In this series, we’re examining the self and identity by looking at origins, what shapes a person, and how God, through the Holy Spirit, recreates His people to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
This is Part 1, where we will explore the origins of the self and personal identity.
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Genesis 1:26-27
Some Definitions to Guide Us Along…
Let’s begin by defining the concept of the self and identity. First, I’m not referring to self or identity in terms of a psychological, philosophical, sociological, or even biological sense. I use the word person to refer to “self,” described as an embodied soul/spirit of a person that is integrated with their “identity”. Second, I define the self and identity as the integrated quality each human possesses, which is designed to reflect the image of God. This means that each person has intrinsic or innate elements that are unique yet endowed by God for a purpose. Third, when I refer to “identity,” I mean the core essence of a person created by God, in relationship to Him and His creation. Fourth, each person reflects God’s image holistically, meaning that each person’s self and identity have rational, relational, and functional aspects that together reflect God’s image. Finally, each person’s self and identity are not derived from accidental, arbitrary, and action-oriented biological matter, nor are they dictated by the whims and waves of their environment.
Origins of the Self & Its Identity
Consequently, let’s now look at two assumptions and a logical conclusion to continue our quest:
- First assumption: God is the Creator of mankind.
- Second assumption: Mankind was created in the image of God (as a self with an identity).
- Conclusion: Therefore, at least four things are essential to a self and its identity: (1) meaning, (2) purpose, (3) value, and (4) dependency.
(1) Meaning
Intrinsic within humanity is order, implying meaning. This order was not randomly achieved, but rather reflects the order natural to God. Consequently, mankind derives its meaning and therefore order from God. The opposite of order is chaos, and it is set against God. Humanity is not inherently chaotic, but can exhibit either chaos or order. When they choose to act in accordance with God’s design, they reflect God’s order and express an aspect of imitating God in His creation. Conversely, when they don’t, they express chaos.
Nevertheless, whether expressing order or chaos, mankind possesses meaning derived from God. However, the decisions they make matter and have significant meaning, from the smallest choices, such as what to eat for breakfast, to the most significant decisions, like who to marry or where to live.
All decisions are a reflection of a person’s self and identity and hold meaning. In other words, what one does matters and has consequences not only for this life but also for the eternal life to come. Therefore, nothing is wasted in God’s creation. Meaning is part of the origins of the self and identity, but there’s also an aim for the self and its identity.
(2) Purpose
There is an aim for humanity as a whole and, in particular, for each person. One’s life is not comprised of random activities with no aim or destination—instead, each person is made in the image of God and has an intrinsic and extrinsic purpose. Intrinsic is the purpose that is natural to the person, and extrinsic is the purpose they express outwardly to the world. To illustrate, a person has a purpose by the mere fact that they are born. They are not like a plant or a tree. The purpose is tied to their potential. Accordingly, they express that purpose outwardly as they grow and develop into adulthood.
Furthermore, the Bible presents mankind’s purpose within the framework of God’s creation. As a result, each person is purposed to bear God’s image in God’s creation. This is implicity understood within one’s reasoning abilities or metacognition capacities (the ability to think about one’s own thoughts). Only mankind can think about its thinking. Second, explicitly, mankind’s purpose is to image God in how they relate to others and God’s creation. And so, the purpose natural to a person is both corporate and private. When a person lives out their image-bearing purpose, they glorify God and experience God’s goodness to the fullest. The opposite is also true. However, in any case, their worth is not defined by what they do or don’t do.
(3) Value
Humans are not cosmic accidents, nor are they cosmic debris. Instead, and similar to humanity’s meaning and purpose, they are made in God’s image, which means they have value. Their value is not related to what they do, but rather who they are. Thus, who they are defines their worth. On the other hand, there is a temptation to determine one’s value by what one does, such as one’s job, the people one is close to, including relationships, the amount one owns, including financial status, and even one’s position in the community, including social standing. The Bible declares from the beginning that mankind was to work and to do certain things in God’s creation, but it was not their doing that defined their value. Their relationship with God was the context from which they communicated their value.
Additionally, a person’s value is directly rooted in God’s creativity, which gives each individual inherent dignity and worth. There is never a time when a person’s worth should be diminished or desecrated. The reason is that each person is made unique. While one person may not understand or appreciate another person, it does not mean that the other person has no worth. God’s creativity is expressed in man’s diversity.
