10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Today, my thoughts are mostly directed towards my own self. I have a long way yet to go in this Proverbs study, and I committed to posting these on social media and on my new blog page.
Is this arrogance? Is this wise in well doing, or is this foolishness?
Not many people seem interested in what I have to say. In any other instance, I would say, yes. To continue is a blatant disregard for what other people value in favor of what I value. That is arrogance. That is not wise in well doing, but foolish.
However, these are not normal circumstances, and it is not my judgments that are being rejected—but God’s. If you ever want to seem arrogant, that’s the way to do it; claim that you receive insight from God concerning today’s Christianity in the United States.
I was feeling tempted to back off, even though each time I do something happens to pull me back. I am a faulty human like all of us. I understand why the disciples fled when Jesus was being led away to His trial and death. That is the kind of feeling I have (to a smaller degree, of course) when I am tempted to stop these writings.
I am glad to know that it is not some strange thing for the Lord to use His words to answer our prayers. This morning I was reminded of something Jesus said:
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels (Mark 8:35-38).
What will I give in exchange for my soul? The Kingdom of Heaven and the wisdom that Jesus offers is indeed more valuable than any earthly treasure, as stated in the above section of Proverbs.
I cannot neglect or be ashamed of Jesus and the words He gives me for this generation.
I do fully sympathize with the temptation to do so.
I know how that sounds, and although I appreciate a direct approach, I do try to be tactful and I do not enjoy upsetting people. I care a great deal for the feelings of other people. But it is needful, in some small way, to be an example of loving Jesus more than man. Yet, in doing so, I find that loving Jesus means loving my fellow man—especially my Christian brethren.
It is not love to sit by and watch the deception and destruction of my brethren—to know full well what is coming and who we are welcoming. If we love death and destruction so much, we will have him.
So, I do my best to “dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions” by seeking Jesus often in these things.
What does it mean to dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions?
I could be wrong, but I think it means that wisdom gets to the bottom of things. I think of a Messianic scripture that wrote this of Jesus: “he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes neither reprove after the hearing of the ears.” Jesus teaches us that we should judge righteous judgement, and this often goes against what we immediately see or hear.
I seek Jesus so that I can avoid judging “according to outward appearances” so that I might find His “righteous judgement.” I have found that these judgments or perspectives cut to the core, and people do not like that.
However, we must get past all of the superficial layers of Christianity we have clothed ourselves in so that we can stand before Jesus fully clothed with Him and His righteousness. That is essential.
People do not like feeling exposed, and neither do I. So, I do try to expose somewhat of myself in these writings too. I do not want anyone to go through a difficulty that I am not willing to go through myself first. That is what Jesus does for us, so I think that is fitting. Jesus also freely gives all things that He received to us, and He suffered to do so.
It is fitting that Christians should do the same for one another. All things He gives me, I must give back to my brethren. If they don’t want it, I will keep it for myself, but the offer must be made. Otherwise, I am the one who is being unfaithful.
That is my current situation, but what do I hope others will take away from the above scriptures in Proverbs?
The instruction of the wisdom of Jesus is far more valuable that any earthly riches, but we must seek them out. We must seek Jesus out, and there are many things standing in our way. The number one thing is fear of man over fear of God.
Who are we loyal to? Are we most loyal to our denomination or pastors, or are we most loyal to Jesus? Do we worship the act of going to church, or do we worship Jesus?
It is easy to say that because we worship Jesus, we will hold our pastors in high regard and we will go to church. That was true for a time, but that time will come to an end—and there is a lot of corruption in mainstream Christianity already that we need to get away from. That does not mean we have to stop going to church, but we need to be willing to question some things. We need to get our priorities right.
This will not happen, but this is food for thought: If Jesus were to return again in the flesh as He did in His first coming, would he approve of Christianity in the United States? If the apostles were to return, would they approve? Would we not receive some correction?
Jesus will return, not in the flesh, but in glory and in victory over all things that are exalted above Him. However, before that day, He will send The Destroyer and Death. Why? Because we welcome him already. We love him. We will have him.
Everything I try to teach is centered around life according to He who IS LIFE. Shouldn’t it be so for Christians? Yet, in so many ways, we bring death.
Stand by Jesus above all else and He will show you life—and not the life that the enemy brings which is death disguised as everything we want—even disguised as Christian. It is not wonder, is it? It is not easy to consider that we have fallen for the ways of Satan, all the while praising Jesus. Yet, we do. It is so easy to do. Jesus does not leave us in this state, however. He teaches some so that they can teach others. Please listen and consider.
