New Identity in Christ

René Descartes famously addressed the question of identity when he suggested, “I think, therefore I am.”

I think, therefore I am.

It seems so simple. For some, it might even seem ridiculous to ask the question at all.

The question is, “am I?”

Am I a person? Descartes has at least gotten us this far, you asked, therefore you are.

But as anyone can attest, it’s not enough merely to know that you “are”. We need more information than that.

I need to know details about who I am, what I am, and why I am. I need this data so that my life has more meaning than mere existence.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that the masthead for my weekly posts boldly states, “New Identity In Christ”.

Perhaps you’ve also noticed that the question of “identity” is being asked by a lot of people in our world today.

The Bible answers the most essential questions about identity very differently than Descartes.

According to John 1:3, “I am made, therefore I am.”

This is your primary identity, you are made by Jesus.

Self-Defined or Christ-Defined?

OK, so I am a person because I have been made by God in His image. That’s a great start.

Jesus is a person. I’m made in His image. I’m a person.

But does being made in God’s image also help us understand anything about the more pressing questions?

Does being made by Jesus help me know who, what, and why I am?

The answers to who, what, and why will be found most clearly when I know what makes my life meaningful and where my life is taking me.

Meaning and purpose…

Some of you who are reading this do not struggle with feelings of meaninglessness or a lack of purpose.

I have found meaning and purpose in various “stations” God has called me into.

Being a husband, being a father, being a pastor… these three things especially give me meaning and purpose.

Because God is my maker, I also allow God to define what “husband”, “father”, and “pastor” mean to me.

Our identity should always be rooted in the design of our creator.

Furthermore, I have to bravely face the grim reality that everyone in this life faces: all three of those things can easily be taken away from me in a moment.

It’s not pleasant, so I don’t give it much thought. But let’s face it, we don’t need much of an imagination to quickly realize that I could find myself with neither job nor family. 

That could happen.

This makes it even more important for me to have a source for my identity that cannot be taken away from me.

This is the root problem with a self-defined identity.

If I insist that I am a man because I self-identify as such, I may be correct, but my source of identity is actually paper thin.

God does not want anyone to have such a tenuous identity.

It is not good enough for me to limit my purpose and meaning in life merely from the things God has given me - my wife and kids and career.

And it definitely isn’t good enough for anyone to derive purpose and meaning based on how they feel about themselves! God has MUCH better than that for us all.

Baptized into Christ

Sadly, many in the world mistake baptism as a mere tradition of Christianity.

They see it as a ritual that is void of God-given meaning.

But Baptism is actually God’s finest answer to the question of identity.

One of the most clear passages of scripture says that in Baptism, we have “put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).

Let’s take a very quick look at what that says about our identity, and therefore about our meaning and purpose in life.

One in Christ

The first implication of Baptism is that it makes no distinction between ethnicity, sex, social status, or any other human distinction.

Everyone who has been baptized has been reborn in precisely the same way as everyone else who has been baptized.

In a world concerned with “gender-equality”, “racial-equality”, and “equal access”, there is no more profound message than this: Baptism makes us all equal in God’s eyes.

And if we are equal in God’s eyes, we really ought to do a better job of treating one another as we ourselves want to be treated.

God, who made us, has defined our identity - in Baptism - as His own treasured possession.

We are one big family where - since nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38) - nothing really ought to separate us from loving one another.

Children of God

But we can get a lot more specific than that, which is where the fun begins.

I have three children. All three of them have been profoundly impacted (for better and for worse) by having me as their father.

My kids are who they are in part because of their mom and dad, and in part because each of them is an individual.

There are some aspects of their identity that they have no control over, and some they will have to take full responsibility for themselves.

Baptism makes us children of God. He is our Father.

Baptized children of God do not worship other gods.

Baptized children of God do not kill, steal from, or tell lies about other people.

Whatever God says about human thought, behavior, and speech… These form our identity.

And the Bible has a LOT to say about human thoughts, words, and deeds.

In every way, every Baptized person has been defined by his or her maker based on how God has designed humanity.

Jesus, by the way, is the paradigm.

But what is different about my children’s relationship to me and our relationship to God is this:

I didn’t make my kids. God made all of us.

So while it’s appropriate for my children, as they mature, to define themselves away from me, it is not appropriate for us to define ourselves away from God… ever.

He has certainly given each person a unique personality and an inventory of abilities that will only ever be found in that person alone. We are all “different”, and that is as beautiful as it is profound.

But none of us… not if we’re Baptized into Christ… none of us has the authority to define our identity.

Meaning and Purpose

I will write more about meaning and purpose in a future blog post. This article is primarily about identity.

But I will say a few things briefly.

Just as you’ve derived your entire identity from God, you will also find life-affirming purpose and meaning from Him as well. Like I said, I’ll have a lot more to say about this in the future.

What this means, though, is that if you can already define your meaning and purpose in life, you ought to take a few moments each week to measure those things against the will of God.

Human beings stray. We are all like adolescents, tending to want to define ourselves away from our heavenly Father.

So take some time to write down two or three things that give your life meaning. Write down two or three things that you are aiming yourself towards.

Identify who you are.

Be honest.

Then measure what you’ve written against what God has said in His Word.

And be willing to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

Want Help?

This is an exercise that is best done with a partner.

Need a partner? I volunteer. I will gladly look over what you’ve written down. I will gladly suggest ways in which, by Baptism, you’ve been given meaning and purpose.

More importantly, be a partner to someone else. Share this article with someone who is struggling with identity… with meaning or purpose… Then listen while they share their thoughts. Gently guide them to the good news that comes to us all… we are Baptized into Christ Jesus.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, I often forget that I am your child. I often prefer to “parent” myself. Forgive me. Help me to hear the good news in my Baptism - I am made by you, I am yours - and help me to find my identity in You. Amen.