Introduction

We live in an age which people are inordinately concerned about their identity. Indeed, pasters are preaching on various aspects of the Bible within the framework of "identity", and usually in the form of "human identity". This author recently heard a sermon that postulated that God has an identity.

The problem with the question is it brings God down to the level of humans: humans worry about self, and how it might change, but as will be shown below, God has no such concerns. The term was developed to help humans understand themselves in a universe without God.

First, let’s start with a definition. The idea of identity is not new although it has been somewhat expanded and its focus shifted from the original concepts, but not in a way that incorporates God's view of a human; this aspect has always been missing. Understanding what someone means by personal identity requires care because it is complex. A person’s viewpoint and "lens" can alter their understanding of what they speak of when thinking about identity. For example, when thinking about ethical behaviour the notions can be somewhat different than thinking about what makes them different from others. Underlying this, it also depends upon their belief as to whether they are souls, psychological entities or merely animals.[1]

And its purpose today is somewhat different from when the term was first coined in relation to human behaviour. Indeed, the issue puzzled philosophers for millennium,[2] and this in and of itself sets the scene – personal identity deals with philosophical questions. World organisations might put it like this: "Human identity refers to the characteristics, beliefs, and experiences that define an individual within a social and cultural context. It encompasses aspects such as personal values, social roles, and psychological traits."[3] My psychology textbooks tell me that identity is the cornerstone concept, being the sense of self, which changes with time. Thus, some say it answers the question "who am I". But it goes much further – for some it traces who a person is over time:[4] is the person existing at one time the same existing at another time? Thus, identity to some extent is a concept of change in time. Prior to recent history it was taken as a given that the physical "you" or "material you" had a sameness though time (with some degradation with age): sameness of appearance, fingerprints and genetic makeup etc. It was the immaterial you that defined you – called the soul, a word expunged from modern vocabulary, thus a new meaning has been attached to identity.[5]

Today we more often than not see identity being used to distinguish one’s self from others. What sets me apart from others? Thus, on this point, God does not require an identified identity – there is only one God, and He exists (Deut. 6:4). He does not need to ask; "who am I?" A human’s view of their identity will change with time, with changes caused by various factors (place of birth, gender etc.) along with other factors such as occupation, experiences (violence, trauma e.g.) or beliefs etc. And further, a person’s view of their identity has become very fluid these days, no longer bound by the laws of nature as it once was logically believed, with some totally disbanding the laws physics, chemistry and biology,  and thus self’s identity can change depending upon what "influences" affects, or is allowed to affect, the individual.

As a comparison a Christian views identity not through the eyes of self, but in how God sees the him or her. And of particular distinction from worldly views is that it’s not about "who I am", but rather who Christ is; more about this at another time.

The concept of identity and the reality of God

God has been asked on a number of occasions who He was and Scripture sets out, to the extent humans can understand, who He is. The Bible says he is omnipresent (everywhere), omnipotent (all powerful, thus in total control),  and omniscient (all knowing). However, in terms of His identity, the first most startling account was by Moses who confronted God in flames emanating from a bush (Exodus 3:2, 3).  Moses in his discussion with God, asks "what is His name", and God answers "I am that I am" and referring to himself as "I am" (Exodus 3:14). In Hebrew it’s a single word meaning to exist, or to have an existence. The connotation that God is, or exists, was reiterated by Jesus when he told the Jewish leaders that "Before Abraham was I Am" (John 8:58). In this Jesus was saying he was divine, indeed God. God’s "identity" is that He exists – He is the eternal one. It is interesting that God did not answer Moses with any of His names that describe his character found elsewhere, such as Elohim (God), El Shaddai (almighty), El Elyon (most high) or Jehovah (YHWH).

In some ways this answers the question – God is who He is. His identity is within Himself entirely and Jesus reiterates this. That identity changes with time, cannot apply to God. We are told multiple times in Scripture that God is unchangeable. The writer to the Hebrews emphatically states that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is unchanging – this is important for our assurance of salvation – the simplicity of faith in Christ is assured because he is immutable. This fact is addressed in the Old Testament as well. God, through the prophet Malachi states; "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed" (Malachi 3:6) when dealing with the covenant God made with Israel.

Isaiah could write of YHWH, "Even to your old age I will be the same" (Isaiah 46:4) which has the same sentiment as Psalm 33:11 - The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. From these the truth of God we observe that God exists outside of time and is unchanged by time, thus He has no \"before\" and \"after\". God is. He does not have an identity as humans view identity: how can it, since the term is a human construct in the absence of God

Conclusion

Scripture is firmly of the view that God is. He does not have an identity, and no amount of human philosophy will tease a useful construct that describes an identity. He is "I Am". Thus, it does not make logical sense to speak of God’s identity. Indeed, His character is diametrically opposed, and distinctly different from humans, although we are made in His image (Genesis 1:26, 27). He is holy and we are sinful.  

A human’s identity has only two forms; it is either seeped in our sinful nature or is in Christ through new birth (Romans 8, Galatians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Titus 3:5 etc.). A Christian is a person baptised by the Holy Spirit into Christ, which was enabled by the propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ by his death on the cross. To be saved from the wrath of God, a person requires new birth, or to be "born again" (John 3; 1 John 5:1, 4, 18). It is new birth that provides a person with a "new nature", and thus a \"new identity\" which is in Christ. Paul points out that we are saved by faith because a believer is God’s "workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works" (Ephesians 2:10). This means that a believer’s identity is defined by our Creator and Saviour while the non-believer can only be defined by their mortal sinful old-nature.

Colossians 1:15-20 brings into sharp focus the creator, who made Adam from the dust of the earth in the image of God, and who was set over the creation. However, Satan deceived man, and man’s sin corrupted the world and all creation. It is apparent that creation, comprehends this, but not humans, in that Romans 8:22 states “For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now.” Sin has set the path of creation for the past 6000 years but it waits with anticipation: because “creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21).

In these few verses in Colossians we see God as the supreme Godhead, who dwells in such bright light no man can see him, else he would die. However, we have an image of God himself, in the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Adam was a figure of what was to come. This one is the Lord Jesus Christ, although this title is not afforded him in this passage. So we see Christ the creator takes part in his own creation, sadly destroyed by the sinfulness of man.

The existence of all things on earth and in the heavens, whether we can see them or not, the dominions of power exist because of him; he created them to the glory of God. Mankind cannot comprehend this – he spends much time and energy devising fables to intimate the existence of creation arose from nothing in the absence of the glorious Excellency of God. They cannot acknowledge Him because they are blind and evil sinners, alienated from the Godhead.

However, there exists a microcosm of people brought out of the corrupted world, washed from their sin that separated them from God, into a body called the church, which Christ is the head. Hence from the fallen creation, which Satan corrupted and the world who Satan currently rules for a time, Christ has gathered to himself a small remnant to carry out what men and women should have done from the being – glorify His name. We do that by giving pre-eminence to Christ in his creation; his due as being the creator of the wonderful and complex universe the earth resides in.

To arrive at this condition, Christ, the image of the invisible God, entered creation to reconcile all things to himself. And this could only be done by death – evidenced by blood that flowed from the body of Christ on the cross, who died at the hands of evil men, but who overcame death and rose again three days later. In doing so, he reconciled, those that were alienated and enemies of the works of God. Much of the world’s seven billion people reject this reconciliation and these will be brought to account due to their wickedness in doing so. The sin of rejecting the preeminent one is the greatest sin of all, and leads to the Lord God Most High utilising hell, which was made for Satan and his angels, for people.