Identity is such a charged word in today’s culture. It has been framed as merely a social construct that can shift based on what a person feels at any given time. This concept of identity, as defined by the individual, opens the door to many thought processes and belief systems; the implications are staggering.
When we, as followers of Jesus Christ, begin assessing who we are, we can easily find ourselves caught up in the culture’s vortex, causing us to be pulled further and further away from God’s perfect design. We can be seduced by the idea of defining ourselves so that we can manifest what we believe we deserve.
We purchase a persona, financing a wardrobe, a lifestyle, an image, in an attempt to project to the world who we have defined ourselves to be. If we can create the perfect external vision of who we want to be, surely it will translate into reality. What we find is a shallow existence that never meets the ideal we attempted to manufacture.
Conversely, there are those who have been so beaten down by life, traumatized, neglected, and abandoned that they cannot fathom anything other than what has been done to them. They have adopted an image that reflects their pain, existing as an echo of who they once were. There is no living, only surviving, choosing to remain locked in the hurt that made them a victim.
While these examples are at opposite ends of the spectrum, they are no less false. As followers of Jesus Christ, created by God in His image, we are not defined by our feelings, thoughts, desires, or experiences. If we seek to understand who we are, then we must be willing to seek our creator about the matter. The word of God is filled with examples, for example, who God says we are. We do not have to self-identify, adopt a persona, or live from our trauma.
We have the privilege of accepting what the Bible says is true. We are:
- Made in God’s image – Genesis 1:27
- Joint-heir with Christ – Romans 8:17
- Temple of the Holy Spirit – 1 Corinthians 6:19
- Seated in Heavenly places with Christ Jesus – Ephesians 2:6
- Alive in Christ – Ephesians 2:5
- God’s child – Ephesians 1:3–8
- A new creation – 2 Corinthians 5:17
- God’s masterpiece – Ephesians 2:10
- Justified – Romans 5:1
- Righteous – 2 Corinthians 5:21
- Set free – Romans 6:18
- Forgiven – 1 John 1:9
- Valuable – 1 Corinthians 6:20
- Free from condemnation – Romans 8:1
- Blameless in His sight – Ephesians 1:4
- Royal priesthood – I Peter 2:9
- Beloved – Ephesians 1:6
- Triumphant – 2 Corinthians 2:14
- Victorious – I Corinthians 15:57
- Overcomer – I John 5:4-5
- A dwelling place for God –Ephesians 2:22
Choose today to accept what God says is true about you and allow Him to reveal your true
identity through His word as you grow closer to Him day by day.