I do not want followers, but I do want you to follow Jesus. I want you to consider all the things that you are choosing over Him. I want you to consider what lays at the bottom of all the loyalties of your life, including your loyalties politically, in social ideologies, and in church. If your loyalties bring death, then something is off. Even if you are loyal to the right causes, if you justify destroying others who are on the wrong side of things, something is off.
“Many will kill you thinking they do God’s service.”
This time is so full of murder. We look at the obvious murders of groups like BLM, Antifa, abortion, and the like. Yet do we consider our own murderous ways? Do we consider that death comes because we have welcomed it? If we listen, the Spirit will convict us and show us our murderous ways. If our hearts are hard, then we will not hear. If we do not hear, then Death will come for all—starting with the church.
I want to think more about verse 13 in the next article.
As always, I would appreciate hearing from others, whether you agree with me or not.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
It is remarkable that God provides us with His wisdom. He could leave us all to our own devises without any remedy, but instead He sent His Son. The life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus speak volumes to us, and in Him we find a treasure trove of understanding that saves us from this destructive and deceitful world.
The Holy Spirit, also known as the Spirit of Truth brings the testimony of Jesus and causes us to remember His words. As the Word works on our hearts, we learn to live the Word and speak the Word better over time.
How wonderful it would be to be able to claim this truthfully for ourselves: “all the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing forward or perverse in them.”
Jesus teaches that “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks,” and our hearts are easily molded by this world. Painful experiences change us, ungodly influences corrupt us, and we are born with a nature that likes to have it so to a large degree.
It is an incredible act of mercy and grace that Jesus would die for us to forgive us of the destructive things we do—the words and actions that proceed out of a wicked heart—and it is an incredible act of mercy and grace that he sent the Holy Spirit to teach us and transform our hearts into His likeness.
Is it possible for a Christian to get to the point where they can make the claim above? I know there is a scripture in Revelation about some whose mouths speak no guile, so it must be so for some.
As with all things within the Christian journey, I have found that this saying of Jesus is true: We all experience a change of heart to one degree or another, but we do not all experience this in the same way. We all bring forth differing amounts of “fruit, some hundred, some sixty, some thirty.”
The important thing is that we are fruitful. The important thing is that we see enough change of heart that our actions are Christ-like to some degree, and the more we seek Jesus in this the more we will grow and bring forth more fruit.
Jesus said:
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you (John 15:6-12).
If we love the Lord with all our heart and desire to keep His commandments: love towards God and others, then Jesus will send His Spirit to live in our hearts and change us (John 14). That is an amazing thing.
I don’t want to slander anyone, but I find it remarkable that the “spirit led” or “charismatic” churches are often some of the most legalistic. How is that? I have wondered at that for some time.
The Spirt is in direct opposition to the law of the letter or legalism, yet they still attempt righteousness in this regard by laying laws on their congregants concerning matters of dress, the sabbath, and so on.
Don’t they trust the Spirit to work on each person, so that they can make these choices with guidance from their new, Jesus-filled consciences according to His working that occurs at His rate and timing? No. They don’t seem to.
Instead, they take over His work and replace it with legalism, which causes slander and accusation of other believers, and makes one feel as if they are righteous without having the necessary change of heart towards the spirit of what God really wants concerning things like humility, modesty, and worshiping the Lord.
I try to understand, and I appreciate their zeal, but this is not the way to go. For the record, charismatic churches are not the only ones who use legalism. From my experience, however limited it might be, they all do and you cannot join a church without affirming their brand.
Yet they accuse non church goers of neglecting the faith. Not good. So much accusation and slander among believers. So much spiritual murder. So much wanting things the easy way without taking up the necessary responsibility to Jesus.
And we marvel at our country, never considering that the things we see reflect our issues in the church? We’d rather blame others, forgetting that “judgment begins at the house of God.” I do not rejoice in this, just so you know, but if you must go ahead and keep fighting this battle in the worldly realms of politics and by blaming the unbelievers. See where that gets you.
Even so, to each his own conscience. It is needful for some faithful Christians to speak out politically, but they will have had Jesus work in their hearts first concerning the issues we are being corrected of, otherwise they will get sucked into the spirit of this time.
