Most people want to know more about themselves, so take various online personality tests. They want to formulate their identity. We need to be careful with these tests however as some are based on occultic ideas. An example would be the Enneagram, now incredibly popular. Can we formulate our identity based on an occultic tool? More information here, here, and here.
Our character comes from our heart.
B1 The heart is our inner person, the real us that is housed in a fleshly body. The heart is described as the place where are thoughts originate (Matthew 15:18), where our true love, priorities, and goals exist (Matthew 15:8 and Matthew 6:21), a place where we can commit adultery (not the physical but the thinking one. See Matthew 5:28), we can speak (think) in our heart (Matthew 24:48), the place where we can be stubborn (Mark 10:5), the place where we remember (Luke 2:51), the devil can put thoughts in our heart (John 13:2), the place of our emotions (John 14:27), etc. Today’s modern world would declare these come from our brain, but to these Jews in their culture, these things happened in the heart, the inner person.
B2 Before new birth
C1 Matthew 15:18-19 NLT But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.
C2 Galatians 5:19-21 EMTV Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are: adultery, fornication, immorality, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envies, murders, drinking bouts, revelries, and the like; which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. See also Psalm 73:7.
B3 After new birth
C1 Ephesians 5:8-10 GW Once you lived in the dark, but now the Lord has filled you with light. Live as children who have light. 9 Light produces everything that is good, that has God’s approval, and that is true. 10 Determine which things please the Lord.
C2 Luke 6:45 NLT A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Our identity according to the Bible is the image of God (Genesis 1:27), rebirth of conversion for each believer in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), a new life (a new self) (Galatians 2:20 and Ephesians 4:22-24), a new heart (Ephesians 2:10), a new self to glorify God (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), being God’s children (with corresponding communicable character traits (1 John 3:1-3), and now having God’s light as in Ephesians 5:8. Also see our Identity In Christ.
It is by reading, studying, and applying the Scriptures that we grow, and our character continues to grow (1 Peter 2:1-12).
It is our heart that needs development and growth. 1 Peter 3:4 NLT You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. (This is for both men and women).
Our identity as Christians is Jesus Christ.
B1 We are made in His image by the rebirth. Romans 8:29 NRSV For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. [Ed.-bold]. See also 2 Corinthians 3:18 and 1 John 3:2.
B2 We are to live God’s righteousness. Ephesians 4:24 NIV and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. See also 1 John 2:29.
B3 We would show the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-26 WEL But, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 Those, who are Christ’s, have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also conform to the Spirit. 26 Let us not be longing for empty praise, irritating one another, and envying one another.
C1 Love—This is the love of choice. It is God’s love. It is manifested by the actions found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a.
C2 Joy—This is a joy that is lasting regardless of the situation. Romans 14:17 GNB For God’s Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of the righteousness, peace, and joy which the Holy Spirit gives.
C3 Peace—a rest and assurance in God and His plans for the future.
D1 God’s peace in Acts 10:36 NRSV You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. Compare Isaiah 52:7, Romans 5:1, 1 Corinthians 14:33, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Philippians 4:7, Colossians 3:15.
D2 Compare the opposite in Isaiah 57:21.
C4 Longsuffering—putting up with situations without anger. 1 Timothy 1:16 GNB but God was merciful to me in order that Christ Jesus might show his full patience in dealing with me, the worst of sinners, as an example for all those who would later believe in him and receive eternal life. See also Numbers 14:18, Romans 2:4, Ephesians 4:2.
C5 Gentleness—not hurting others. Sometimes telling the truth hurts, but it is done in gentleness. 1 Corinthians 4:21 LEB What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness? See also 2 Corinthians 10:1 and Philippians 4:5.
C6 Goodness—which has 2 aspects that being beneficial and the other pleasure (Natural Theology Chapter 26 by Paley 1802). It is a “goodness which is kind” (Barclay). 1 Chronicles 17:26 NLT For you are God, O LORD. And you have promised these good things to your servant. See also Psalm 107:21. The example is Ruth 2:11-12 NLT Yes, I know,” Boaz replied. “But I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers. 12 May the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done. See also Romans 15:14.
C7 Faith—is believing God. This is referring to things reasonable, not blind faith. It must include truth. See Romans 3:22 and Hebrews 11:6.
C8 Meekness—the opposite of pride. Titus 3:2 to slander no one, to be peaceable, gentle, demonstrating true humility to all men. WPNT [Ed.-me]. See also 1 Peter 3:8, Romans 12:17-20, and 1 Peter 3:15.
C9 Self-control—is something extremely lacking in today’s culture. Control of the emotions, words, and actions. Proverbs 29:11 NLT Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. See also 2 Peter 1:5-9, Psalm 141:3, and Proverbs 16:32.
Our character can be defined as evil (John 8:44), God uses our experiences of life to strengthen and grow our character (Romans 5:3-4 NLT), who we associate with affects our character (1 Corinthians 15:33), and Jesus Christ is the developer of our character (Philippians 1:11)
We can also find our identity in the communicable character traits of God (Yahweh). See here (a list of posts I have written) and here (Click on the links for further information).
It is living our life where we can, with God’s grace, develop these character traits. Our identity is formulated in the likeness of God (His character traits, worldview, and lifestyle).
Matthew 7:16, 20 NLT You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? … 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
2 Peter 1:4-9 NLT And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
Personal identity, Identity, Formulate identity