Identity, Choice, and the Authority of God

Modern culture places enormous emphasis on personal identity. We are frequently told that the most important thing about ourselves is how we feel, how we perceive ourselves, or how we choose to identify. According to this view, authenticity is found by embracing and expressing those feelings, regardless of any external authority.

The Bible presents a fundamentally different perspective.

Scripture teaches that God is the Creator of mankind and therefore the ultimate authority on who we are. Our identity is not determined by our desires, emotions, or personal perceptions. Rather, it is rooted in God’s design and purpose for humanity. That said, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

God Made Man Upright

Solomon wrote:

“Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” (Ecclesiastes 7:29)

From the beginning, God created mankind according to His will. He created humanity as male and female (Genesis 1:27), established marriage between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:24), and declared His creation good.

The biblical account does not portray God as the author of sin, confusion, or rebellion. Instead, Scripture consistently teaches that mankind departs from God’s design through the misuse of free will.

Free Will and Human Responsibility

One of God’s greatest gifts to mankind is the ability to choose. We can choose to love and worship Him, or we can choose to ignore Him.

Throughout Scripture, God places before humanity the choice between obedience and disobedience, righteousness and sin, life and death (Deuteronomy 30:19). In everything we do in this life, there is a choice, from the smallest decision of our day to the largest decision we could ever make.

This principle applies universally. God does not make a person a liar. He does not make a person a thief. He does not make a person a murderer. These are actions and identities that arise when people choose paths contrary to God’s revealed will.

Likewise, Scripture never teaches that sinful behavior becomes righteous simply because a person strongly identifies with it or because of societal trends.

The modern argument often assumes that if a desire feels natural or deeply rooted, it must therefore be morally right. Yet the Bible repeatedly demonstrates that human desires can be contrary to God’s will.

Proverbs warns:

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

Feelings may be real. Desires may be powerful. But neither feelings nor desires possess the authority to define truth.

What Does the Bible Say About Homosexual Behavior?

The Bible addresses homosexual conduct in both the Old and New Testaments.

Leviticus 20:13 identifies homosexual practice as sinful under the Law of Moses.

In Romans 1:26-27, Paul describes same-sex relations as contrary to God’s created order.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, homosexual practice is included among sins that separate people from God’s kingdom if they remain unrepented.

Galatians 5:19-21 likewise identifies sexual immorality among the works of the flesh, while Ephesians 5:5 warns that those who persist in such practices without repentance have no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ.

These passages are not isolated texts. They form part of a consistent biblical teaching regarding God’s design for sexuality and marriage.

The Question of Identity

The deeper issue is not merely behavior but identity itself.

Many today define themselves primarily by sexual attraction, gender perception, political affiliation, ethnicity, career, or personal preferences. Yet Christians are called to find their identity first and foremost in Christ.

The New Testament repeatedly describes believers as disciples, saints, children of God, servants of Christ, and members of His body. Nowhere are Christians encouraged to define themselves by desires that conflict with God’s will.

The gospel calls people to transformation rather than self-affirmation.

Paul reminded the Corinthians:

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Notice that Paul speaks of former sinful lifestyles as something left behind, not embraced as permanent identities.

Compassion Without Compromise

Christians must approach this subject with humility and compassion.

Every person bears the image of God and possesses immeasurable value. Every person struggles with temptation. Every person stands in need of God’s grace. An important thought to consider here, ‘temptation’ in and of itself is not a sin. It is the action from that temptation that defines whether a thought gives birth to sin. There’s a thin line here because our thoughts can betray us if we’re not careful. Jesus spoke of this in describing a corrupted heart.

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.
(Matthew 15:19) also see Mark 7:21-23

Sexual immorality is not only homosexuality, it is all kinds of immoral behavior of an eros nature. This is not to say that admiration of someone’s physical appearance is a sin, as most people want to look nice and perhaps be recognized. But when the mouth waters, the palms get sweaty, and there’s a sexual desire for someone who is not your spouse, then it easily becomes sin. Reflect on what James says:

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
(James 1:14-15)

There’s more to this that I may be inclined to write about in another article, but I thought it necessary to include here for clarity.