(4) Dependent
Since God created humans, they are dependent upon God. This dependence extends to all aspects of a person: physical and spiritual. There is never a time when man self-creates. As ambitious as AI is, the simple fact is that no matter how intelligent silicon may become, it will never eclipse God’s creative work. Thus, humans are finite. Once again, AGI, ASI, and all other forms of mindfile mapping, avatar creation, and thought-to-cloud transmission do not, and will not, create an autonomous being.
And so, humanity’s finitude dispels any notion of self-reliance or self-sufficiency. Instead of individuals being autonomous and independent, they are hardwired to need not only God but others. Another way to describe a person’s dependency is to say that they are a contingent being.
Next, we’ll examine the dynamics of self and personal identity.
Self & Personal Identity Dynamics
The origins of the self and one’s identity are inextricably intertwined. God’s creation of each person means that God ascribes and determines their meaning, purpose, value, and dependency. The origin of the self is directly related to God’s creativity, which is tied to God’s character. Thus, each person is an extension of God’s character, reflecting His glory to all of His creation.
At the same time, while one’s self and identity are rooted and established by God, their understanding and expression of it may change depending on their particular context, generational ethos, and the people they surround themselves with, as well as their attraction to certain aspects of God’s creation, and so on. Additionally, since a person’s identity is an integral part of their self, it follows that the two are integrated. This does not make one’s identity and self-expression right or even true. At the same time, one’s perception of oneself and identity may change depending on circumstances, experiences, and other factors. Thus, one’s understanding and expression of self and identity may not be static but dynamic and flexible. However, on the one hand, while a person’s original self and identity are to be understood in light of God’s power and creative act, on the other hand, one’s understanding of their identity and self is directly related to factors both within and outside each person. In other words, while God creates a person with all the elements previously mentioned, they may understand and express themselves differently depending upon internal and external factors.
Therefore, within each person’s self and identity dynamics, there are at least three elements: (1) potential, (2) change, and (3) confusion.
(1) Potential
Every person is born with the ability to choose. We refer to this as a person’s rational or reasoning abilities. Indeed, humanity’s ability to choose is directly related to their ability to evaluate their choices. In simple terms, this means a person can think about their thinking. Furthermore, decisions are also made in light of future expectations. In other words, only humans think about life after death. This thinking quality sets the stage for potential and makes mankind unique among all other creatures in God’s created order.
(2) Change
Numerous external factors influence a person’s understanding of themselves and their identity. From a general standpoint, depending on where a person lives, their family, and other factors, each has a contributing element to a person’s identity. That is the beauty of cultures and people groups. There is diversity, but that also means differences. At the same time, from a particular standpoint, and given the right circumstances, a person’s view of themselves and identity may be altered. It is possible that they were persuaded to prioritize one thing over another, which has direct implications for their lives. Potential and change combined also lead to the third element, which is confusion.
(3) Confusion
Since there are dynamic environments in which a person might live, espousing various perspectives and values, a person may be prone to confusion regarding their identity and who they are. This can occur with marriage, relocation to a different country, and other significant life changes. When a man takes a wife in marriage, he becomes a husband and may still also be a son, brother, and more. In the same way, if a person moves from one culture to the next, they are confronted with their differences and forced to conform or not. This process engenders some level of confusion.
Summary
God endows each person with a unique self and identity, granting them meaning, purpose, value, and dependence. At the same time, each person is confronted by myriad factors, causing them to confront their understanding of who they are and their identity. What shapes or molds a person’s understanding of their identity? We’ll explore that next in Part 2. What happened to the original self (Adam) after sin entered God’s created order? We’ll explore that in Part 3.
Application
- Take some time this week to consider how knowing and believing that you are a unique self, made in God’s image, with meaning, purpose, value, and dependency, impacts how you view yourself and others.
- Also, begin to reflect on the various elements that have shaped your view of your identity and how you perceive it today.
Nota Bene
It’s important to note that this is a three-part series examining the self and identity. While the origins of the self and identity are rooted in the doctrine of imago Dei (mankind made in God’s image), we will also see that when sin entered through Adam and Eve’s rebellious disobedience, all of humanity with the capacity to bear God’s image was marred, distorted, and irreversibly innately sinful. What followed from this hopeless predicament was God’s redeeming love and sovereign grace. God’s promise to deal with sin and call for a redeemed people is seen throughout the Bible and was ultimately realized in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This topic will be explored in more detail in Part 3 of this series.
— June 27, 2025