Anyhow, enough of that digression, but there is a point:
A change of heart is not the same thing as law. That is a fundamental teaching of Jesus. Yet, within mainstream Christianity of all stripes, law abounds—and not the laws of the Spirit that allow Jesus to work on each person according to His wisdom—but the laws of legalistic Christians who attempt to do this work themselves and force their righteousness onto others.
Our righteousness is as filthy rags. It is no wonder that we have so many Christians with hearts of guile.
I am one of them, by the way.
However, I trust in Jesus and I follow Him above the legalistic Christianity of today—as well the overly liberal Christianity of today who embrace the world, calling good evil and evil good.
How do we expect to gain control over sin—especially the sins of the tongue which are among the hardest to control—if we bridle the wisdom of God with the wisdom of man?
I love the church, I do. I did not always. I was angry, and I know a lot of my anger was because of things I experienced, and this is pride. Jesus works on me, and He works on everyone despite the legalism they are under.
It is so true that “His ways are not our ways nor His thoughts our thoughts for He will abundantly pardon.” Thanks to Jesus for that. I would that more of us were like Him.
His mercy is so incredible that He overlooks our denominational blindness and causes many to grow despite our unfaithfulness. He even calls us to Him when we have abused His sacrifice by condoning sin, forgetting mercy, and by using His word wrongfully.
However, I do not expect that patience to continue without correction. Has not correction already come for many? Do we think this will let up?
Maybe so. I don’t know what the near future holds, but I know what the scriptures say about the Last Days. These are brought about because of the unfaithfulness of the church. So, I will keep saying these things for as long as I am able to say them, unless Jesus changes my heart and shows me a better way.
I don’t claim to know all things. I am not God. I can be wrong about much, but I do not think I am wrong about the large and important issues such as these. I do pray that God will show me His judgements so that I can help His church avoid destruction and deceit, and I have asked Him to stop my mouth if it needs to be stopped. If I am deceived, He has allowed it.
There are many Christians who are against the church. They are malicious and claim “abuse of the blood of Jesus” in the church also, but not in the right spirit. They have a spirit of accusation and destruction. They feel superior as some important person of God. They are harsh and overly critical, and they demand nothing but 100 percent fruit or you will burn in hell. I am not of them, so please do not lump me in with them.
In-fact don’t lump me in with any Christian group—traditional or non. I agree in part with most and I disagree in part with most. I am better than none. God is gracious and I try to obey Him, and I have seen what happens when I don’t. I have tried to avoid doing this work and it was not good for me.
I don’t like writing things in my defense, but sometimes it is needful for those who are at risk of accusing myself and others falsely. Even so, I know that truth is not accusation and I am open to critique. I welcome accountability. If I am blind to something, I want to see it and I love those who would point that out. We need more accountability in our church from those who teach, preach, and so on.
I know writing of myself can be so boring.
let us consider our hearts and all things that are standing in the way of the wisdom of God that would teach our hearts to grow in Jesus. As our hearts become fuller with Him, our actions and words will follow.
It is possible for a person to deceive themselves with shows of righteousness such as false professions of faith, church attendance, and legalism, but these things do not always facilitate the necessary change of heart.
In-fact, these things often hinder the Spirt and bind people to heavy burdens they should not have to carry. Come on now, brothers and sisters. Sound familiar?
With all of this in mind, let’s again read this passage from James 1:
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
If you have something to share, a critique, or a question, please leave a reply. I appreciate hearing from people.
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
One of the first things that comes to mind is something we read earlier in proverbs:
The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens (Proverbs 3:19).
The entire creation speaks of the wisdom of God if we can hear it. You can read some about that in the study here: Considering Proverbs 3:19-20
What about verse 2?
I think about a common theme among Jesus in which the proud are humbled and the humble are exalted.
I also think of the importance of wisdom.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).
With wisdom we find the right path to take, and that might not be the well-trodden path we highly esteem.
Both meanings of verse 2 seems true: a representation of that which is laid low by wisdom as well as the importance of wisdom. The two go together.
We all need wisdom. In general terms, wisdom is attributed as fear of the lord, hate for what is wicked, and love for what is righteous.
In the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, we see that the wise are ready to meet the Bridegroom when he returns, and the others are not. (Matthew 25).
Wisdom is obviously important for a Christian, and if we find wisdom then we will discover that the so-called important things of this world are made into nothing. We will also find that the ways of God are often despised by this world and counted as nothing.
Jesus said a lot about humility. For a good starting point, you can read about humility in Matthew 18, Luke 14, and Matthew 23.
