Identity Theft Statistics

The Statistics

Genesis 1:27 Says that God created human beings to be godlike, reflecting God’s nature, that is the true identity of man –

We are to reflect the true character and nature of God; we are designed for that, it is “natural” for us to live and operate with the same integrity, generosity, confidence, and power that is in God himself. We are built, hard-wired if you will to walk and commune with God consistently and without reservation or fear like Adam did walking “in the cool of the day” in the Garden of Eden. But we do not see this character reflected in much of humanity. It is obvious that there are some people who have lost their original identity and they operate out of something else. They operate out of things like greed, fear, murder, lust, perversion, anger, rage, and the like.

How many people are affected?

Rom 3:10-12

As it is written, None is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one. [see Psalm 14:3}.

No one understands [no one intelligently discerns or comprehends]; no one seeks out God. [see Psalm 14:2].

All have turned aside; together they have gone wrong and have become unprofitable and worthless; no one does right, not even one! (Amplified Bible)

All Have Fallen Short of the Glory of God

Romans 3:23 says …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (New King James Version)

Sinned - to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize)

Glory - Brightness; luster; splendor, magnificence. Honor, praise, fame, renown, celebrity (From Webster’s 1828 dictionary

We can re-phrase this verse accurately to say:

We have all missed the target (goal, purpose , or end to which we were created), we are not heading toward the place where we were originally aimed. And what we are is far short of the splendor, magnificence, Honor and praise that is the true image of God. We are identified by something else. This lesser identity is how we see ourselves and how others see us. We think that this is all we really are.

It Is Simple

The Identity Theft Statistics are Simple

It is 100% and there are no exceptions.

We all fall short, We all miss the goal and purpose for which we are created. We look at ourselves and to other people, we do not see God’s splendor, we see some other image. We think that this IS our identity – failure, sin, falling short, but our true identity is still godlike.

So how does this all work out?

The Solution

The Identity Theft Solution

Let’s read some more from Romans 3:23-26 (The Message Bible)

 Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us,
 God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.
 God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public--to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured.
This is not only clear, but it's now--this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.

Your Co-Operation

The Identity Theft Solution Requires Our Co-Operation with God's Provision.

There is nothing of any merit that we could provide for God to co-operate in that can restore what has been stolen. Our true identity originates out of the mind and power of God.

Our true identity belongs to God, it is hidden or kept safe in Christ. The Love of God (God IS Love) runs after us and compells us to Come Back to His Original Identity. The best thing you can do for someone who has been robbed is to Restore what was taken.

If  for example your house was robbed and you lost all your precious jewels, and some family heirlooms, the best we could hope for from our police and penal code would be to have the jewelry returned and the perpetrators punished and put in jail.

Still you would be left with the results of the trauma of the robbery in your memory and your soul. Your sense of safety may have been shattered and your life will never quite be the same.  If you were injured physically during the robery, you may bear the scars of those wounds forever.

The Restoration of the Lord is complete. He comes to restore safety, heal wounds, erase the effects of betrayal and implanted fears.  He comes to overwelm and restore those defiled definitions of your identity that have been taught in your family of your culture for generations. God's restoration is like the 40 year wilderness experience of Isreal in the desert of Sinai after leaving Egypt.

We are immediately delivered from Sin and Seperation immediately when we accept and enter into Gods covenant of restoration through faith in Jesus Christ. But there are many more things to learn and unlearn, and work out and recieve until the Restoration is complete. We "re-become" carriers of His Name - and He is Jealous over His Name. He will not tolerate the remnants of Fear , or have us living with Wounds that never heal - This would speak poorly of the excellence of who He is, it is not "God-like"so it has to go.

So recovering your true identity is not so much about cleaning ourselves up and learning to fly right. It is more about recieving the Love of God, re-learning to Trust Him, to Re-cognize His voice, and allowing Him to bind our wounds and re-define and re-calibrate our perceptions. As this proceeds, we begin to see others and care for others as He does. Our identity becomes more like His. Just as it is meant to be!!

Consider This

Isaiah 1:18

"Come now, let us reason together,"says the LORD.
Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.  New International Version

Jer 3:14-16

 "Return, faithless people," declares the LORD, "for I am your husband. I will choose you--one from a town and two from a clan--and bring you to Zion.  Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. New International Version

Jer 4:1

"If you will return, O Israel, return to me," declares the LORD.
If you put your detestable idols out of my sight  and no longer go astray,
New International Version

Ezek 18:30-32

 "Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.  Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel?  For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!  New International Version

Ezek 36:23-29

 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.

 "'For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.  You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. I will save you from all your uncleanness.New International Version