Have you seen the many “Bourne” movies? If not, I’ll sum up the first one, Bourne Identity, real quick:
An agent for a part of the U.S. government tries to assassinate a foreigner that is causing problems for the CIA. He gets shot during the assignment and loses his memory. All that he has throughout 90% of the movie is his reactions that are ingrained in him from all of his training. These reactions are what he has to survive on while he re-learns the world and who he is within it.
This goes on for many movies — Jason Bourne and his instincts against the world.
[Insert Your Name Here] Born
If you really think about it, this is exactly who we are. All we really have from the start are the reactions that are ingrained in us.
For all of us, naturally, these reactions are negative and are the natural survival tendencies that are ingrained in our fleshly nature. Scripture makes this clear over and over. For example: Romans 7:18 says that we all have a sinful nature.
If we were purely survival based, we’d be one very mean and greedy group of people, and yet we see people who do not believe in Christ treat others with a tremendous amount of care and respect. This care that we see shows the signs of sensing a higher purpose and value.
This means we all have two decisions we have to make: (1) To turn away from the sinful nature of humanity (Colossians 3), and (2) to let God’s Spirit shine through us (1 John 1:5).
Born Supremacy
What matters the most to you? Do you want to come to a place where everything goes God’s way, or would you rather pursue your own goals your own way?
If we are being completely honest, there are seemingly benefits both ways. You can follow your own path. Some of the most successful people here on earth are that way and through greed and power, they can appear to have it all.
However, the way we’ve chosen as Christians is the way that is rewarding both here on earth and after it.
Here we are rewarded with a better interaction with others and the peace of knowing the future. Afterwards, we have the benefit of heaven and eternally dwelling with a loving God in a new creation.
Now the negatives they have are both obvious, but we’ll hit them anyways.
First off, if you pursue your goals, there is a high chance that you still fail. There is no guarantee that greed will actually get you money. Plus, if you’re not walking with God, and you aren’t if you’re living like that, you do not have the afterlife to look forward to.
For the believers, the negatives are just that we cannot get everything we might want here and now. God never promises us an easy life; so there is very likely a chance that if you trust God, you will have a hard life. Now, this will seem like a negative when it occurs, but in reality, this will end up as a positive for us.
Born Ultimatum
So, I guess what this boils down to is a choice. Do you choose to believe that God is the one who leads us in the best ways, or do you choose to follow your own path based on your own selfish and sinful instincts?
No one can make the choice but you, and there is really little that anybody can say to persuade you. I could throw many different scriptures out saying to believe God for this or believe God for that, but in reality, you still are going to choose based on what you want to believe is true.
Luke 9:23 says it all for those who want to believe:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:23-26)
Sit and think to yourself though. Which identity would you rather have? The do-it-all-myself Survivor against the world, or the depend-on-God Believer who is free from the world?
The choice is up to you.
Responses