Identity Crisis: Do You Know Who You Are?
What does it mean to be a child of God?
In Matthew 4:1–11, we read about the temptation of Jesus. Although I’ve attended bible studies and heard sermons about this chapter before, I had not heard this point that D.A. Carson makes in his book, Jesus the Son of God. In the book, Carson highlights Satan’s attempt to plant doubt in Jesus about His true identity. Twice he says to Jesus, “If You are the Son of God….” In the same way, Satan does not only try to tempt us with our desires; he also tries to tear us down with fear and insecurities.
Today, in both secular and Christian circles, people are struggling to determine who they are and how to find their true identity. As Christians, we can always hold on to the fact that we are children of God…but what exactly does that mean? Carson explains that the phrase “son of” generally refers to having the same characteristics of something or someone. So, being sons and daughters of God means:
We are peacemakers
We are love
We are faithful
We are merciful
We are just
The world and Satan try to whisper that we are not children of God, because we are not good enough. We are not loving enough, we are not faithful, we are not always just. It is true that we will never be perfect on our own, but the great news of the cross is we don’t have to be. We are made holy because Jesus sacrificed His sinless life as a payment for our sins and now we are perfected through Him.
When Moses questioned whether he’d be able to influence a Pharaoh and lead the Hebrews, God did not tell him to find the courage and strength he needed from inside himself, but instead responded with God’s own characteristics. They were God’s words Moses needed to speak, they were God’s miracles Moses needed to perform. Every time Jesus was tempted to doubt His God-given identity, He also responded with God’s own words. God’s Word is where we find His characteristics which now also define us. Focusing on God’s identity is how we discover who we are truly meant to be.