The church should never mock, hate, or mistreat those who struggle with questions of sexuality or identity. Human nature tends to judge people, and this tendency should be resisted, especially in the church. Such behavior is inconsistent with the spirit of Christ. At the same time, genuine love does not redefine or discount sin just to get along. Love always speaks truth because eternal souls are at stake.

Jesus demonstrated both grace and truth. He welcomed sinners, but He also called them to repentance. He offered forgiveness, but He never affirmed conduct contrary to God’s will. This is where people of the world get it wrong about Jesus’ personality. They say, “Well, Jesus hung out with prostitutes, thieves, and tax collectors, and he still loved them,” as if to say that Jesus accepted and condoned their behavior. He did not. We can love someone and still reject their behavior.

Where True Identity Is Found

Where True Identity Is Found

Identity does not suddenly appear when a person reaches adulthood. It begins forming in childhood and continues throughout life. From the earliest years, children observe their parents, family members, peers, and the world around them. They learn what is normal, what is valuable, what is expected, and ultimately who they believe themselves to be.

This is one reason God placed such importance on the family. Fathers and mothers each contribute uniquely to the development of a child. While their roles may differ, both provide essential guidance, stability, and examples that help children understand themselves and their place in the world.

When a family is fractured, children often face challenges that God never intended them to bear alone. The absence of a parent does not doom a child to failure, nor does it guarantee confusion. Many overcome difficult circumstances through faith, loving relatives, mentors, and supportive congregations. Nevertheless, broken homes often create developmental voids that can leave children searching for answers about who they are and where they belong.

At the heart of every child is a deep desire for acceptance. We are relational beings, created by God for fellowship and belonging. Children naturally seek affirmation from those around them. If healthy guidance is absent, they will often look elsewhere to satisfy that need.

In previous generations, the family was often the primary source of identity formation. Today, however, children are increasingly shaped by social media, entertainment, peer groups, influencers, educational institutions, and a culture that frequently promotes self-definition above all else. The result is that many young people grow up receiving conflicting messages about truth, morality, purpose, and identity.

The world tells them to look inward and discover who they are. Scripture teaches them to look upward and discover whose they are.

This distinction is crucial.

A person’s feelings, desires, and experiences are real, but they are not infallible guides. Human emotions can change from one season of life to another. Desires can conflict with one another. Personal perceptions can be influenced by countless external factors. If identity is built entirely upon feelings, then identity itself becomes unstable.

God offers something far more secure.

The Scriptures teach that our value is not determined by popularity, appearance, achievement, social acceptance, or personal desires. Our worth is found in the fact that we were created in the image of God and are loved by Him.

When God is removed from the process of identity formation, the world inevitably becomes the standard by which people measure themselves. Acceptance becomes the highest goal. Personal feelings become the highest authority. Self-expression becomes the ultimate virtue.

Yet the pursuit of acceptance can never fully satisfy the human soul because it was never designed to. People may spend years seeking approval from friends, society, or culture only to discover that the approval they gained yesterday must be earned again tomorrow.

The gospel points us toward something greater and more fulfilling.

Rather than finding identity through the shifting opinions of the world, God calls us to find our identity in our relationship with Him. He calls us to see ourselves not as our desires, temptations, successes, failures, attractions, accomplishments, or struggles, but as souls created for His purpose.

The world asks, “Who do you feel you are?”

God asks, “Will you become who I created you to be?”

True identity is not found by looking deeper within ourselves. It is found by looking to the One who made us. Only then can we understand not merely who we are, but why we are here.

The message of Scripture is not that people should follow their hearts wherever those desires may lead. Rather, it is that people should follow God.

Our culture teaches, “Be true to yourself.”

The gospel teaches, “Be true to your Creator.”

Lasting peace is not found in constructing an identity apart from God. It is found in surrendering ourselves to the One who made us, loves us, and calls us to something greater than our own desires. The question is not who we believe ourselves to be. The question is, who do we want to be for God? And the answer to that question will shape not only our lives, but our eternity.