Some time ago I had the opportunity to visit a friend whose wife had Alzheimer’s disease and had forgotten who she was. During our conversation about the family’s sad situation, my friend’s wife suddenly looked at me and said, “Hey, Pastor, how nice to see you; thank you for visiting our home.” This was an emotional moment for all of us. As we continued talking, she remembered several things about her identity. The situation reminded me how essential it is to understand identity—who we are and why we are here.
Uphold your identity
There are those who maintain that the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “identity has been diluted by the impact of societal changes and cultural shifts.”1 But what is identity? The American Psychological Association states, “Your identity is a set of physical, mental, emotional, social, and interpersonal characteristics that are unique to you.”2 Psychiatrist Asfia Qaadir maintains, “It encapsulates your core personal values and your beliefs about the world.”3
Therefore, rediscovering our individual and collective identities is essential for fulfilling the gospel commission.
Forget who you have become, remember who you are, and rediscover your true identity as a child of God and a member of His family
In 2024, the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists celebrated its 150th anniversary as a missionary movement fulfilling the gospel commission. This milestone encouraged the church to renew its focus on its mission and prompted a reevaluation of its purpose, identity, and direction. When identity is altered, destiny is affected—it has always been so.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of ancient Babylon, sought to alter the identities of Daniel and his friends. He wanted the Jewish captives to adopt a Babylonian identity, so he changed their names and exposed them to Babylonian culture.4 Daniel stood out in Babylon because he understood his God and knew he was a child of God and part of His people.
Daniel was determined to uphold this identity. He set himself apart through his actions, words, and, most importantly, character. Daniel appreciated the meaning of his name: “God is my judge.” Prolific author Ellen G. White says, “The prophet Daniel was an illustrious character. He was a bright example of what men may become when united with the God of wisdom.”5 Daniel always remembered who he was.
As a Seventh-day Adventist, you are a part of God’s people and part of a movement with a special mission at the end of time. But Satan wants you to believe you are an outcast of little value and that change is impossible. You might feel like a failed Christian or not-so-good pastor and think that God has grown tired of fighting for you. But don’t believe the enemy. God has not forsaken you. He still believes in you and has a purpose for you.
Reclaim your identity
When I was a young boy, after finishing elementary school, my parents believed it was best for me to attend an Adventist academy for secondary and high school. My father took me to Linda Vista Academy, now Linda Vista University. Before he returned home, he told me, “Son, never forget who you are; remember that you are different. Always remember that you are my son and that, above everything, you are a child of God.”
It is time for Seventh-day Adventist pastors, leaders, and members to reclaim their identity. We must wake up from spiritual amnesia and remember who we are and why we are here. We must commit ourselves to the One we owe our lives to: Jesus Christ. We must live, as the apostle Paul says in Hebrews 12:2, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (NKJV).
Dear pastor and church leader, if you are feeling tired and discouraged in your role, reflecting on your identity is essential. Forget who you have become, remember who you are, and rediscover your true identity as a child of God and a member of His family. God desires for you to share the eternal gospel and distinctive message of the three angels of Revelation 14, even in unfamiliar places.
You may feel weary and broken, but know that God loves you and you have a mission to fulfill. Always remember who you are!
- Dan-Adrian Petre, Joel Iparraguirre, and J. Vladimir Polanco, eds., Affirming Our Identity: Current Theological Issues Challenging the Seventh-day Adventist Church (Madrid, Spain: Safeliz, 2023), xi.
- Sanjana Gupta, “Why Identity Matters and How It Shapes Us,” Verywell Mind, May 30, 2023, https://www.verywellmind.com/why-identity-matters-and-how-it-shapes-us-7504546.
- Sanjana Gupta.
- See Daniel 1:3–8.
- Ellen G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing, 1923), 77.
