Identity Theft | Today with Dr. Mark Jobe

“Our identity in Christ is powerful because identity defines our purpose. If we don’t know who we are, we won’t know what we’re supposed to be doing. When we know who we are, our purpose becomes clear.”

One day I got a text from my bank, asking: “Are you in Texas right now? Did you eat at Chick Fil A?” Somewhere in Texas, a person had made purchases under my identity. Someone was acting like they were Mark Jobe.

As bad as that may seem, there’s an identity theft that is much worse. It affects our soul and our destiny. It’s stealing who we really are and causing us to believe that we’re less than what God made us to be. Some of you reading this right now are living with a false identity that is something less than what God called you to be.

Our identity in Christ defines our purpose. If we don’t know who we are, we won’t know what we’re supposed to be doing. When we know who we are, our purpose is clear. In 1 Peter 2, we learn about our identity as followers of Jesus: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (v. 9). This identity surpasses all others.

The Apostle Peter says, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood.” In the Old Testament, priests descended from Aaron, but the New Testament teaches about the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:5). We can minister, pray for people, and study and teach God’s Word.

We are “a holy nation.” The word holy means we are separated unto God, called out of the world. We are holy not because we are perfect, but because we have been washed and cleansed by the blood of Christ. He calls us His own (Rom. 1:7).

We are God’s special possession. A museum might display an ordinary looking hat, and you wonder why it is in a museum. But it is special because it belonged to Charlie Chaplin. That is how we are. The ordinary becomes extraordinary. We are special because we belong to God, bought with the blood of His Son (Acts 20:28).

What is your identity? God wants you to know who you are. Until you know who you are, you won’t know how to live. In Him, you find purpose. You are not rejected, but chosen; not worthless, but a royal priesthood; not unwanted, but God’s possession, set apart for His purpose.

BY Dr. Mark Jobe, President

Dr. Mark Jobe is the president of Moody Bible Institute. He has served as the lead pastor of New Life Community Church, one church that meets at 27 locations. Mark earned a diploma from Moody Bible Institute in 1984, a master’s degree from Moody Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in transformational leadership from Bakke Graduate University. He is the author of What Now?: How to Move into Your Next Season (Moody Publishers) and can be heard on Bold Steps, a daily program on Moody Radio. He and his wife, Dee, have three adult children and four grandchildren.