Throughout your life, have any of you ever heard someone say to you one or more of the following statements?
Unfortunately, there are many people in this world who have been told one or more of these hurtful lies. When accepted, they can be poisonous to our minds because they directly attack our perception of what our identity is, that being who or what we perceive ourselves to be.
For believers, understanding our identity is crucial to our walk with Christ and our ability to be spiritually fruitful. For unbelievers, the aforementioned lies are dangerous because Satan uses them to build strongholds in their minds that prevent them from knowing and understanding their need for salvation and God’s love for them. Thus, dispelling these lies with the Bible’s truths is crucial for the believer’s sanctification (i.e., spiritual growth in becoming more like Christ) and the nonbeliever’s salvation.
What we believe about where we came from has a profound effect on how we perceive our identity. The prevailing teaching of this secular world—that our existence was the result of random chance without the intervention of a higher power—is severely degrading because from it, people are led to believe they are merely an animal and the result of an accident devoid of meaning or purpose.
In contrast, the Bible reveals that we are the result of the deliberate, loving intervention of God. We know from the first two chapters of Genesis that God is the Creator of all things. Furthermore, from His great love and care for us, He created humanity for special purposes, such as to have His life dwell within us, bare His image, and rule over and care for the earth:
How do these truths from God’s Word affect how you perceive your identity versus those taught from the secular perspective on our origins?
Even though we all share the same Creator, He lovingly put unspeakable detail and care into each one of us when He created us in the womb. Furthermore, even before our creation, God had beforehand planned in intimate detail the days He would give us on this earth.
This incredible level of love and care is beautifully explained by King David, who understood well how he was the unique, beautiful, and intricate handiwork of our loving Creator:
Why are the truths in this Psalm important to our identity?
There is not a single thing that exists in the universe that can reasonably be considered a mistake or devoid of purpose. Colossians 1:16 states, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” No matter what anyone says, this Scripture applies to you as well.
You were not only created by God, but He made you for a very specific purpose He designed for you in eternity past. As an example, He told Jeremiah:
How do these verses apply to our identity?
Many people are hurting or have been hurt due to lacking or being deprived of human love. Thankfully, God did not make human love to define our identity; instead, He uses His own, which is infallible, unconditional, and unending. God has always loved you and every person He has ever created before any of us could ever love Him, as we read:
These verses name many key aspects of our identity as believers. First, we are the desire of a loving God who, despite our sinfulness, rebellion, and inability to love Him, came to earth and died for our sins. Also, as believers, God lovingly adopts us into His family permanently, so that we would have the privilege and blessing of knowing Him intimately as our Father. Finally, literally nothing can ever separate us from God’s love; it is eternal and will never be revoked.
For those who have yet to receive Christ, God lovingly invites you to receive His love and secure for your soul eternal life in heaven with Him after you die. He only asks that you repent of your sins (including rejection of Jesus); place your faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection; and, from a changed heart, proclaim Him to be Savior and Lord over your life.