Where Does Your Identity Come From?
Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves . . . . (Psalm 100:3 NKJV).
The Source of Identity
There’s a lot of talk about identity these days. People ask, “How do you self-identify?” In other words: Who do you want to be today? But regardless of what you think your identity should be, the truth remains: our identity comes from God. He’s the One who made us.
How God Made You
So, who did God make you to be? Here are a few key things that the Bible teaches us.
- He made you male or female, based on your biological sex.
“Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female?” (Matthew 19:4 NKJV).
- He made you in His image; you’re an image-bearer.
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27 NKJV).
- He made you a steward of the things He’s entrusted to you.
“Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Genesis 1:28 NKJV).
Your Identity in Christ
And when you’ve been born again, your identity is rooted in Christ. Among other things:
- You’re a child of God.
“But as many as received Him [Jesus], to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12 NKJV).
- You’re a new creation.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV).
- You’re adorned in His robe of righteousness.
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10 KNJV).
- You’re an heir of God through Christ.
“Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7 NKJV).
Walking in Your God-given Identity
How often have you been hindered by going against your God-given identity? Doing so causes confusion, depression, and insecurity. But God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33).
On the other hand, walking in the identity God gave you results in a sense of belonging, confidence, and security. We can start each day knowing who we are and that God loves us. How different 2025 could be if you regularly remind yourself of these truths!
For example, you could pray something like this.
Dear God. I praise You for how You’ve made me: a woman, a bearer of Your image, a steward of all You’ve entrusted to me, and a daughter of the most-high King who is adorned in Your robe of righteousness. Thank you for loving me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
So, praise God for how He’s made you. Thank Him for who you are in Christ. Then walk in your God-given identity each day by faith with Him.
Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash