Identity - In the Image of God

Why are we talking about this?

The LORD desires you to identify with Him and His kingdom.

The world/satan wants you to identify with whatever distracts you.

What are some factors that contribute to our identity (security)?

Something you know – password/place

Something you have – A key/fob

Something you are – Eye/fingerprint/voice/etc

Something you do – specific movement (Secret handshake).

Examples:

Buried treasure – something you know (where it’s located), something you have (key for the lock)

Secure room – Something you know (password), Something you have (security badge), Something you are (fingerprint)

Secret society – Something you know (password), Something you have (a members only jacket), Something you do (secret handshake).

Psychology Today

Identity encompasses the memories, experiences, relationships, and values that create one's sense of self. This amalgamation creates a steady sense of who one is over time, even as new facets are developed and incorporated into one's identity.

Personal identity is about how you see yourself as “different” from those around you. Hobbies, education, interests, personality traits, and so on. Favorite foods, the roles you hold—“I'm the oldest in my family.” These are the things that make you unique from other people

Definitions:

Identity - the fact of being who or what a person or thing is. Image - a representation of the external form of a person or thing in art.

What does it say?

Genesis 1:26–27 ESV “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Colossians 3:1–11 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”

2 Corinthians 5:17–19 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”

What does it mean?

Genesis 1:26-27 - God identifies us as set apart and created in His image. We are to have dominion over all the earth by His mercy and grace, for His glory.

2 Cor 3:17-18 - By the Holy Spirit we have freedom and we are continually being transformed through sanctification again by His mercy and grace, for His glory.

Col 3:1-11 - There is no distinguishable difference among us when we are found in Christ. We lay down our old ways, seeking instead to live by the Sprit… by his mercy and grace, for His glory.

2 Cor 5:17-19 - If you have aligned yourself with Jesus, you ARE a new creation. Your identity is now in Christ. You no longer have to identify yourself with your former sins or transgressions. By God’s mercy and grace, for God’s glory.

How should I respond?

3 points

You can Identify with your brokenness or embrace your brokenness.

When you identify with your brokenness you will be stuck in the same space mentally/emotionally/spiritually and never experience healing.

Instead, embrace your brokenness, acknowledge that it happened to you, give it to God and allow Him to heal you! In doing this, you will not only receive the healing you need (not necessarily the healing you want), but God can then use you to help others heal through similar circumstances.

You can fight against your identity or you can own it.

The world will tell you to be your genuine self while feeding you lies and suggestions that you can only be your true self by being something else.

Instead, take hold of who you are in Christ. Promote gratitude and thankfulness, and trust that God doesn’t make mistakes; we do.

We are not remade in our desire, but are reborn in Christ.

There are many voices in the world telling you that you are broken or made wrong and you need to be “fixed” in order for you to be your “authentic/true self.”

God doesn’t make junk, He doesn’t make mistakes, and He made you on purpose. Die to your old desires and your old self and be reborn in Christ through His redeeming love. Your true self is to identify with Jesus; in whose image you were created.