Identity Crisis in Christ vs Other Identities
Christian theology understands identity in Christ as a fundamental transformation, contrasting sharply with former or worldly identities. Paul's letter to the Colossians speaks of believers stripping off their "old sinful nature" and putting on a "new nature" in Christ, indicating a radical shift in self-understanding and way of life [9]. This new identity is not merely an ethical improvement but a participation in Christ's own life.
The concept of being "in Christ" signifies a profound union. Charles Hodge explains that Christ assumed "generic humanity into personal union with Himself," thereby elevating and perfecting it [2]. This union means that Christ's grace is not merely for Him as an individual but extends to the entire Church, which is united to Him as members to a head, forming "one mystical person" [4]. Therefore, Christ's merit is applicable to others because they are His members [4]. This perspective contrasts with views that see Christ's distinction from other humans as merely a matter of degree or a clearer understanding of the identity of God and man [7].
The Apostle Paul challenges believers to "Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?" [1]. This exhortation underscores the internal reality of Christ's presence as central to Christian identity. John Calvin emphasizes that Christ, as both God and man, unites two natures without confusion, and this union is essential to His role as Lord and Son of God [6]. The identity of the believer is thus tied to this unique person of Christ.
The transformation into a new identity in Christ involves a departure from the "old self" and an embrace of a life guided by Christ [9]. This is not a denial of one's physical body or personal continuity, but rather a reorientation of one's entire being around Christ [3, 5, 8]. The Christian tradition holds that this new identity is a spiritual reality that impacts all aspects of life, distinguishing it from other forms of identity based on lineage, culture, or personal achievement.
Sources
- 2 Corinthians “Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. -- 2 Corinthians 13:5”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 70: a still higher sense a world of other personalities. “He was Himself the race.” He has assumed generic humanity into personal union with Himself and thereby rendered it divine; it is indeed a true human life, but it is nevertheless divine. It is one life; not the life of the Logos separately considered, but the life of the Word made flesh. He was man more perfectly than Adam Himself, before the fall; humanity stood revealed in Him under its most perfect form. The humanity which He assumed was not new, but the humanity of Adam raised to a ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 81: the faith of the Church, we cannot err in following his example. The Bible is a plain book, and the whole Christian world, in all ages, has understood it to teach, not this or that, but the literal rising from the dead of the body deposited in the grave. All Christians of every denomination are taught to say, I believe in “The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting.” The Identity of the Future with our Present Body. There are two distinct questions to be here considered. First, Do the Scriptures teach ”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Unity of Christ's Operation, Art. 4: Article: Whether Christ could merit for others? I answer that, As stated above (Question [8], Articles [1],5), grace was in Christ not merely as in an individual, but also as in the Head of the whole Church, to Whom all are united, as members to a head, who constitute one mystical person. And hence it is that Christ's merit extends to others inasmuch as they are His members; even as in a man the action of the head reaches in a manner to all his members, since it perceives not merely for itself alon”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 81: this Identity consist? It is obvious that identity in different cases depends on very different conditions. First, in the case of unorganized matter, as a clod of earth or a stone, the identity depends on the continuity of substance and of form. If the stone be reduced to powder and scattered abroad, the same substance continues, but not in the same combination; and therefore the identity is gone. In what sense is water in a goblet the same from hour to hour, or from day to day? It is the same substance resulting from the combination of o”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 50: because he is God, not God because he is man, and neither God nor man because he is both at once. Christ, therefore, as God and man, possessing natures which are united, but not confused, we conclude that he is our Lord and the true Son of God, even according to his humanity, though not by means of his humanity. For we must put far from us the heresy of Nestorius, who, presuming to dissect rather than distinguish between the two natures, devised a double Christ. But we see the Scripture loudly protesting against this, when the name”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 85: or revealed in any one manifestation. Some of these philosophers were willing to 430 say that God was more fully manifested in Christ than in any other individual of our race, but the difference between Him and other men is only one of degree. Others say that the peculiar distinction of Christ was that He had a clearer view and a deeper conviction of the identity of God and man than any other man. It all amounts to the summation of the doctrine as given by Strauss. 359 359 Das Leben Jesu, § 149, 3d edit. Tübingen, 1839, vol. ii. pp. 766, ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 81: or of the uninterrupted continuity of the same vital 778 force as in the plant and animal through their whole progress of growth and decay; or whether it is a sameness which includes all these; or something different from them all. Nothing is affirmed. The subject is left where the Bible leaves it. The object aimed at is twofold; first, to show that it is perfectly rational for a man to assert the identity between our present and our future bodies, although he is forced to admit that he does not know wherein that identity is to consist. T”
- Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:9: 3:9-10 your old sinful nature . . . your new nature: Paul contrasts old and new identities (see also Rom 5:12-21; 6:6; Eph 4:22-24). Believers strip off their old life and put on Christ’s new life, allowing him to be Lord and to guide the way they live.”