Who am I? Do I matter? Who says? How can I know? These questions cut to the core of how we understand ourselves and how we relate to the world. The Bible gives solid answers. Other sources, not so much. This important concept is worth exploring a bit, I believe.

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Define Identity

First, we need a definition. What tells us who we, or anyone else, really is underneath all the irrelevant surface distractions?

Most things we call “identity” are more about what we are — physical or relational characteristics — or how we present ourselves — visual or behavioral characteristics. Those things do not demonstrate the underlying truth of who we are. They don’t really define that core essence that makes me a unique person separate from you.

Here are some “not identity” examples:

Name: People may refer to themselves by many names: the one their parents put on their birth certificate, a nickname, a married or maiden name, a pen name, an alias for criminal reasons, an alias for security reasons, a legally-changed new name. All are simply identifiers; none are identity. The actual person does not change, no matter whether they are called John Doe or Mickey Mouse.

Appearance: A person may say “I am fat”, or someone else may say “He is tall”. Or skinny…or short…or blonde…or attractive…or ugly…or …….. None of those are anything other than descriptors to help pick someone out of a crowd. They have nothing to do with anyone’s inner identity.

Gender: God created only two, male and female. Those who are unhappy with the way they were born may try to “identify” as the other (or as some third variation) but there are a couple of problems with that. One, it’s built in at the chromosomal level, and can’t really be changed; clothing, makeup, hormones or surgery affect only the surface and not the reality. But, two, gender is only a “what”, not a “who”. It is not the soul’s identity at the level we all search for.

Race/Nationality/Ethnicity: These indicate an important heritage and cultural association. They are to be cherished and appreciated. But they are, at most, factors that are part of an individual’s experience. They don’t define who that specific individual is that makes them of unique value.

Skills or Talents: If someone is a great football player, but then is in an accident that confines him to a wheelchair, he is still the same person. The same would be true of anyone who has a particular skill: an artist, a musician, a genius. If that talent became inaccessible — suddenly blind, or deaf, or brain-damaged — they would certainly feel the loss of an important aspect of their lives. But they would still be themselves, with the same character and personality — and with the same innate value — they always had.

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Our Identity

So what is left that makes me “me”? What makes me unique? What gives me value?

The Bible’s more positive answer is that identity is conferred on us by God. He created each one of us specially and specifically, with a unique place for each individual, one that only they are designed to fill.

Where does it say that? Here are some of the passages:

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
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Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Genesis 1:27, 2:7

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
And before you were born I consecrated you;
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 1:5 (Jeremiah was created to be a prophet. God has something for everyone, whether prophet or not.)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
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Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

Psalm 139:13-16

These are only a few of the best-known verses. There are many others. They all lead to the same conclusion: My identity — and yours — is God’s carefully-planned creation. It existed before we were given names, or had any particular status, or displayed any particular physical trait. We have value simply because He chose to bring us into being, and breathed some of His own image into us. That is true if we are healthy, wealthy, wise, and popular, living in a mansion. It is also true if we are by ourselves on a desert island with no one to see us or to form any opinion about us.

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Jesus’ Identity

But more than that, we have value because He loves us. To understand that love and how much value it gives, we need to fully comprehend another identity: that of Jesus of Nazareth, raised in Israel 2000 years ago by Joseph, son of Jacob, and his wife Mary. That man, raised by a carpenter in a small town in Judea, was not just “formed of the dust of the earth” and then become a living soul when God “breathed into him the breath of life“. He was — and still is — the God who did the forming!

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He caused controversy. He made waves because, even though He was obviously fully human, He also “identified as” God Himself. He healed the sick and raised the dead, of course. But those actions were “only” astonishing and praiseworthy. He went WAY beyond that.

• He forgave sins, something that only God has the authority to do (Matthew 9:2-6, Luke 7:47-50).
• He expanded on the existing commandments given to Moses by God (Matthew 5:21-48).
• He used “I am” statements that echo the most sacred name of God, given in Exodus 3:13-14 (John 8:57-58).
  • He said “I am…” “the bread of life“, “the light of the world“, “the door”, “the good shepherd“, “the resurrection and the life”, “the way, the truth, and the life“, “the true vine” (John 6:35, 8:12, 10:7-9, 10:11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).
• He didn’t just say “Believe my teachings” or “Obey my commands”; He said “Believe in Me.” (John 7:38, 11:25-26, 12:46, 14:1, 14:12, 15:4-7, 17:20-21) and “Take on My yoke.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

For a mere mortal to make such claims would be the height of blasphemy, deserving of the hatred and eventual crucifixion that He suffered. But He was not a mere mortal, and He proved that by rising from the dead ¹.

Yes, what Jesus did was beyond special. But what makes it special is His identity, who He is: God! ²

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
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And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1-5, 14

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Our Identity in Christ

Because Jesus is God, and because He loves us enough to identify with us and sacrifice His life to redeem us, He is able to give an expanded identity to those who believe in Him. Everyone is already valuable simply by being His image-bearing creation; now we each have the opportunity to also become His child (John 1:12-13), with all the rights and inheritance that go along with that (Romans 8:15-17, 1 John 3:1-2, John 14:2-3).

We don’t have to reach for an identity in what we do, or how we look, or what we have. We are infinitely valuable to Him just as ourselves…our real, unabridged, un-made-up, messy selves.

Who am I? I am His! Do I matter? Yes! Who says? He does! How can I know? He died for me!

Note: Another similar article on this site is Foundations.

1. See articles “Resurrection: Fact” and “Resurrection Importance“.
2. Here is a collection of more articles about Who Jesus Is.