IDENTITY:
What does it mean to be human?
Glenn Garvin • April 14, 2024
In the 60’s & 70’s it was common to hear people seeking to “find” themselves. It was a journey to discover who you are and why you exist on this planet. This was coupled with the rise of the “Self-Help” ideology; a self-directed improvement of oneself —economically, physically, intellectually, or emotionally. These ideologies launched a massive industry ranging from programs, books and experiences, eventually becoming an estimated $11 billion dollars in 2008. People are still searching either find themselves, fix themselves or seek an identity that feels right to them. God speaks about our identity in a completely different way.
There is a very old story written in the 1800’s which set the philosophical, yet-to-be Sci-Fi world on fire with a woman publishing a book. Her name was Mary Shelley, a young, radical, determined woman who took to the fancies of ghost stories. Mary, having a happy but difficult childhood and family situation was drawn to darkness.
What was the title of Mary Shelley’s book?
Fill in here –>
Who gets to determine the purpose for our well-defined souls?
ONLY GOD
Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God spoke:
• And light existed out of nothing.
• And a divide separated sea from sky. And the water (qavah: wait) or collected.
• And vegetation, fruit, and trees (min: kind, species) according to their own kind.
• And in the (raqia: expanse) let (maor: a luminary) light appear, one smaller one to govern the night, and a larger one to govern the day.
• And living creatures (chay: age: living being) in the waters and the sky. Even great sea creatures (tannin: serpent, dragon, sea monster), all according to their kind.
• And every sort of animal (chay,– living being) beast, creeping things, cattle, all according to their kind.
But in verse 26 God said something different.
God said let us make…(na·‘ă·śeh). Let us make mankind (adam: man, mankind) in our image (bə·ṣal·mê·nū, tselem).
All the other things God created; He spoke into existence. Then when it comes to humans, God fashioned, made us. As humans, we are exclusively different than all other creatures.
Genesis 1:26 uses two words:
- Substantive: We contain God’s attributes.
- Functional: We act as God does.
The fact that man is in the image of God means that man is like God and represents God. —Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology
We are LIKE God, but NOT God.
Our soul is crafted after God, so we have:
•
• Also, in God’s likeness, we have
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Our identity, found in the likeness of God, should focus on both “word and deed”
The Apostle Paul handily tells us in Colossians
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. —Colossians 3:17
So, what does it mean to be human?
The Word of God tells us that we were all created on purpose for a purpose. We were created in God’s image and charged with the role of caring for the rest of creation.
Why is that important?
How we see ourselves effects our perspective towards God, others, and the rest of creation.
‘When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. —Psalms 8:3-8
Many believe we need to look within ourselves to find our meaning and define our own dignity. Who defines personhood? Who decides the way we are responsible to the vulnerable is often left to political and powerful people. —Steve Bang Lee
You are more than simply the sum of your parts.
You are not merely a highly evolved mammal.
You are not just a collection of atoms.
You are not just what others see
or the combinations of others’ verdicts on you. —Daniel Darling, The Dignity Revolution
QUESTION:
What is the chief end of man?
ANSWER:
Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
Westminster Catechism, written in 1646 and 1647.
When we beg, borrow, or steal identity characteristics from others, we end up looking more like a creature rather than God. When we try to build our own identity by looking inside ourselves or looking at whatever our culture decides is valuable, we may end up creating a hideous monster.
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