgiven. Colossians 3:13 says, "Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." We often make the mistake of thinking that our forgiveness benefits others. The truth is that forgiveness is for us! Forgiveness leads to freedom and peace! Forgiveness helps us be right with God. Forgiveness is a gift our Father gave us! We simply have to choose forgiveness in obedience to His commands.
I really want to challenge you on this point. Who are you angry with? Who do you think deserves to be punished for his/her actions? Who makes your blood boil?
If there is an individual who gets under your skin, you are being held captive by your anger and bitterness. Oh friend! I so encourage you to find the freedom that comes through forgiveness!
Freedom. Did you know freedom ties right back to obedience? John 8:31-32 tells us that our obedience leads us to truth which leads us to freedom.
Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
You see, Jesus is the way, the Truth, and the light (John 14:6). As we spend time getting to know Him, we find the ultimate freedom. We find the joy of knowing the Father, of getting to know His perfect character. There is nothing like Him!
Peace. Can I just tell you that nothing compares to the perfect peace that surpasses all understanding? (Philippians 4:7) I don't know if you have ever experienced it in the midst of this chaotic world, but it is beyond anything we can understand! How do you find it? Through prayer with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). It is one of the most amazing marks of the Christian, the ability to walk through the fire with complete confidence in our God!
Do you have the marks of Christ in your life? If not, please call me! I would love to share more about His goodness!
