The False Self
What is your identity? Who are you really? What were you created for? What are you supposed to do as you in this world?
One of the central questions we are all asking about ourselves is, “Who am I and how do I fit in this world?” Perhaps the most important thing we are all searching for is our identity.
God created each one of us with a unique identity that is tied only to Him and a spiritual union with Him; however, with an enemy who hates us and sin in our lives and throughout this world, we fall for a lesser identity that we create called the false self.
We don’t call it that, but that’s what it is. It’s an identity that is created apart from our Creator and our Source. It’s manufactured and created in our minds from things we think and feel, along with what we see and experience in this world.
THE FALSE SELF
Woundings
Sometimes our false self gets created from things that happen to us. People hurt us, take from us, and push us down. These woundings can come from complete strangers to people in our family whom we assumed we could trust.
When we get wounded, we feel it physically, emotionally, and psychologically. There’s a depth to it that is hard to process and make sense of. But when people treat us like garbage, we can become convinced that we are garbage.
So, we create a false self based on our woundings. Our identity is based on the things that have happened to us and the people who have hurt us along the way.
But you are not defined by the things that have happened to you. That’s the enemy convincing you of your lesser identity. He wants you in bondage to those things to keep you from experiencing your true self.
Achievement
The false self doesn’t have to be negative though. As a master deceiver, our enemy can convince us that our identity is found through what is seen as good things in this world but fall way short of abundant life in Christ.
People in this world celebrate and highlight achievers. Parents, teachers, coaches, bosses, and reporters call out and reward achievements. The more we achieve, the more people notice. The more people notice, the more our flesh calls our successes our identity.
We become what we do and what we accomplish. It feels good when we are doing well, but when we don’t perform we lose our identity and worth. And even when we do achieve, there always seems to be someone else who does it better and our value gets dropped a notch.
But you are not what you do or what you achieve. That’s a false self, manufactured to make it in this world. Your true self is so much more.
Personality
There are times when we see people react to other people based on their personality. We notice it attracts people and garners attention for them. They become popular.
As our flesh notices all of this, we begin to experiment with our personality and how it can be used to capture the recognition we need to find value and worth.
Eventually, we create a false self based on our personality that other people love to be around. It’s hard work, but we will keep the mask on as long as people give us the attention we need.
Religion
The false self can even be created around religion. We may think that is where our true self would be found, but the enemy knows that religion is not where ultimate life is found (1 John 5:12). So, he convinces us to dive deeply into religious activity.
We become convinced that life is found in religious checklist of the good things we ought to be doing. Things that will make God prouder of us. So, we create a false self as someone who is religious. Someone who is a good, moral person.
It’s a lie. Scripture says there are none who are good (Romans 3:10-12). We can’t manufacture our true self through morality.
THE TRUE SELF
Our true self can only come from the One who created us and was meant to be our Source and give us our identity in the first place. Apart from Christ, each one of us is spiritually dead and cut off from the One who is life itself.
The only way to experience the true self is through union with Christ, and that can only come when we put our faith in Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. In that moment, our sins are forgiven, we are united to Christ through the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell in us (1 Corinthians 6:17), and we are made spiritually alive (Ephesians 2:5). As new creations in Him (2 Cor. 5:17), we become our true self.
Child of God
Your true self is first and foremost a child of God (1 John 3:1). Your primary identity is found through being God’s son or daughter.
When Jesus was being baptized, God declared, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)
Jesus’ primary identity was found through being God’s Son. His true self was not first and foremost found through what He did (teachings, miracles, healings, etc.) but rather in who He was as the Son of God.
The same is true of you. When you begin to understand that your true self is found in being the holy, righteous, blameless, and beloved child of God, you can finally rest. This is your eternal, changeless identity; the true you that God created you to be in Christ.
Instrument of God
Being a unique child of God, He created your true self to be a reflection of His Life in this world. While your primary identity is found through being a child of God, your secondary identity is found through being an instrument that God works through as part of His Kingdom work in this world.
After Jesus was baptized and God announced His primary identity as being His Son, Jesus revealed what He was on the earth to do. He stood before the religious leaders of that day, unrolled a scroll, read from Isaiah 61, and declared that He was here to proclaim good news to the poor and freedom for prisoners, provide recovery of sight for the blind, set the oppressed free, and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Luke 4:18-19).
Jesus’ true self involved doing things, but it was a reflection of first and foremost being God’s Son. The same is true of you.
You are a unique child of God. He created you with a particular personality, talents, and giftings to be used by Him in His Kingdom work in this world. They are an expression of His Life through you as His instrument.
When you operate out of your true self (through dependence on your Source who makes you your true self), you will do things in this world that make eternal impact.
EXPOSE THE FALSE SELF AND LIVE AS YOUR TRUE SELF
In order to live out who you are in Christ, you must expose the false self. It’s crucial to know the false self that you have created to find value, worth, love, and significance in this world. Ask the Lord to reveal this to you and bring the false self into the light.
Next, you must not just know about your true self, you have to reckon it to be true. In Romans 6, the apostle Paul teaches the believers in Rome about their new self and then says to reckon it to be true (Ro. 6:11). Paul says, since it is true, actually reckon it to be true about you!
Even when God reveals our true self to us, the enemy tries to sweep in and convince us through our thoughts and emotions that it’s not really true in experience for us. The number one tactic of the enemy to steal, kill, and destroy is lies and deception.
Don’t just know about your true self but rather believe it in your heart. Then as you believe and learn to rest in your true self as a child of God, begin to look for and expect the Lord to lead you in ways and actions that reflect your true self. As He does, trust it is from Him and walk in faith that He’ll produce His Life through you as you.
Don’t settle for a lesser identity. Expose the false self and live out of the true self you are in Christ if you’ve put your faith in Him to be your Lord and Savior.