One of the things Jesus teaches is that we cannot find the Kingdom of Heaven without humility. This comes first when we understand our sin and our dependence on Him. In any case, Jesus knows our frame. He will work on our pride, and He often does so by bringing all the things we highly esteem—especially over Him—to nothing.
Jesus also humbles us by working in the lives of people we might think little of while refusing those we deem as important. “God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.” This is true in many capacities, the ministry of Jesus Himself being the prime example.
What about the gates and the entrance of the city?
This is the first scripture that comes to mind:
Psalm 24:
The earth is the Lord‘s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
I don’t know if this is what is meant by “lift up your head O ye gates,” but I think about that which guards the entrance into a city. I consider this to be a metaphor for anything that stands in between us and Jesus. If we lift up the head of the gate, if we let Jesus in, then we will receive the King of glory who is mighty in battle, powerful to save us from our enemies.
Jesus said: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
The above is from Revelation 3, but you can also learn more about this in John 14 concerning the Holy Spirit.
Jesus provides us with wisdom if we ask for it, and with wisdom we will stand strong against all things that come against us in the faith.
However, the wisdom Jesus provides will go against most things we are comfortable with. We need to be ready to challenge ourselves, and we cannot be double minded about this.
We cannot have the wisdom of this world (which is more natural and comfortable) and the wisdom of God at the same time (which often results in fighting temptation, enduring difficulties, and chastisement from God).
The above concepts remind me of this scripture:
James 1
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
There is a lot that we can take away from this chapter in James, and we might consider this chapter more as we continue looking at Proverbs 8.
I know a lot of scripture was mentioned here, but this is an important topic. We need to understand that the wisdom of God is foolishness to man. We need to seek wisdom from Jesus so that we can stand strong in the day of temptation, both in our daily lives and in the final days should we be here.
Wisdom is best learned through a life of seeking Jesus ourselves. I hope these studies will inspire some to seek Him more fully.
What about myself? I can think of some high things that need to be made low within my heart. I can also think of ways in which Jesus needs to be exalted above these things. I can also consider well-trodden paths that seem appealing but only lead me away from the Lord and what He has given me.
This might be a little self-gratifying, but I also say this for the sake of my accusers: I do not like to be contrarian. Anyone who knows me understands that about my nature. I am naturally a people pleaser, even to a fault. Though, Jesus is working on that heavily. You cannot please God and man.
If I were trying to make myself into something or trying to show off, I would go about things much differently.
I know there is something to this unpopular path that the Lord set in front of myself and others, and Lord willing I will not overly stray from it. I trust in the Lord for all who trod the unpopular paths in this world.
Any discussion is welcome. If you have thoughts, questions, or anything you want to share please do.
It is amazing how easy it is for a person to create a false image of themselves and believe in that image.
What goes into this image?
From our early childhood onward, we develop an idea of who we are and who we should be.
Our parents and other family members influence who we think we are and who we think we should be.
Friends and acquaintances influence who we think we are and who we think we should be.
The media influences who we think we are and who we think we should be.
Religion influences who we think we are and who we think we should be.
Politics influence who we think we are and who we think we should be.
Social pressures influence who we think we are and who we think we should be.
What would happen if we stripped all of that away?
What would happen if we got to the roots of who we really are? What would happen if we got to the roots of who we really should be?
What if we could look at the unique person God created and really see that person, flaws and all? What if we could lay aside all of the world’s ideas of who we should be and looked to who God says we should be through Jesus?
Growing up, I was told that I was unlovable, unattractive, unlikable, selfish, cold-hearted, lazy, stupid, a liar, boring, weird, and so on. I could do one thing and it was wrong, then I could do the opposite and that was wrong too. Nothing was ever good enough. I caught the blame and punishment for the actions of others, I was singled out and compared to everyone else as lesser-than, I was falsely accused constantly, and I was made to question my reality and severely attacked any time I spoke up against the lies I was being told or that were being told about me.
When paired with all the unrealistic ideals about body image and relationships perpetuated in movies, television, and other forms of media, I was very confused. Pair this with a superficial Christianity that was mingled with other faiths and I was totally lost. I was dead inside. I did not even exist. I knew it, and I wanted death to be my reality. Jesus saved me from this and drew me to Him.
I carried this false image of myself for most of my life. I had no idea who I really was, other than a terrible person who was not worth any amount of kind treatment. I had little sense of self-accountability and no confidence in my ability to make good choices, causing me to question every move I made and over-rely on the opinions and feelings of others. Jesus taught me to rely on Him.
