THE MAN CRISIS FOR HIMSELF

ST. Paul - Inside Vatican
Hanya dengan budi (reason)
kita dapat masuk kedalam (penetrate)
misteri dari iman (faith).
Thomas Aquinas , Selected Writings. Penguins Book, 1998, London
Do not give to the dog what is holy (Matthew 7:6)
The Bourne Identity
By Alice Smith
You may be familiar with Matt Damon’s famous blockbuster movies, The Bourne Identity series. This story is about a strapping young military man, Jason Bourne, who submitted himself to a psychological transformation that after this mysterious procedure included his inability to remember his name, address, or past history.

Jason is unaware that he is a trained assassin based in Paris as part of the Treadstone Project. As far as U.S. defense officials are aware,Treadstone is an advanced army training program. However, it is a mafia like unit designed to eliminate internationally "dangerous" people. When his employers find out that instead of being dead at the bottom of the sea, he is still alive, he becomes a target because he could reveal the true identity of Treadstone.

Jason finds himself stalked by a core of people who want to kill him. But why? His past and his purpose on earth is a mystery. Every sequence unfolds new development of what his history and his present mission involves.
This is an appropriate modern day story, for I find that many in the church are no different than Jason Bourne. They live in a mental fog of why they are on earth, struggling in a spiritual vacuum that only a relationship with Jesus can fill, all the while hiding behind the desire for more things, but never finding their "Bourne identity" of true life in Christ.

It’s possible to be quite busy in the church but unwed to Jesus. To pledge yourself to religious duty and ongoing services but not know the Lord you serve. To talk about him, teach about him, even tell others about him, but not have a genuine intimacy with him. This closeness can only be developed by spending time with Him.
Now don’t miss this!

The Apostle Paul was convinced of his identity with Christ.
To the Galatians Paul writes,
"It is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). Notice it’s not a matter of me simply "living for Christ" or imitating him. It’s Christ himself who lives in each of us! That’s why Paul explains to the Christians in Colossi, "This is the mystery… Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27. To the Corinthian Christians he writes, "Do you not recognize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?"(2 Cor. 13:5)
He told the Romans, "If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He will give life through His Spirit who indwells you"(Rom. 8:11).
And to his mentee, Timothy, he said "By the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, guard the treasure which has been entrusted to you" (2 Tim. 1:14). And John echoes Paul’s sentiments when he writes, "God abides in us" (1 Jn. 4:12, 15-16). Conversely, our identity with Christ involves our being in Christ. To the Ephesians Paul said that in Christ we have "every spiritual blessing in heavenly places" (Eph. 1:3). He joyously declared that we are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6). Paul told the Colossians, "our life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). In the next verse (vs 4) he says, "Christ is our life."

But what remains for us to determine is what the level of our communion with Christ will be. Those who try to do something and fail are definitely better off than those who try to do nothing and succeed.
We’ll never establish our identity by works or by trying to prove our significance to God or anyone else. Identity comes from a deep knowing in your heart that you are forgiven, cleansed, and acceptable before the Lord. Unlike Jason Bourne’s crisis, your identity is a privilege the Father desires to reveal.
I want to share my simple story of how I came to understand my spiritual identity with Christ. I was forever changed on a February night in 1965 when I knew, that I knew, that I knew, my identity in Christ was established and I no longer had to wander through life trying to figure out what my destiny was all about. My knowledge about God changed to knowing God as a real person. My sin was so real and equal to it was the guilt and grief I felt for what my sin did to Jesus. I cried out to Him to come cleanse and save me. Immediately I was transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. I was born again. Christ came to live in me.
It’s what theologians call the doctrine of interpenetration .
It’s our mysterious and eternal union with Jesus Christ. The evidence of my relationship with Jesus was the day after I was born again. I no longer wanted to do the things I use to relish. I had the same school schedule, I was the same person externally, but in my heart I was different. I wanted to learn the Bible, attend church, be with others like me, share my faith with others, and be with Jesus in prayer.
Have you discovered your identity in Christ? Or are you like Jason Bourne, who suffers from the torment of the devil’s adversaries stalking you day and night without understanding your place in life? Release your sin to Jesus today. Surrender everything in your life; your successes, your failures, your past, your future. Let Jesus give you a new identity today.