How can a person positively identify another?

by Antonio da Rosa

For the purpose of referencing someone in a conversation or communication, what exactly must one do in order to positively identify someone?

Usually a first name will do among friends who through the context of their conversation mutually recognize the name and thus the person so named. Here positive ID occurs.

Often, though, persons communicating know more than one individual who shares a first name that has been referenced in conversation. Therefore it is encumbant upon the communicator referencing the third party individual to use a last name. At this point concencus can be achieved in a group and positive identification of an individual occurs.

To go further, at times a last name is not known, and thus attributes and/or characteristics of the intended referenced individual must be shared so that a delineation can occur, allowing positive identification to be made through shared awareness of how these traits delimit reference to a certain individual.

But what about expressed misconceptions in the context of communication, even great ones? Will egregious misconceptions necessarily preclude the ability to positively identify and reference an individual?

What if I were trying to convey a reference and positive identification of an individual in a conversation with a friend or group of people and I said something like this:

In order for you to get legislation enacted for your particular purpose, you must form a team of lobbyists to entreat the tax-fighting, card-carrying NRA member, pro-life California Governor-elect, Jerry Brown

Have I for the purpose of the communication identified the individual with whom I am encouraging lobbyist activity for the benefit of my hearers?

If you would say, "No," my question to you would be, "Why not?"

As a conclusion to this brief discussion, I will provide the two ways that positive identification for the purpose of reference in commmunication can occur:

1. A single unique reference is made about the individual
2. A conglomerant of references, attributes, and characterstics, that form a unique delimiting picture is given about the individual

When speaking to another about Jesus Christ, any one of a multitude of individual unique delimiting informations about Him can be given that will positively identify Him, and thus precise reference can be made, or a host of information, that when taken as a whole will create a unique picture, and accordingly, positively ID Him.

If a person is introduced to Jesus Christ through passages of the New Testament and are confronted with His unique claim to guarantee everlasting life to anyone who entrusts their eternal destiny to Him, and then so does, what are the arguments against this person having eternal life, even in the presence of egregious misconceptions about the Person and Work of Christ?