IDENTIFICATION - THE KEY TO SALVATION                                               

All that Jesus did would not profit anybody unless each one of us identify with Him - unless we believe God like He did.

Faith in the promised seed is the means by which every man can receive all that God has prepared for the human race. Salvation becomes a possession of the soul when our faith joins the faith of Jesus Christ - when we become identified with Him by faith.

Salvation is from faith to faith - it is faith from start to finish:  

"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17).

Every believer from the moment of rebirth lives by the faith of the Son of God; we feast upon His accomplishment and present enthronement as the Lord of Lords and King of Kings: 

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:120). 

The requirement for salvation is the same for the rich, poor, literate, and illiterate; every man must receive Christ if every man is to live and not die.

Again, looking back on the Day of Atonement, the high priest and the nation identified with the live goat by placing both hands on the head, and then transfers all the iniquities and trespasses of people on the innocent scapegoat, who took it away to the land not inhabited.

The placing of Aaron's hands and the application of the blood demonstrated the faith of the nation in the ability of the blood to atone for their sins. By faith, sin is not only covered, but removed completely - faith in God by the blood of the substitute innocent goat is imputed to them as righteousness, at least for a year.

The nation, represented by Aaron, had the faith in the promise of God that He would accept the life of the innocent goat on their behalf (cf. Leviticus 16:7-10, 15, 21-22). See how many times the phrase: "It shall be forgiven," occurs in Leviticus chapter 4 alone.

The same thing happened in the cleansing of the leper: 

"Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:

As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field" (Leviticus 14:4-7). 

Again, of the two birds, one bird is slain, and the live bird dipped in the blood of the slain bird, and then released.

By this double identification, the leper becomes associated with the death of the sacrificial bird and its resurrection in the living bird, which is dipped in the blood of the dead bird and in the sprinkling of the blood of the sacrificed bird on the leper.

Through the application of the blood (life) sacrificed, the leper becomes identified with the bird and profits thereof. He dies to the disease in the dead bird, and rises again in the living bird a new man.

This event illustrates the two-sided work of our Lord. Jesus died for our offences and was raised for our justification - the believer dies to sin and is raised again unto righteousness: 

"Who (Jesus Christ) was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification" (Romans 4:25; cf. Leviticus 14). 

The leper accepting to be sprinkled with the blood of the bird evidenced the faith of the leper in the ability of the blood.

Likewise, the sinner identifies with Christ by accepting Him as Lord and Savior: 

"Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).  

Once again, let us take a look at "identification" in the consecration of the priest:  

"And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.

And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about" (Leviticus 8:14-24).

Aaron and his sons lay their hands on the head of the sacrificed ram by which they become identified with, then the blood of the sacrificed is sprinkled on them by which ram becomes identified with them.

Thus, by this double identification the priests become associated with the atoning sacrifice on the ground of which they are accepted and consecrated (consecrated; set-apart-ness).

The exceeding quality and greatness of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ over the Aaron's priesthood and sacrifices begins with the fact that Jesus is both the sacrifice and priest to His believing people.

Through Him, every believer has access to God by a new and living way - it is a "new way" by the Cross, and a "living way" by His resurrection: 

"By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh" (Hebrews 10:19-21).

Faith in the Lamb of God, who died on the cross, produces new life and a new beginning for the believer. Jesus Christ, the High Priest of a better testament died once, but He is alive forever as our ever-living priest on high.

Another great example of identification is the "serpent of brass." Moses was instructed to make and set upon a pole so that every one that is bitten by a fiery serpent can look upon it and live. Every man that is bitten by a snake must identify with the serpent of brass if he or she is to live.

No identification means death to every snake bitten victim without exception:  

"And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.

And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.

And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah.

And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived" (Numbers 21:1-8).  

A person bitten by a snake must exercise faith in the word of God that by acting upon His promise and looking up at the brass snake would live.

Likewise, every sinner must exercise faith in the promised seed of the woman who was hanged on the cross to be freed from the sting, and the venom of sin and death: 

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:13). 

Again, looking back to the Passover, every Hebrew household was instructed to post the blood of the specified lamb on the two doorposts and the lentil to avoid the death of the first-born in the family.

Without the blood on the front door means death to the first born in the family (cf. Exodus 12). The death angel only looked at the applied blood to set apart the first born within the household.

To the death angel, the blood on the doorpost or lentil meant the first-born of that house is already dead, and would therefore not require another life.

The application of the blood on the doorposts and lentil indicated the faith of the one making the application in the ability of the promise of God that the blood can protect him or her from the judgment of the death.

Now, all these examples teach two things:  

•1. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. 

•2. Without identification atonement profits no man - faith is imputed as righteousness to the believing sinner.  

The perfect work of Jesus Christ in life, death and resurrection would only profit us if we identify with Him.

For it cannot be that only Jesus should believe God; we must also believe to benefit from the work God did through Him: 

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Galatians 2:15-17). 

Our faith must match His faith - salvation is from faith to faith: 

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:

Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:4-13).  

Identification with the seed of the woman Jesus Christ is all that is needed for so great a salvation to profit any man:

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:25-26).

Identification with the seed of the woman provides a new and better covering:

"For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven" (2 Corinthians 5:1-3).

The truth is, righteousness gained by grace through faith is the only garment that can cover the nakedness of man (CF. 1 Corinthians 1:30; Matthew 6:30-32).  

In Christ, the believer assumes the full status of a child of God and all the glory that comes by being in the grace of God.

Again, Christians are dead to the Law, sin and bondage to Satan and death:  

"For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God" (Galatians 2:19).  

In Christ, the wages of sin is fully paid for people of every generation:  

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7).  

And for this reason God commands that the Gospel of Jesus Christ be preached to every creature:  

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God" (Romans 7:4). 

Christians are under obligation to preach the Gospel for what shall we say to a doctor who daily sees millions of his patients die, while he has the medicine that could make each of them completely whole?  

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Mathew 28:18-19). 

Truly, "who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Romans 8:33-34).  

Now, if you believe in Jesus Christ and sincerely want to be free from your sins and all the penalties that come with it including the wrath of God, then: 

Open your mouth right now and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior.  

You do not have to list every sin done in life because no man can do that. Simply, ask Jesus Christ to come into your life and cleanse you from all sins. 

You can identify with Him along these lines: 

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins; I do accept Jesus Christ right now as my Lord and personal Savior. Please, forgive me all of my sins and cleanse me from all iniquities. Once again, thank you for answering my prayer. Amen. 

Congratulations, if you did. Here is a firm promise:  

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8-10).  

Now, go ahead and give thanks to the Father, which hath made you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.