Identity Theft

Document Type

Popular Press

Publication Date

6-2017

Keywords

Identity (Psychology), Great controversy theme, Spiritual life

Abstract

Although Satan’s hand is in every evil, he’s not always the only spiritual identity thief. We ourselves can be spiritual identity thieves—imposters—especially when we present ourselves as Christians, yet are unwilling to live up to our claims, or incapable of demonstrating that we are new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). Spiritual identity theft occurs when we have some of God, but not all of Him; and God has some of us, but not all of us. Such pious pretensions cause us to live as tepid Christians who disguise spiritual destitution with fake smiles; happy, insincere greetings; snappy contemporary choruses in worship; and vain repetitions in prayer.

Journal Title

Adventist Review

Volume

194

Issue

6

First Page

61

Last Page

61

First Department

Christian Ministry

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