Thornleigh Seventh-day Adventist Church (Sydney, Australia)

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Who Am I ?

by Pr Douglas Jenkins

by Pr Douglas Jenkins

Title           Who Am I?
Theme         Study the Bible for Answers to Life's Meaning

 
Introduction

This is the first in a series of Bible studies and personal experiences relating to everyday living, bringing real-life experiences into perspective from the Bible.

When a topic is presented, a few texts will be used to illustrate what the Bible says about that topic.   Open your Bible, find those texts but read around them to obtain the extended meaning and context of what has been written.  You must check for yourself that the texts have been used correctly according to the meaning found in scripture.  The scripture itself tells us about studying God's word, "Study to show yourself approved, rightly dividing the word of truth, a workman not ashamed".  We must be thorough about checking what we take into our mind as being correct and true.

 
Who Am I?

This question bothers many people. I guess you have sometimes thought about it--:" I have a family name, and a personal name.  I come from a certain ethnic group.  But, where did I historically come from? Who am I? I had these disturbing thoughts when I was young; in fact I sometimes had upset sleep because I was worried about my origins.  Without understanding it, my life seemed to have no purpose. People often desperately search for answers regarding their origins to understand themselves and the meaning and purpose for life.  They read scientific literature, listen to lectures on the subject and study family history always hoping to find out that--"I am ..................?".

I found that there are clear answers if you know where to look for them. They are found in the Bible and this is what I found:

 
Where did human beings come from?

"In the beginning GOD CREATED the heaven and the earth."

On the sixth day, of creation week, God said:

"Let us make man IN OUR IMAGE, after our likeness..." Genesis 1:26.  

Then soon after that:

"..the Lord God said: It is not good that man should live alone."  " And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept (the first anesthetic !) and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof.( the first surgical operation)  and the rib , which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man.

And Adam said: this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called WOMAN, because she was taken out of man." That's where the first couple came from--from God's creation.

Now listen, this is the way God intended marriage to be:" Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh";  the first marriage. Genesis 2: 18, 21-25.

What was the purpose of marriage?  Gen 2: 20 said that Adam wanted a helper and companion.  So God gave him Eve. 

 
Now you have several answers about your origins: 

 
More Questions?

You notice how all these answers have come from God through the Bible. So now your question could be --WHAT ABOUT GOD AND ME. Who is God ?  Yes, the answer about these questions comes from the Bible too.  I found the Bible a wonderful source of information and answers to my perplexing questions about my beginnings.   Maybe you could find answers to your questions.

However you might say, " I'm happy when I do my own thing  I don't really want to know about God; yet there are moments when I wonder what's at the end of the road for me."

Alright then, consider this: "For I know the thoughts I have  toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil. TO GIVE YOU AN EXPECTED END." Jeremiah 29: 11.

God is concerned for you, actually, He tenderly cares for you. He wants you to be certain of where life is leading you.  God wants life to have purpose.  He does not want you to live in uncertain fear of what will become of you.

God has a deep love for you; Jer 31:3  "The Lord hath appeared of old unto you, saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love and with kindness have I drawn thee.  "Good news !   God has a happy future waiting for you.

God loves you personally.  Wonderful news for you!   Maybe you now want to know --- Who God is?  What is God like?  Alright let's find out.

 
What is God like?

Consider this: "In the beginning God created  the heaven and the earth... And God  said: Let there be light, and there was light", Genesis 1: 1,3.    Wow!  What power !

God just spoke, and it was! He is the almighty creator. That's why God cares for you, guides you, and shapes your future---if you let Him.  He made you and has a personal interest in your well being!  

More important: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE  through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23.

Instead of a complete end to our life, we have the option of the best life that never ends.  That is because GOD IS POWER-- the Creator.

So God is tremendous, awesome, and Holy:  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8,9. 

Notice: "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up...above stood the Seraphims...and one cried unto another, holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.."Isaiah 6:1-3.

God is not on the level of human beings, intellectually, and in every way. God is high above human capacity. Surely this causes us to be humble and reverent and orderly when we speak or relate to God.

Yet at the same time,  God is a tender, loving Father to you. "And I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.: 2.Corinthians 6 : 18.  

God is waiting for you to respond--will you say:  "Yes God, I do accept you as my spiritual Father."  That means you are allowing God to guide you in your mind.  Through the Holy Spirit He will make you certain of your identity.  You will find that you are:

When I was a young person through to 18 years old, I thought life was all about work to earn plenty of money so that I could have a fun time. I did not know God. I'll tell you my experience of finding God through the series of articles to follows from issue to issue and how I came to understand a deeper purpose for my life.  But God still wants you to enjoy life and have a great time but with more meaning than just surface fun without meaning and purpose.

Look for another study in future issues of the on-line magazine and find out how the Bible has meaning for your everyday life.  In the mean time, read the chapters around these texts to get a greater understanding of who you are.

 
Questions or view points about the study?

If you have any questions about this study contact the author through the address below the editorial to this magazine and your questions will be answered.  No names will be associated with the answers if they are answered on the web site.

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