Who am I?

We'll there is the long and the short answer! Do I just say, I'm Mark, or do I say, I am a husband, father, minister.  Or do I say, I am someone made in the image of God.  Do I explain that I am a child of the King of the universe! Q4 of the New City Catechism, helps us answer 'Who am I?'

How and why did God create us?

God created us male and female in his own image to know him, love him, live with him, and glorify him.  And it is right that we who were created by God should live to his glory.

Here's some things we learn through this answer:

• IDENTITY

God created us.  He made us just the way we are.  He made us male or female.  He shaped our personalities.     He is is the source of our identity. Often we are told to be ourselves; to express ourselves.  Now, it is good to be yourself.  Each of us has our own unique make up - our own identity, so we shouldn't feel forced into a mould, or to be a clone.  However, being told to be ourselves, can be a burden.  When you are unsure what is going on in your head or heart, when you don't know who you are - it can crush you to be told simply to be yourself.  Rather, what we need is something, someone outside of ourselves to shape identity.  Rather than listen to ourselves, we need to listen to God. God created us - that means, as one line of the song at the bottom of this post says 'I am who you say I am.'  We find our identity in him.

• DIGNITY

The answer is based upon Genesis 1:27, which says

God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them

We are created in the image of God - every single human being, bears God's image.  It is hard to put a finger on what that means excatly, the catechism brings a couple of them out, as it talks about knowing and loving God.   But one thing is clear - we all have this in common, we are all created in the image of God.  And that gives us all dignity.  That speaks into how we care for the unborn child, the elderly, those with disabilties.   It challenges us in how we speak to and treat other people - we don't run them down, belittle them or sideline them.   Everyone is equal.  Everyone is created in the image of God.  And that is also hugely encouraging to us when we find ourselves belittled, sidelines or spoken ill off - we rest in the truth that we are made in the image of God and have worth in his eyes.

• PURPOSE

As well as answering who am I, we learn why am I here?  What's the point of life? The point of live is to live for your creator; to reflect his image; to bring glory to him.  When we do so, we will find our deepest joy in him. It might seem a bit self serving on God's part, but as the answer says, it is right that we who were created by God, should live for his glory.  He made us, so we should live for him... not the other way around! https://youtu.be/lKw6uqtGFfo  

Building Blocks - 

We're only 4 questions in, but already we can see how each question and answer builds on what has come before.  In Q2 we learnt God created everyone and everything.  Now in Q4 we discover why he made us! It is good to know that our identity is found in him.  That he gives us dignity and our lives purpose.  But there is more... as we go on, we shall learn how God's good creation was spoiled, yet he made it possible for us to still live for him.  And as the song says, we do so 'as a child of God'.  I am not just God's image bearer, I am his child... that's great!