The Fundamental Question: Who am I?

The issue of identity continues to be a hot-button issue for the church and culture around us. The fundamental question, who am I? remains at the center of individual and community life for cultures and countries the world over. The overarching question every person must answer concerning this most basic question is, what is the basis of my identity?

From a young age, we are shaped by the environment around us; first, our parents, then our extended family, then our local communities, and eventually our exposure to the world around us, whatever the circumstances that lead us up to the point of reading this blog entry. While the mantra "I was born this way" sounds exceedingly expeditious, the reality is that each member of any given society is not born a certain way but is shaped into the person each is becoming.

From a biblical perspective, the answers to the questions presented above are the same. We are individuals that walk about as living corpses (spiritually), and everything about us in that state needs transforming and revival from an outside source. Furthermore, the options we have are to remain dead in our own spiritually decaying state or surrender our walking husks called bodies to the use of a higher call and purpose that stays true from eternity past to eternity future. Either we worship and follow our whims or worship and obey the Living God.

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8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light

9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;

12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret.

13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.

14 For this reason it says,

"Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you."

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.[1]

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The church in Ephesus resembles the world in which we live today. There is prominence to being part of the "insider" culture; wealth and prosperity are available to those willing to follow the rules of the communities where each individual lives. There are many perceived ways to the truth, eternal life, or some form of higher enlightenment. The church Paul addresses receive praise and encouragement to remain on the critical basis of their identity. It is not their perception of wellbeing by any standard, but the radical transformation from the Living God.

The images used in the citation from Ephesians 5 above highlight God's power in the lives of those who surrender to Him as the only real source of identity for each one of us. Where we were once asleep to the reality of the spiritual affairs of the world, we are now awakened to the light in Jesus Christ and the darkness that would overtake the world. While we were dead in selfish pride, sin, and temptation, God is the one that gives us a new heart that not only supplies our blood supply but remains tender upon the Holy Spirit's leading us to obey God, His Word, and to love one another in humility. Where before we walked in the foolishness of our ways, God grants us wisdom, which is not available apart from His grace and mercy to see that wisdom is given by God to exalt Himself in the ways of humanity.

Today, more so than ever before, countless people in this generation are affected by what the last two generations have allowed and often praised, that their way is perceived as wise. But, in reality, said wisdom lands squarely on foolishness that leads to death, whether in our gender expressions, our sexuality, our understanding of appropriate relationships, the value of children's lives, the value of family, the hyper-individualistic approach to life, etc. When we devoid ourselves of God's presence, there is nothing but the foolishness that leads to a broken life, to a diminished value of humanity, and suffering. That is heart-breaking.

I encourage you to turn from foolishness to the newness of life and the trustworthy source of life and identity for every man and woman under the sun. This writer does not assume perfection but assumes the role of a block of marble, or a lump of clay that is constantly reformed and reshaped by the Master of the universe, through the Holy Bible, to see that there is more than sexuality, gender identity, or any other marker for value and uniqueness.

So let me give you my answer. Who am I? I am a sinner saved by grace through faith in the person, life, and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, I, and I venture to confidently say every other Christian, struggles with sin and temptations of many kinds. Still, I am confident that even when we fail, our hearts churn with pain, knowing that we attempted to step outside of the light of our true identity and go to the land of pretend, where darkness and pain are the familiar companions.

Here is the beauty of being made new by God. If He can do that in my life, He is more than able do that in yours.

[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (Eph 5:8–17). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.