Losing Your Fingerprints (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Since the 1800’s, fingerprints have been used for personal identification. In this digital age, the role of fingerprints have expanded with many of our smart phones and devices activated by our fingerprints, providing a unique and secure identifier. Thus, it was with some alarm when the medical community was notified that a relatively common chemotherapy agent, Capecitabine, may cause the temporary loss of fingerprints in patients receiving this treatment for their cancers. Fortunately the fingerprints returned within 2-4 weeks after ending treatment. Oncologists were cautioned to warn their patients receiving this treatment of this potential side effect.

I completely empathize with the consternation these patients experienced when this side effect occurred. Fingerprints have become a vital connection to many of our activities of daily living. Just this morning, I accessed three different devices with my thumbprint. Even purchases are now secured with a thumbprint. Losing my fingerprints would be like losing my identity!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul welcomed the opportunity to lose his identity, to gain a new identity...in Jesus Christ. In fact, he would later boast that all of his schooling, his titles, his prestige and social status were rubbish compared to being a new creation in Jesus Christ. It was not a temporary loss of identity, but a permanent change.

Are you ready to lose your identity? If the change is to become more like Jesus Christ, your answer will have eternal consequences. Take the steps at this moment to confess and repent of your sins and turn to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you do, you will be a new creation and new identity with Jesus Christ.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.