False Identity

False Identity

By Michael Galloway

Cleveland Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona was arrested this past Thursday for using a false identity while outside the United States Consulate in the Dominican Republic. Carmona had allegedly used a false identity while playing baseball in the United States. Carmona, whose real name is Roberto Hernandez Heredia, had played baseball on the Indians since 2006. I believe there are several spiritual applications that can be made to this story.

1) How many times do we live a spiritual life of false identity? How many times do we fail to show the world that our lives center on Christ. The Bible tells us that the “disciples were first called Christians at Antioch” (Acts 11:26). The reason that the disciples were called Christians by those in the community of Antioch was because they were living a life that reflected Christ in their lives. They weren’t leading a life of false identity nor were they ashamed of the gospel of Christ. The wanted the world to know that they lived for Christ.

2) Do you live a life of godliness in public, but a life of sin in private? This is once again a life of false identity. The Bible tells us “to be instant in season and out of season”. As Christians we must live a dedicated life of service to Him! We must live a transformed life (Romans 12:1-2) that is committed to Jesus Christ. We must live a life dedicated to fighting the temptations of the devil, and avoiding the things of the world. James said it best, “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

What kind of identity do you carry with you during your everyday life? Do you carry an identity that is false? An identity where you are scared to truly show what is important to you to the world? An identity where you pretend to be something that you are not? Let me encourage you to do what those in the first century did. I encourage you to live a life pure and full of Christ, a life where you are not afraid of what people might think, live a life that will cause them to call you a Christian! Live a life where they will know your true identity.