Did you say "Identity"

 

 

Over the past decade, the realm of thought around the concept of identity, or self-identification, has been a sensitive topic in our post-modern culture. There is a cornucopia of ideas that, not only facilitate Identity, but give expression its’ underlying factors. This brief article on the concept of Identity does not offer a various arrange of explanations, nor will look to break down various attacks on cultural perceptions on current trends. That task would take too much time and would be a summary on the history of philosophy and thought. We have a book recommendation for that! The intent here isn’t to critique, but rather to strip away the concept of identity down to its’ least common denominator, the internal process of man’s heart.

According to the American Psychological Association, identity is an Individual’s sense of self defined by physical, psychological, and interpersonal characteristics that are not wholly shared with any other person, ethnicities and social roles. These senses are derived from the body’s sensations, body image, memories, goals, values, expectation and beliefs. With this outlook, there is a numerous cause and effect relationships that go into this perception. What are your first thoughts hearing this, do you find yourself agreeing to its consensus, or do you think it covers enough? Do you think it’s too little of factors? How does this compare to a Christian worldview of Identity? These are the questions this article looks to answer and provide an objective lens on a Biblical understanding on identity.

In order to establish one’s identity, one’s purpose must be first established; for identity is the means at which one accomplishes his purpose. Purpose and identity are not the same but connected entities. Wait, I thought this article was about Identity? It is, but if our goal is to establish a consistent view of Identity; purpose must be presented, or we will find ourselves in circular deduction that achieves nothing. Though our more modern views of identity and purpose aren’t always interconnected, mainly due to the fluidity of our culture’s view of happiness, self-actualization, and autonomy, a Biblical worldview connects these two entities. Our proof text in establishing a Biblical definition is Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. “The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: fear God and keep his commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act of judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” Solomon concludes this long, sorrowful memoir in which lays out the pain of his heart due to his actions by saying that Man’s chief end, Purpose, is to fear God and keep his commandments. What he is saying is that Man’s purpose is to live in reverence of God, because He is the creator, holy, worthy of praise, and that Man was created to live obeying the Law, the Ten commandments. The argument here is that Man fulfills his purpose, his self-actualization by submitting himself to God, the creator and sustainer of all things; man’s life is found in obedience.

Now that we have a Biblical foundation for understanding Man’s purpose, we can more properly define Identity from a Biblical worldview. Because the Biblical definition of Identity isn’t conservatively defined in Scripture, we must use epistemology to construct an objective basis. Both the Latin and Hebrew roots which we get the meaning and English word “Identity” both mean same, or sameness. This sameness refers to a person’s qualities that remain consistent through circumstances. Like man’s purpose, one’s identity is something that isn’t fluid by nature. This static nature leads us to refining identity further than our modern contemporaries. Physical, emotional, economic, materialistic, psychoanalytic, and even our neural pathways are consistently changing; our age, weight, feelings, cars, shoes etc. those entities can’t provide a mirror image of man or a stillness that is self. It is rational to conclude that identity must be an internal entity or process, not merely a combination of external and internal characteristics.

As I stated earlier, there isn’t one verse that states what the Biblical definition of identity, but there are many passages that speak to internal side of man and specifically how man is to see himself internally. One passage of Scripture to summarize a Biblical view of identity is Colossians 3:1-4. “Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ, is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” The Biblical view of identity is the internal target of man’s desires and his spiritual adoption/belonging to Christ. The Christian’s identity is to be found his abiding in Christ, the new life that belongs to the Christian because he has been given a new heart that now desires to live for the glory of God and not his sin.

Wrapping up this brief examination, this article doesn’t, due to length, dive deeper into the historical view in philosophy of identity and how our modern view was formed, a formal critique of the modern view of identity and purpose. Due to the growth of autonomy, the concept of purpose caries significant variations. This article’s intent was to establish a short contrast between the modern view and Biblical view of Identity to discuss how man ought to see himself, not display and discuss the totality of variations.

Identity in our culture is combination of physical, social, and psychological characteristics that are unique to the individual, but it is reasonable to deduct that this modern view falls short for identity isn’t who you are, but who you are when everything external is stripped away. A Biblical view of identity breaks down this entity to the very target of your desires; is your heart set upon Sin or upon knowing Christ. If we are in Christ, we belong to him, we are his sheep and we live our lives to worship, know, obey and love God for his mercy and grace poured upon sinners.