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Who Do Men Say That I Am?
Our identity is a deeply personal and precious asset. Have you ever tried to obtain credit or cash a check in a strange place without personal identification? A not too uncommon occurrence today is the theft of one's identity, in which the perpetrator is enabled to make massive purchases of goods, withdraw funds, and otherwise use the identity stolen to enrich himself at the expense of the true owner of the identity. Not only does the true owner lose personal property, he is likely to suffer loss of his credit standing and more importantly, his reputation. One's name and identity is to be protected at all costs.
Our family name is precious to us. My father not infrequently counseled me, when I was young, with the words, "Son, just remember who you are". Sage advice, then and now. We consciously take care that our family name is not stained by our words or actions. A reputation is built over time, but can be destroyed in minutes by careless or thoughtless words or acts. We are proud of our name; the name bestowed upon us by our earthly parents.
We, as baptized believers, bear a name even more precious than that given by our parents. We bear the name of Christ. Christian. We ought to be even more proud of that name than any other. It has a long time since I have heard the appellation "Campbellite", but it was once all too commonly used by those not of the Faith when referring to those of us who are members of the church of Christ. Certainly not very flattering, but it was not intended to be so. We sometimes do almost as much damage to ourselves when we respond to questions about our religious affiliation. We frequently struggle for an answer. Have you ever heard someone refer to himself as a "church of Christer", or simply "a church of Christ"? I have, and at such times am made to wonder whatever happened to the simple response, "I am a Christian". Why do we find ourselves simply as Christian? Think about it; the use of anything more or less than a scriptural mane only tends to denominationalize us. The religious world perceives us as just a denomination among denominations without our help; we should not add to that perception by, in so seemingly slight a way, denying our uniqueness. I wonder if we fear that the use of the simple identifier "Christian" would set us apart somehow from the religious world around us; in some way make us stand out, and we feel uneasy with that prospect. Peter reminds us that we are, or should be, separate from those about us. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people (I Peter 2:9). Each of us, adult and young alike, should glory in the name that the Father Himself gave us (Isaiah 62:2; Acts 11:26). We desperately need to know who we are. What is my identity? Who do men say that I am?
Simply, Christian.
Robert A. Allen
March 3, 2002
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