The Gospel Way Catechismنموونە

QUESTION 6: Who Are We?

ANSWER

We are persons beloved by God, created to love God, love others, and care for the world he has made. We become like what we love. Our identity is found not by looking within ourselves but looking up to God.

Who are you? It’s one of the most important and profound questions anyone can ask.

In today’s world, it’s common to think you’d answer this question by looking deep inside yourself, discovering your dreams and desires, and then expressing your unique essence to the world. “Be yourself,” we say—over against the past, society in the present, religious commitments, family expectations, or political party. The modern heroes are true to themselves no matter what anyone else thinks.

The Bible paints a different picture. First and foremost, we are beloved. Ponder this for a moment: the God who created us loves us. And this loving Creator has given us a purpose: to love him, to love others, and to care for the world he has made. According to Scripture, we do not discover who we are by looking within. We need someone—God—to tell us who we are. We need a voice from the outside to affirm our value. Living without this identity-shaping voice sends us to all sorts of imitations to figure out who we are.

The world says to find yourself, look within yourself, and then follow your heart. But Jesus taught that true life is found in losing oneself, in denying yourself and following him (Matthew 10:39). According to Jesus, identity is not found by looking inward but by looking up to God and seeking his will for our lives.

Once we look up, we realize that our identity is not self-created, but is rooted in God’s love and purpose for us. From the beginning of the Bible, we see that humanity was created in God’s image and given the mandate to care for the world (Genesis 1:26-28). Every person has inherent dignity and worth as a beloved creation of God and is called to use their gifts and abilities to serve him and others.

Furthermore, our hearts and minds are shaped by the things we love and value. We become like what we worship. Jesus taught that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 CSB). Proverbs 4:23 says to guard our hearts, for everything you do flows from them. The apostle Paul urged the Colossians to set their minds on things above, not earthly things (Colossians 3:2). Our desires and affections profoundly impact who we are and who we become.

Christianity holds that our identity is not something we invent or discover on our own, but something given to us by our Creator. Our identity is not based on our self-perception or the opinions of others but on the fact that we are loved and valued by God as his children. This means our truest identity is not found within ourselves but by looking up to God, who created us for a purpose and has a plan for our lives. As we seek to know him more deeply and love what he loves, we discover who we are and find fulfillment in the unique role he has for us to play in the world he has made.

Reflection Questions

In what ways have you sought to define your identity by looking inside to your desires? What does it look like for you to find your identity in God’s love and purpose for you? Reflect on specific instances where you have tried to find your worth and identity by looking inward.

How do your current commitments reflect your love for God, your love for others, and your responsibility to care for the world? Examine your roles and responsibilities and how they align with God’s design for humanity. Identify areas where your heart may need to be redirected to reflect God’s love more fully.