Protestant, Baptist, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, Spiritual-but-not-Religious, Liberal, Conservative, Progressive, Libertarian, Socialist, African American, Asian American, Indigenous, Latina/Latino/Latinx, White, Multiracial, Anti-Racist, Nonbinary, Genderqueer, Transgender, Cisgender, Two-Spirit, Demisexual, Asexual, Millennial, Gen Z, Gen X, Boomer, Immigrant, First-Generation, Diaspora, Disabled, Neurodivergent, Vegan, Vegetarian, Minimalist, Environmentalist, Feminist, Oppressed, Marginalized, and on and on and on and on.
I can’t keep track of all the labels these days. Some seem understandable. Others seem odd. And some seem…well…unhinged from sanity. But it’s not my purpose today to get into the weeds of evaluating each and every label out there. My point for this article is to emphasize the following…
In today’s world, labels are everywhere.
People define themselves by their beliefs, affiliations, lifestyles, and countless other markers.
Let’s first understand that labels and markers are not new. We see them even in the Bible. And labels can indeed help bring awareness, clarity, or a sense of belonging. But they can also create major problems.
Indeed, they are creating major problems in society today.
While labels can help us communicate and connect, they often come with significant risks:
- Reductionism: Labels can oversimplify the complexity of who we are.
- Polarization: When we cling too tightly to labels, it creates an “us vs. them” mentality, deepening divisions between people and groups.
- Rigidity: Labels can box people in, discouraging growth or exploration.
- Social Pressure: Modern culture often pressures us to conform to certain labels or group norms, which can pull us away from God’s truth.
They can particularly cause problems for people of faith when they overshadow our ultimate identity as believers in Christ. As Christians, the Bible reminds us not to conform to the patterns of this world but to find our identity in the Lord.
Paul writes in Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” This verse challenges us to resist the world’s pressure to adopt its trends and ways and instead focus on being transformed by God’s truth.
Our identity is not in how the world defines us or how we define ourselves, but in who we are in Christ.
The Bible teaches that our primary identity is as children of God. 1 Peter 2:9 says: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”
God has set us apart for His purposes, and that should define who we are.
When we root our identity in the Lord, we gain clarity and freedom. We no longer feel the need to conform to the world’s labels or expectations. Instead, we can focus on loving others, living out our faith, and growing in Christlikeness.
“Hold on, Pastor! You don’t understand. You don’t get it. Identity groups and labels help us…”
If that’s what you’re thinking, I need you to “hold on.” I said, at the outset, that some labels are understandable and that they are indeed nothing new. That we see some labels — Jews, Gentiles, Pharisees, etc. — in Scripture.
What’s more, when God spread the people out via the whole Tower of Babel incident, that was the beginning of distinct languages–and cultures. And John’s vision of heaven–as seen in Revelation–shows that people of all “nations” (people groups, cultures, etc) will be worshiping God for eternity.
I’m not against diversity or recognizing that diversity with appropriate labels. Not at all.
My point is that labels have gotten a tad excessive these days. Not only that, but…
When we start rooting our ideology and identity in labels, we are hurting ourselves, our society, and our relationship with God.
That is my point and I stand by it!
As Christians, we should be cautious about letting the world’s labels define us. All human beings are made in the image of God. That is our primary identity–people made by God in His image. Those of us who have accepted Christ then embrace our relationship with God through Christ as our greatest purpose and primary love.
Ask yourself: Are the labels you wear helping you honor God, or are they distracting you from Him?
If you find yourself instinctively resistant to any questions or ideas that may “threaten” a perceived identity rooted in a label that is of this world, then such labels are not drawing you closer to God.
The closer you are to God, the more you will realize that virtually all the labels of this world are temporary and, in many cases, unnecessary. The closer you are to Him, the more you realize that they can indeed become a distraction to your relationship with God and an obstacle to hearing from Him.
Let’s ground our identity in the One who created us — and who sacrificed Himself for us.
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