Identity Crisis?

God is who He says He is.

Thank you Agape House Fellowship

In my original post here at the Faith Project Blog I described the foundational statements for the Faith Project:

• God is who He says He is
• God can do what He says He can do
• I am who God says I am
• I can do all things through Christ
• The Word of God is alive & active in me

There is a stirring in me that this is important. I believe the Holy Spirit is saying that the deeper discovery of each of the above statements is critically important.

It seems that the culture of the Christian Church and it's members are suffering from a very serious identity crisis. I say this carefully and not with self-righteous criticism. At this point I include myself in this crisis. Let's define this thing that I am calling an identity crisis.

Identity is whatever makes an entity definable and recognizable, in terms of possessing a set of qualities or characteristics that distinguish it from other entities (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Identity, First published Wed Dec 15, 2004; substantive revision Sun Oct 1, 2006).

Crisis is defined as a crucial or decisive point or situation; a turning point; a stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, especially for better or for worse, is determined. Further crisis is defined as a condition of instability or danger, as in social, economic,political, or international affairs, leading to a decisive change. In the life of an individual, crisis defines a dramatic emotional or circumstantial upheaval in a person's life. In health, the point in the course of a serious disease at which a decisive change occurs, leading either to recovery or to death (Dictionary.com).

Looking at these two definitions as it relates to the statement, "God is who He says He is" brings me to tears. 

The crisis, the turning point that we face which the trend of all future events, for better or worse, will be determined is understanding the definable and recognizable set of qualities and characteristics that distinguishes our God, our Jehovah from all other entities.

Our knowledge and comprehension of the Almighty God, for most of us, so shallow it's not enough to build our own identity on. When we know who He is we understand who we are. You and I are created in the the image of God.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27 KJV

The understanding of God by the Christian Culture as a whole is at best ambiguous. If our understanding of God is ambiguous it is no wonder we struggle to define ourselves or we define ourselves inappropriately. Outside of an identity in Christ the identity we represent ourselves to be in this world is a facade and impossible to stand the test of time and eternity.

On understanding the concept of identity, the German philosopher, Georg Hegel is quoted,

"Identity is the identity of identity and non-identity." 

When we come to understand the identity of God we also must come to the understanding of who He is not. Grasping this important concept is the crisis point - all future events - individually and collectively are defined by this and this alone.

Okay, let me make this street level. I'll make it personal. Because I don't know, really know and spend time focusing on the attributes of God I believe him to be at best uninvolved and detached  from me and my world. My vision and expectation of God are solely based on what I know about him - or don't know about him. Since I am created in the image of God I am, by nature, the "same as" or similar to God my creator. when my understanding of that which I am "the same as or similar to" is vague, I am unclearly defined. But, by nature I am created with an identity that must be realized.

The temptation that Eve gave in to when she ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was to "be like God." Did she not understand that she was made in His image and already "like God"? The one bite that she took was the first step to seeking her identity outside of God. Humanity continues to do this everyday.

Because I don't know really know and understand the identity of God I seek my identity outside of God, facing life in a false sense of identity which is like the foolish man who built his house on sand.

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. Matthew 7:26-27

The key to a solid powerful identity is in getting to know and understand God and who He is. God reveals himself to me, and you, in His Name. The Name of the Lord is not just a label. The Name of the Lord is an identifier, revealing the definable and recognizable set of qualities and characteristics that distinguish our God, our Jehovah from all other entities.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25

Join me in discovering who God says that He is.

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