dentity theft is one of the fastest growing types of crime today. Criminals prey upon the innocent, leaving behind a wake of destruction and hurt. The costs of this epidemic crime are overwhelming. However, identity theft is not only a problem economically speaking. Identity theft is a much more severe issue when we understand it in spiritual terms.

Identity theft happens in many different ways, yet it always yields the same result: pain, heartache and loss.

Christians are inundated on a daily basis with messages encouraging them to sacrifice their integrity and morality. The world today is not simply a place filled with distractions. It is no less than a full-blown minefield, where one wrong step could result in serious damage.

The greatest tragedy in this is that there isn't much disparity between adults and kids who are Christians and those who aren't. Christians are losing their identity.

Unlike the theft of a credit card, a Christian's identity is not usually lost in a moment. The loss of one's spiritual identity often takes place over time. It happens usually through the daily choices that we make. Identity theft for the Christian happens more from erosion than it does from a quick and devastating blast.

How then do Christian adults navigate this minefield? How do parents guide their children in such a way as to help them conquer the challenges they face as they grow up?

The number-one thing that Christians need to have a firm grasp on in order to navigate the temptations and trials of life is personal identity. The world seeks to rob Christians of their identity. That is a huge issue because it is our identity that makes human beings special. It is the most central thing about us. It is our core.

Our identity is what makes us unique. It is also what makes us vulnerable.

The creation account teaches many things about the human condition. There are a couple of facts that are of primary importance. Genesis 1:26-27 tells us that God created people in the image of God. This is the most dynamic thing about our identity.

We also see in Genesis 2:18 that man was created with a very interesting need. Having already created the world in its entirety, God makes a very bold statement. "The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a suitable helper for him.'"

Scripture clearly indicates that Adam was lonely. Why? God created Adam - and us - with a need for intimacy, a need for acceptance. We were created for relationships. The need for acceptance is secondary to our need for relationships. It is the need for acceptance and relationships that seems to be the driving force behind most of the decisions that adolescents and adults make. This is what makes us vulnerable as human beings.

As Christians, our identity does not hinge on who we know. Our identity is inherent in our very nature. It comes before our need for others. The only relationship that should drive people's identity is a personal relationship with God, who created them and loves them.

It is when we seek to shape our identity around needs that we get ourselves into trouble. In talking to a group of middle school and high school students recently about temptation, I realized a very important principle. During the teenage years, habitual sin usually begins as a way of relating to others. When asked what their greatest source of temptation was, one 15-year-old young lady responded, "I'm tempted to have sex. I don't know any of my friends that aren't already having sex." A middle school girl, age 13, affirmed the same about her friends.

Adults face the same challenge regarding what we shape our identities around. Many men are so absorbed in their careers that they find their value in them. They see themselves through the lens of work. The woman who battles the addiction of an eating disorder is often really fighting the battle of identity.

People who are not comfortable with who they are when alone often get involved in the first possible romantic relationship, whether that person is right for them or not.

Many allow work to determine who they are, rather than allowing Christ to determine who they are. Others allow their perception of how they think others see them to identify them. Identity matters. It will determine so much.

The question then is this: How can Christians maintain the identity that God has built into them in spite of the culture in which they find themselves immersed? The answer involves three R's: recognize, realize and reject.

Recognize. As Christians, we must recognize who we are. We need to experience an awakening by realizing who God crafted us to be. We should remind ourselves daily of who God says we are; we can do this by being grounded in the Word of God. Some of the passages in the Bible that talk about who we are include Genesis 1:26-27, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Jeremiah 31:3, Matthew 10:26-31 and 1 John 5:4-5.

Realize. Christians must realize what is at stake. The battle for minds is at stake. The future is at stake. Integrity is at stake. Most of all, identity is at stake. Christians should not find themselves committing the sin of sacrificing their future at the altar of temporary gratification. John 10:10 and 1 Peter 5:8 discuss this.

Reject. As Christians, we must reject the world's definition of who we are. We should reject culture's system of placing value on people for external things. The believer should seek to see people as God sees them. God sees people as infinitely valuable and forever important. After all, he gave his Son for them. (John 3:16)

Every Christian's identity will be attacked. However, not every Christian will become a victim. The Christians who will be victorious will be the ones who remind themselves daily of their true identity in Christ. We do this through daily communication with our Heavenly Father through prayer and Bible study.