Struggling for Identity. Who am I? Gender? Purpose? Human? Divine? What say you?

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There has been much discussion about gender identity and for the most part it seems either there is a lot of "it's okay" or a lot of anger that its "not okay", or a lot of confusion in how to respond. It has opened a new floodgate of unease for many. But does God want us to be stuck in confusion or silence? We need to know how to answer if asked, if in a position to share and reveal a God who understands.

The confusion, the sense that many people feel of being trapped in a body that is not comfortable, that the face they see in the mirror is not right, they do not fit in, the desire to make what they feel inside match what is seen on the outside, the fear humans have of dying without being truly known and accepted, can’t we ALL relate on some level? We all have need for identity, for what is within to match what people see and know of us.

This is why Jesus came. For the heart of God to be seen, for flesh and blood to be clothed with the fullness of God inside. Jesus was and is the true nature and heart of God relatable to all, a gift to all who accept him. And this being his goal, he identified himself a certain way. He had a box he regularly "checked" a title he regularly referred to as himself in 3rd person language. Do you know what it was? Was this title human or divine?
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identify (v.)
1640s, "regard as the same," from French identifier, from identité (see identity). Sense of "determine the identity of, recognize as or prove to be the same" first recorded 1769. Meaning "make one (with), associate (oneself), regard oneself as being the essence of" is from 1780. Sense of "serve as means of identification" is attested by 1886. Related: Identified; identifying.
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His most often self-reference

was not

divine as the Son of God, it was human… the Son of Man. There are over 70 references Gospel authors recorded of Jesus referring to himself as the Son of man. (Note: For meditation and to ingest how Jesus identified, use the slide show below. Ask Jesus to speak to you as you read and help you know him better.)

There are people who argue that his preferred title of identity as Son of man is curious; and that it must mean he never claimed deity. If someone said to you, “Yes, I believe Jesus was a good man, someone who did very good things and an excellent philosopher, but he never claimed himself as the Son of God.” How would you answer? Where would you take them in scripture?

Here is just one excellent example where Jesus claims himself as both Son of Man and Son of God.

John 5: 24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

If you were to memorize John 5:24-27, you have 4 sentences to fully explain the beauty and gift of listening and believing in Jesus, the promise of release from eternal damnation, the promise of eternal life, the promise that the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and the claim Jesus made as both Son of God and Son of Man who one day will judge all.

Those 4 sentences also reveal how Jesus sees human identity. It is an either-or proposition. 2 identities only for all humanity. Do you see it?

All are either dead or alive in Him, Ephesians 2:1-10.

The Son of Man came to fully identify with all forms of suffering, confusion, and brokenness in human flesh. He went beyond that though. His soul has suffered and endured the wrath of God. We cannot relate!

Thank God for the one who identified most with all our suffering, who spilled his blood in a horrible death so we might live, the Son of Man the Son of God! Thank God we who believe will never have to face the wrath of God because Jesus drank that cup of suffering! Isaiah 53:1-12!

He loves! He took upon himself everyone’s human identity of being dead in trespasses in order to bring each one into himself, now fully and forever alive in Him! It's your choice to accept the gift. Just listen to Jesus and decide if you believe. It is the true pursuit for life giving identity.

For the gender confused, for the woman who can't stand her body, for the man who struggles with self-loathing, for the child who doesn't fit in, for the senior who regrets all their years, for the person who has never felt seen or loved or known or accepted, for the one heavily burdened by the weight of shame, the Son of Man came for you. For you, he was tempted in all ways, yet was without sin, Hebrews 4:15.

The truth is you are eternal by spirit; not flesh. So your pursuit for identity is an eternal question, not a human flesh fix. Jesus knows we are trapped in human form for right now and He came to release us. We have this gift called time to make our decision until eternal destiny comes for all.

2 Corinthians 5:17- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

He also has a special promise that will help you speak to your gender confused friend… that by faith in him there is

neither male nor female, no slave or free, not any special race over another–

Galatians 3: 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

He humbly identified with all of humanity, Philippians 2:5-11. He fully identified with all, giving fully of himself, pouring out his own blood that we might live. This is the picture of the Son of Man, the Son of God. Meditate upon, ponder, consider, think about the desperate nature of man looking for identity; and ask God to help you bring the gift of Jesus to others who are searching and without peace. To those who believe, He promises to make them a new creation!