“And God said, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness . . . so God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1: 26, 27 KJV).
What is meant by personality? What do we mean when we say that we are a person? What constitutes a personality? What are the marks of personality?
It has been determined that there are basically three things that constitute personality. The first is intellect, or self-consciousness, a power whereby man is able to objectify himself and make himself an object of thought and judgment. The second is free will, the power of choice or self-determination, or self-directive, a power whereby man is able to choose his goals and direct his energies toward realizing those goals. The third is a moral consciousness or a sense of right and wrong, a power whereby man has a feeling or intuition that there is a thing as right and wrong and is obligated to do the right and avoid the wrong.
All of these powers that constitute a personality were part of the make-up of man and a reflection of God’s personality when creating man in His own image. This personhood, with its capacities, is a gift given to man by his Creator. These same powers are seen throughout scripture in the Person of God. God’s personality is perfect and complete, or He wouldn’t be God. Man, on the other hand, has potential for either good or evil and is a developing personality. These powers or capacities of man as a spiritual person are essential to his religious life and relationship with God.
By creating man in His image and giving man the same powers of personhood or personality as Himself, God made man with the capacity to receive and respond to revelation from Him, experience His fellowship, and develop His personality. “Personality in God is necessary to account for the personality in man. And if God is not a person, the personal qualities of man are without explanation.” What would religion be without a personal God? These powers are enhanced by God’s grace when man is saved and comes into conscious fellowship with God through Christ. Powers of the personality and a capacity for knowing God are then used to make man into the likeness of Christ. Only in Christ does man come to his true self and full potential through the proper use of his gifted powers.
The personality of man seeks satisfaction and gratification in the fellowship of another person. Satisfaction and gratification will never be fully realized until man knows personally (in person; particularly; not by representative), the fellowship of the Person of God. The Psalmist declares this universal cry of the human heart when he says, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God” (Ps. 42: 1). Augustine said, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”
Every person shapes, forms, and determines their personality with the choices they make using their intellect, free will, and moral consciousness. By using our moral value system or conscience, free will, and the power of self-determination, we make our choices and our choices make us. We, in that sense, are self-made.
