Who Are You?
- Name
- Occupation
- Where you are from
- Some things about your family
- etc
All a part of who you are
- But not really who you are
Today, we are continuing our THEME of
A TWISTED TRUTH
To change information so that it gives the message you want it to give, especially in a way that is dishonest
Last week…
Satan’s pattern of twisting the truth through temptation
Today, we are looking at a COMMON twisted truth in our culture
IDENTITY
We create identities for ourselves…
- on social media (perhaps we present different sides of ourselves on each platform)
- we are one person at home
- another at work
- another with friends
We have identities rooted in:
- careers
- accomplishments
- trauma
- failures.
SO…WHO ARE YOU?
The Christian understanding of identity starts with this…
The Imago Dei = In The Image Of God
Genesis 1
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.
The Atheist:
- You came from nothing, are just a clump of matter and cells and will return to nothing
Eastern Religions:
- You can merge with the impersonal universe, but you are not unique
Reincarnation:
- You may be a person or a bug.. Just depends on what you do in you life
Only the Biblical understanding of IMAGO DEI puts ultimate value on each individual
Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses. ~C.S. Lewis
Jesus points us to this principle…
Mark 12:30-31
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 31 The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself.
Things in our world that Christians have brought about because of the belief in the IMAGO DEI
Introduce the idea of the sanctity of Life
- That all human life has value – womb to the grave
First distinct hospital in history in 369AD
Established modern nursing
Established that slavery was against natural law, immoral, and sinful
- Most leading abolitionists were christians
Started humanitarian organizations like
- Salvation army (1865)
- Goodwill (1902)
- The Red Cross
Ended cruel practices like “foot-binding” in China and “Widow-burning” in India through Missionary incidences
The principle of IMAGO DEI has changed the world
But what about YOU?
The enemy loves to use twisted truths to lie about who you are…
- False Identity = A twisted truth
False Identity:
An identity based in anything besides God, His will, or His design for your life
This is where we run into problems…
Identity is rooted, and authority
- So your identity will always grow out of the authoritative structure of your life
We can’t name ourselves because placing an identity on someone is an AUTHORITY CLAIM
Let’s start with Who God says we are
1: I am who God says I am (Authority Of God)
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
- Not who you were, who God has made you to be
- More human
John 1:12
12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,
- We are his Children
- We have a loving father
Romans 8:17
17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
- Not just children, but heirs!
- We have a heavenly inheritance
1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
- Created On purpose FOR a purpose
We can say it this way…
Your true identity is who God says you are. You will never discover who you are by looking inside yourself or listening to what others say.
2: I am who I say I am (Authority of Self)
- There are some of the identities we give ourselves
I am my MISTAKES
- What i’ve done
- Sometimes held over our heads by others
1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I am NOT my mistakes… I am FORGIVEN!
I am my TRAUMA
- What has happened to me
- I am scared
- I will never be whole
Romans 8
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am NOT my trauma/hurts… I am healed and whole through Jesus Christ!
I am WHAT I DO
- My title
- My authority
- My “Last name”
Colossians 3:23-24
23 Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.
I am NOT what I do… it’s what God does THROUGH ME that matters!
I am What I ACCOMPLISH
- What I achieve
- How I impress others
- How much money I make
Matthew 16:25-27
25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. 26 For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life?
I am NOT my accomplishments… I work for the gain of the Kingdom of God!
I am WHO I LOVE
- Sexual identity
- Love vs lust
- Romantic relationships
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body.
I am not who I love… I matter because God LOVES ME!
I am meant to be SOMETHING ELSE
My Identity is…
- Freed
- Chosen
- Saved
- Loved
- Anointed
- rescued