Welcome to the Paul Tripp podcast, where pastor and best-selling author, Dr. Paul David Tripp,

connects the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.

One of the most significant aspects of our lives is personal identity.

If you don't know who you are, you won't know how to live.

In today's episode, Paul explains how the gospel defines our identity in four areas, creature,

sinner, sufferer, and child.

Here's Paul.

My son Justin was just a little guy, maybe three or four years old. And this was a kid who loved life in all of its

dimensions. But he was particularly attracted to what he called creatures, animals to the rest of us.

He loved creatures. Snakes, bugs, rodents, large animals. He loved them all. And he came

bouncing into my room one day and said that he had decided what he was going to be when he grew

up. I couldn't wait to hear what this fertile mind would come up with next. I said, well,

well, Justin, what do you want to be when you grow up?

And with a great big smile on his face, he said, Dad, when I grow up, I want to be a lion.

Immediately upon hearing his answer, I was sure that it was something drastically wrong with my

son's sense of identity, so I thought this was a great opportunity to get theological

with him. I spent an ord opportunity to get theological with him.

I spent an ordinate amount of time with a little boy talking about how he was different from the animals because he was made in the likeness of God.

I was quite proud of myself for having such a deep theological conversation with such a little

boy.

So I said to Justin, do you understand what Daddy has been talking about? And he answered, yes, Daddy. When I grow up, I'll be a giraffe.

Now, I want you to hear me say this. I think there are many of you listening who suffer from an

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