Fear and Identity

Identity Theft

Identity theft is a major issue. It has disrupted the lives of many financially, emotionally, and otherwise. Identity theft is not a modern crime. It started whenever the adversary began questioning God’s honesty and motives. It yielded fruit whenever humanity decided to take matters into their own hands. Before the fall, humanity was secure in their identity as the offspring of a benevolent Creator who:

• placed them in a place of provision (the garden that had everything they needed) (Gen. 2:8-9).
• anticipated mankind’s needs down to the need for human companionship (Gen.2:18; 21-25).
• gave them the knowledge and wisdom they needed inherently to fulfill their purpose (Gen. 2:19).
• entrusted them with responsibility of tending the garden, implying His trust in their stewardship (Gen. 2:15).
• gave mankind protective, life-preserving instruction (Gen. 2:16-17).
• had ongoing fellowship with them, coming to them regularly in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8).

I believe that at the root of the doubt that was introduced about the trustworthiness of God was fear. It was evidently a false evaluation that had no basis in reality. The story is in Gen 3:1-8. The moment we begin to entertain questions about God’s motives is the moment we start taking the low road.

If I were to borrow the terminology used to describe the fear pathways, it is imperative that we take the high road. The high road draws on the past and ongoing evidence of God’s love and provision to turn off the fear response. We have already learned that there is context and interpretation to the high road. This pathway asks and answers the following rhetorical questions:

• Am I doing this alone, or is God always with me as He has promised (Hebrews 13:5; John 14:16)?
• Can I really do all things through Christ who strengthens me? (Philippian 4:13)?
• Am I now really one with God (John 14:20)?
• Have I been given everything I need to succeed (2 Peter 1:3)?
• Am I the offspring of a good and benevolent father (Psalms 82:6; 145:15)?

Identity Restored But Unrealized

All the provision and access that Adam and Eve had by virtue of being God’s offspring is still available. God never abandoned humanity after the fall. Instead:

• After the initial sin, God came looking to fellowship with them like He always did (Genesis 3:8)
• He clothed humanity after the fall (Genesis 3:21).
• He temporarily blocked access to the Tree of Life so that man would not be locked into the fallen state forever Genesis 3:22).
• He provided a way of escape for humanity before man fell (Revelations 13:8).
• God incarnated as a man (Philippians 2:7).
• He did materially about two thousand years ago what He did in the realm of spirit in eternity past (Philippians 2:8).
• He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us (John 14:16).
• Our adversarial view of God did not impact His plan of redemption and reconciliation (Colossians 1:21).

So who are we really? We are the offspring of our Heavenly Father, who dearly loves us. When we act out of fear, especially along the low road pathway, who are we practically other than those who live according to the dictates of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? What does that look like practically?

• Life dominated by tiring striving.
• Life dominated by relentless pursuit of seasonal and fleeting pleasure.
• Life dominated by constantly waiting for the shoe to drop.
• Life dominated by fears of the impending destruction of the earth.
• Life dominated by misappropriated fears of God-sent natural disasters.
• Life dominated by fears of what lies ahead in the afterlife.
• Life dominated by fears that troubles experienced are punishments from God.
• Life dominated by fears that sometimes leads to selfishness and disregard for others and the planet.

The identity problem is the sin problem. Sin is operating from a distorted sense of identity. We have done enough to define a problem we all are intimately familiar with. In the next lesson, we will proceed to explore the only acceptable fear, the “fear of God.”