Identity and Divine Calling

Recap

Search Me

Psalm 139:23–24 is a prayer inviting God to search the deepest parts of the heart and reveal hidden sin, attitudes, and patterns that require repentance. This passage prepares believers to enter Lent with humility and openness to transformation.

Background

About the Author (Genesis)

Moses (Traditionally Attributed Author)

Leader: of Israel and deliverer from Egypt

Wrote: Genesis under divine inspiration

Purpose: to explain origins—creation, humanity, covenant

Insight: Genesis establishes identity before sin enters—who we were before we became who we struggle with

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Audience

Originally written to A people trying to understand: Who they are, Who God is, Why they exist

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Application: Just like Israel, many believers today are: Delivered, but still discovering identity, they’re Free, but not fully aligned with purpose

Historical Context

• Written during or after Israel’s deliverance from Egypt

• Surrounded by cultures that:

o Worshipped many gods

o Viewed humans as servants/slaves of deities

Radical Difference: Genesis teaches: Humans are not slaves of God—they are made in His image

Image

Genesis 1:26 “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.”

Key Hebrew Word Study

1. “Image” – צֶלֶם(Tselem)

Means: likeness, representation, shadow

Suggests:

Reflection of God’s nature

Authority and identity

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. You Were Created With Identity, Not Searching for It

Identity is given—not earned

Old Testament Parallel: Psalm 139:13–14

“Fearfully and wonderfully made”

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2. “Likeness” – דְּמוּת (Demuth)

Means: resemblance, pattern

Implies: Moral and spiritual similarity

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3. “Dominion” – רָדָה (Radah)

Means: to rule, govern, steward

Insight: Dominion is not control—it is responsible stewardship under God

Relationship

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

You Were Designed for Relationship With God

• Image implies connection, not distance

Old Testament Parallel:

• Genesis 3:8

God walked with man in the garden

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3. You Were Given Purpose Before Performance

• Dominion came before the fall

Old Testament Parallel:

• Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed you… I knew you”

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4. Sin Distorted Identity, Not God’s Intent

• The fall didn’t erase image—it fractured the expression

Old Testament Parallel:

• Genesis 3:7–10

Shame replaces confidence

Theological Bridge to Resurrection

The cross doesn’t create value—it restores it

• Resurrection power brings us back to:

o Identity

o Authority

o Relationship

Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to be made in God’s image in practical terms?

2. How has culture shaped identity differently than Scripture?

3. Where have you based your identity on performance instead of purpose?

4. What areas of your identity feel “distorted” or unclear?

Identity Alignment Practice

Day 1–2: Recognition

• Read Genesis 1:26–27 aloud

• Ask: “What does God say about me?”

Day 3–4: Rejection

• Identify false identities (fear, failure, labels)

Day 5–6: Replacement

• Replace lies with Scripture truths

Day 7: Reinforcement

• Declare: “I am created in God’s image, with purpose and authority.”

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“Before I Was Broken, I Was Designed”

• Who did God create me to be?

• What lies have I believed about myself?

• What does restoration look like in my identity?

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Closing

Before there was sin, there was identity.

Before there was a cross, there was design.

And the resurrection is not just about new life—it is about returning to who you were always meant to be.