I just finished listening to the book "Stuff Christians Like" by Jonathan Acuff.  Props to Mr. Acuff for figuring out a way to discuss the things that most of us Christians think about but are uncomfortable talking about as it sometimes calls the nature of our salvation into question by both active and passive participants of said discussions.  One of the things that I particularly liked about the book was something that we have been discussing here at Knight Vision Ministries for some time.  Let me bring you up to speed...

Jonathan spoke in his book about how he is a band-aid master with his kids and suggests that there really is an art form to the successful application of a band-aid.  During such an episode with his youngest daughter, Jonathan was shocked to learn that the band-aid he was applying didn't address the core issue associated with his daughter's injury.  After listening to his daughter talk about it and observing first hand the shame that she felt as a result of this event, his question to his daughter was a typically parent question - "Who told you that?"  The feelings of shame that his daughter was feeling were based upon a lie that had been spoken and as a parent, he was interested in the source of the lie so that he could address the core of the issue with the truth.  Jonathan then described this same scene from scripture in Genesis 3:11.  As you may recall, or have just looked it up and read it, this verse is right after the serpent (our enemy) told his lie, the fruit had been eaten and shame had come upon us because we were naked.  At that same point, God was walking through the Garden looking for us only to find us hiding for this very reason.  At this point, God's question to Adam was "Who told you that you were naked?"  From here, Jonathan begins to question may of the shame that we feel in our lives in association with the lies that have been spoken to us.  "Who told you that you were stupid?"  "Who told you that you were useless?"  "Who told you that you were not smart enough?"  "Who told you that you were ugly?"  "Who told you that you were not good enough?"  I found this particularly interesting as I have been asking my wife some of these very questions over the past eight years now...

I believe that we know the source of these lies.  But here is the thing that really got me thinking after listening to Jonathan's book; what do we do with those lies?  I believe that our response to the lies that have been told have everything to do with how we see and identify ourself in Christ.  2 Corinthians 5:17 reads as follows:
                        "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!"
What does that verse mean to you?  What does it mean to be a new creation in Christ and furthermore, how do you let go of the lie that has been told you, bound you and kept you from living in the "new"?  I believe that the answer to that question is the key to removing your bandages and embracing your nakedness.  Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a universal method to accomplish this, particularly so for those whose lies and bondage transcend much of human understanding.  I do, however, have some thoughts on this and leave them here for you to reflect upon as you examine your own lie.  I pray that with time, wisdom and revelation I will see all of you naked and band-aid free on the beach with me.

I believe that our new identify in Christ is made manifest in four parts or four key development points...

One.  As a new creation, we are reborn not just in a spiritual sense but from an understanding sense as well.  What I mean by that is that we become like children and as children, we are dependant upon our Heavenly Father to provide for us.  Often times, this comes in the form of other, more mature Christians who lead us and guide us in our formative "developmental" period (see John 1:12).

Two.  As we grow in our faith, we begin to explore, study and examine more on our own.  At this point we have left our childlike period and embarked upon our "son" period.  Things which we once did not understand, we begin to understand and find evidence of in our daily life.  Our relationship with our Heavenly Father begins to deepen during this stage and become more personal (see Galatians 3:26).

Three.  As we grown in our personal relationship with God through Christ during our son period, we begin to understand that as a son, we are also "heirs" to something that may or may not have made sense to us before.  As a son of God through Christ, we are inheriting something much more than just a place to go when our time on earth has passed.  This period is all about making sense of what that means (see Galatians 4:7).

Four.  In this final period, our relationship with God through Christ becomes similar to that as a bride to a bridegroom.  The delight and passion that God feels toward us is very much the same as the delight and passion that the bridegroom feels toward his bride on their wedding day.  The joy, pleasure and excitement of the life to come begins to make real sense and the information that we carry within our head makes that final 12" journey to our heart.  As we understand, we come to realize that we are fully understood, known, loved, desired and cherished (see Isaiah 62:5).  At this point, the journey really begins...

Your brother in Christ,

Jim