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Some reading I've been doing lately provoked an interesting question. Who am I? Actually, what's interesting is to try to answer the question Christianly. How does the Christian worldview change the answer to this question.

It seems to me most in the western world would answer the question individualistically and in terms of their career. Whenever asked the same question at a party we answer in terms of our job. 'I'm and engineer' 'I'm a doctor' and we assign worth to ourselves based upon the status of our jobs. We view ourselves in terms of what we do. But is the Christian answer to the question different?

Yes. Listen to this from Chester and Timmis Total Church, Crossway: Wheaton 2008, p40-41

"The Bible shows that we are communal creatures, made to be lovers of God and of others. When it comes to humanity, God does not simply speak a word of command; he engages in conversation. "Let is make man in our image" (Genesis 1:26). This conversation shows that God himself is a social rather than a solitary being. And so his image cannot be borne by an individual, but by man and woman together (Genesis 1:27) ... Divine personhood is defined in relational terms. The Father is the Father because he has a Son. God is persons-in-community. Human personhood, too, is defined in relational terms."

I think this is crucial. I am not merely 'me and my thoughts', 'me and my career'; 'me and my ...' Rather, to see ourselves Christianly

"we should define ourselves by the network of relationships in which we live: I am father, husband, church member, child of God. ... I cannot be who I am without regard to other people."

So, what does this mean for church?

I take it that by implication, we belong to each other as a church, and that it would be an error to see each other as belonging to a religious club which I dip in and out of as I please. I take it this means we have responsibilities to one another at church whether old or young, whether male or female, whether in the same job as me or in one society deems of lower value. I take it it means our intensions when at church are other person centred, where we seek to good of others. In other words, I'm there to give rather than to take: I'm there to serve not simply to be served.

What do you think? What else are the implications of answering the question of "who am I?" Christianly?

Antony

(Minister)