I felt like I had to fix the problems of others, even if it meant enduring abuse because that was normal. I was used to believing words including professions of love, even if actions did not match up, so I had no idea what real love looked like and I constantly questioned my better judgment. Jesus showed me what real love looked like and taught me His judgment.
I tried to gain ground and stability by over-planning and controlling every aspect of my life, yet my plans always changed according to what someone else thought. Eventually that transitioned into controlling others. Eventually my critical eye was not only inward, but outward as I saw the worst in everyone around me, fully expecting every single person to hurt me, betray me, or otherwise let me down. Eventually I became overly distant and overly self-reliant, unable to let people get close to me—or a very, very, select few. I was hyper critical, cynical, and cold. Jesus softened my heart.
After doing a few months of research regarding the cycles of what the world of psychology calls “narcissistic relationships” and after a lot of prayer, something snapped in me. I began sorting through all the things I had always been told about myself—the same things that I eventually began to see in everyone else—and I realized something. Most of these things are lies—or at least they were. Overtime, I became most of those things to one degree or another. I believed the lies and I became the lies.
When I look back over the course of my life, I can see a pattern. Every good thing about me was hated and destroyed, only to be replaced with an equal and opposite lie. I then believed the lie. I then became the lie. I then projected that lie onto others and they became the lie.
This had to stop.
I knew that Jesus would help and that He would use all this hardship for my good and the good of others. Jesus had been at work in my life but certain sins clung so tightly to the core of my character.
For me, a lot of the sin struggles I had were given to me through living in a world of lies. As I looked back and considered these things prayerfully, I found relief. There is still much work to do, because very often the lies we live have lasting effects on us—even changing our brain chemistry and affecting our physical health. However, in Jesus we have the truth—and the truth will make us free.
About the same time that I began to see who I really am—who God created me to be instead of the lies that the world told me and therewith corrupted me—I felt a strange conviction. This might seem like vanity, but there is a lesson in it and I feel compelled to share. I started caring for my hair.
My hair has always been a fluffy and unruly mess that was easily tangled and hard to deal with. I had awful cowlicks and I was never happy with it. I went through cycles of cutting it short then letting it grow, just to wear it in a ponytail or bun. I have always hated fixing hair.
In May of this year, I got the conviction to cut part of my hair, to start wearing my hair down, and to let it grow, which I though strange because Christianity is not about outer observances. Even so, I obeyed and wondered at the meaning. I later realized that this was a kind of symbol to me for an inner work that He was doing. We were getting to the root of who I really was (pun intended).
Shortly after I started paying attention to my hair, I realized something about my hair that I kind of knew, but not fully. My straight yet frizzy hair is actually curly. I saw this somewhat when my hair was short, but I always let it grow out because I hated spending money on haircuts, then it was soon tied back because my hair grows fast. So, I never really knew what my hair was like. My whole life I thought it was something it was not.
When cared for properly, I had totally new hair. I had my real hair that God created me to have, and now I actually enjoy wearing it down—except on those very hot days! There is a lot of symbolism in this, and I’m still learning what it means.
Yes, this is strange. I get that and I understand false accusations that might result, and it feels weird to do this. However, I want to—and think I should—share this with others and encourage others to get to the roots of who they really are, lay it all bare before Jesus, and throw out false self-images in favor of who Jesus says you are.
Idolatry takes many forms, but few are as harmful as a false self-image.
Let’s lay aside our false images. Let’s approach Jesus truthfully and repentantly. In so doing, we will learn who we really are.
Of course, none of us are perfect. We are all sinners. We all have flaws. Yet, how much of who we have become is the result of living a lie?
As children of God, though we sin and struggle against sin, we are created in His image and we all have a place and purpose for good. Who did God create you to be? What lies are getting in the way of that? Tear that image down because what God has in store for you is so much better.
In this series, I want to further explore the problem of false self-image. Some of this might be difficult to hear. We have to let go of self-affirming culture of “you’re enough” and the like. We have to let go of racial pride and national pride. We have to let go of gender pride.
We have to let go of all of the parts of our self-image that are contrary to the ways of Jesus and the person God uniquely created us to be. I have a lot of work yet to do, but Jesus is my way. He can be your way too, and I’m excited to share this journey of finding our true selves together.
Part 2: Identity
To identify something, we must understand the qualities of the object we want to identify. What about identifying the self? What makes up the self?
In the scripture, we see that a person is body, soul, and spirit.
