What Is Personality?
When we speak of personality in a theological sense, we’re not referring merely to charm, temperament, or social traits. Instead, personality describes the cluster of God-given capacities that make a being truly spiritual — able to think, feel, choose, and relate. These are the qualities that distinguish God, humans, and angels from the rest of creation.
In other words, personality is what makes someone a person rather than a mere thing. It is the reflection of God’s image in intelligent, moral, and self-aware existence.
Theological Perspectives
Theologians have long debated exactly which qualities define personality:
- Some, such as theologian Augustus Strong, describe personality as simply self-consciousness (awareness of one’s own existence) and self-determination (the ability to make moral and rational choices).
- Others describe personality as a combination of thinking, willing, and feeling — often summarized as mind, will, and emotions.
Each of these perspectives highlights essential dimensions of what it means to be personal — capable of knowing, loving, and choosing.
The Nine Aspects of Personality
To gain a fuller picture, we can consider nine aspects that together express the richness of personality as reflected in both God and His image-bearers:
- Spirituality – The capacity to relate to God and to exist beyond the material realm.
- Life – The active principle of being; not mere existence, but purposeful vitality.
- Intelligence – The ability to think, reason, and comprehend truth.
- Purpose – The sense of direction and intention behind actions.
- Activity – The capacity for initiative and creative expression.
- Self-Consciousness – Awareness of oneself as distinct and responsible.
- Freedom – The power to choose and to act according to one’s will.
- Emotion – The ability to experience and express feelings such as joy, love, and sorrow.
- Moral Agency – The capacity to discern right from wrong and to act according to moral law.
Why Personality Matters
Personality is central to understanding both God and humanity. God is not an impersonal force but a personal Being — He thinks, feels, acts, loves, and chooses. Humanity, created in His image, shares those same personal capacities, though in a finite and fallen form.
Understanding personality helps us see why relationships, morality, and worship are not optional aspects of existence — they are built into what it means to be truly personal, and therefore, truly human.
Stand Firm! 