Identity Theft

You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.

– Exodus 19:4-6

Identity theft is a crime where fraud or deception is used to obtain a victim’s personal or sensitive information — such as their name or credit card number. So far in 2025, the Federal Trade Commission has reported 1.4 million complaints. And even more eye-opening is that fraud and identity theft cases have nearly tripled over the last decade, with the estimated global cost now exceeding $50 billion. 

The damage to a victim's credit report can take years to repair. But there’s another kind of identity theft that doesn’t involve money, and it’s much more serious. It’s the one that robs Christ-followers of the abundant life their Creator intends for them.

How does this happen?

The Bible reveals that we become a new creation when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Unfortunately, far too many people have unknowingly assumed a false identity through the negative messages they received early in life. A common example is a parent, who constantly tells their child that they’ll "never amount to anything,” they’re “not smart enough,” or they “don’t have what it takes to make it.”

Repeated early and often enough, these fictions can become reality. Moreover, they gradually become embedded in our thinking, only to blind us to the reality of our true worth and potential through Jesus. The result can be years of frustration trying to be someone (or something) God never intended us to be.

How can we take back our rightful identities?

It starts with a spiritual reality check. First, let's review our past and identify the negative messages we received early in life. Then, consider their sources. Can we honestly say that those painful words were true, or is it more the case that we have God-given talents and abilities? If fed a constant diet of half-truths, distortions, and falsehoods, even a PhD with an excellent academic record might perceive their impressive accomplishments as mediocre at best.

God, however, doesn’t look at Believers through such clouded, distorted lenses. He knew us before we were born and knows the plans he has for us. And even better — with our eternal inheritance assured, our real identity emerges: We're adopted sons and daughters of the King! As the apostle Paul assures us in 1 Corinthians:

“But as it is written, ‘What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived’ — God has prepared these things for those who love him.”

Our Creator has given every Believer a new identity and way of life. And with that comes the true freedom from a relationship with him under his loving rule.