Our identity is not determined by our mistakes but by our relationship with God as His children, though many believers struggle to understand and live from this truth. Everyone is a child of God, but not everyone realizes it, leading many to live like orphans instead of sons and daughters.
• When you don't know who you are, you'll always live like someone you're not
• Many Christians sit in church struggling with understanding their true identity in Christ
• Through Christ we are fully accepted family members, not just followers or workers
• The prodigal son parable illustrates how we can forget our identity while God never does
• The son's external rebellion was rooted in internal deception about who he truly was
• The father restored his son with a robe (covering shame), ring (authority), and sandals (sonship)
• Our alienation from God happens in our minds, not in God's heart
• Traditional evangelism often relies on fear rather than helping people discover their true identity
• Building relationships is often more important than quoting scripture when helping others
• Understanding our identity in Christ must come before behavioral changes for lasting transformation
Come home, not to religion or rules, but to relationship, to a place of rest and true identity. You're no longer an orphan; you're not forgotten. You're a son, you're a daughter, you belong.