Is our identity wrapped up in our physical self, including appearance, race, and gender? It certainly seems that these attributes are important to many people.
What about spiritual identity? What is spirit? We are told in scripture that man became a living soul after receiving the spirit of life from God (Genesis 2:7). Spirit is what animates a person (John 6:63). I believe that a person can be of many spirits. The spirit of a person might include aspects of personality, belief systems or ideologies, and perhaps abilities. There also seems to be spirits of sin, such as murder, envy, and pride.
A spirit can be shared among many individuals. There are “spirits of the times” and ideologies that possess entire groups of people. All Christians with the Holy Spirit are of the Spirit of God, though in different measures. Only Jesus had the Holy Spirit in fullness (John 3:34).
What about the soul? The soul seems to be the core and unique aspect of the individual. The soul cannot exist without body and spirit. When the spirit of life is divided from the soul, the soul and body die (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Many believe that the soul is immortal. That is not true. God only has immortality (1 Timothy 6:16).
What does all of this have to do with identity, and why does it matter?
This matters when we consider the idea of eternal life.
First, we consider that which is passing away.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (1 John 2:15-17).
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:15-17).
8 Charity (love) never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away (1 Corinthians 3:8-10).
There are many things that do not have an immortal nature. Physical identity, race, and gender do not have an immortal nature. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) There are also many spirits that are passing away, such as social ideologies that are against the teachings of Jesus, as well as spirits of sin and spirits of antichrist.
Now, let’s consider that which is everlasting: Jesus Christ—the Word of God.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35).
Consider this:
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).
When Jesus returns—when the Word returns—all that is of a dead nature will be “destroyed by the brightness of His coming.”
What happens when a person’s identity—a person’s core self and soul—is attached to that which is passing away? Can the soul live?
I think it is natural for people to attach their sense of self to things like politics, social movements, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or other forms of classification. We want to find our place, and that which we identify with becomes our sense of security and fills a need for order and connection with others.
However, many things we attach ourselves to are dead things. What will we do when the true nature of the dead thing we are attached to become exposed? Will we feel personally threatened? People do. This is natural, though it is dangerous.
Thankfully, we serve a wise, patient, and kind God. Jesus understands our frame, and He works on us according to His perfect timing and methods. It is true that the Word is sharp and powerful, able to divide soul from spirit. His Word can kill. However, His word can also make alive, and He knows precisely how to cut away the dead things from a person without destroying them.
This is an amazing thing to consider.
Through faith in Jesus, His blood cleanses us of our sins so that we are freed from the final consequence of sin which is death. Through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, the things we identify with that are harmful or contrary to the teachings of Jesus are stripped away over time, and we are given a new identity. We even receive a new name—if not during this present life, then in the life to come.
However, though we perceive ourselves as “new,” to God we are coming into our true selves. As we walk more after the Spirit and less after the constraining labels of the flesh, we begin to see who God created us to be. Before we were formed in the womb, God knew who He was creating.
This is a fearful thing but also a reassuring thing. Jesus loved us before we loved Him, and He knows exactly what He made and who He will make. We can approach Him safely, as a child with a good parent, knowing that our God intends everything for our good and He is kindly disposed towards us in our sinful struggles. This is especially true when we are honest about our sin and desire to do what is right. When we approach God in this manner, He is safe and we can trust in Him.
In Conclusion:
We all want to find our place in this world. However, we do not want to overly identify with the things of this world which are passing away. Jesus provides us with a better place—an everlasting habitation—that is free from the sinful constraints and labels of this world. That is so freeing.
Mankind can be very merciless, and it can feel impossible to escape the labels of our past. It is not so with God when we put our faith in Jesus. We are created again new. We are not bound to our past but freed from it so that we can live and pursue a better way in Jesus.
This is an amazing gift and opportunity that was bought with the precious blood of the Son of God. Let us really consider and lay hold of this. How great is the salvation we are given? How miraculous, merciful, kind, wise, and perfect?
What dead things do we need to divest ourselves of? What life in Christ must we put on? We need to find our identity in Jesus. Who did God create us to be? What purpose do we have in His kingdom now and to come?
As mentioned in the first article within this series, there are many forces in this world telling us who we are and who we should be. In Jesus, we can begin to strip all of this away. These things do not matter. These things are not alive, but dead.
Jesus will strip away the parts of our identity that do not fit in with His Kingdom so that He can create us again in His image. He will cause this to happen, and there is nothing we can do to get in the way of His work. We are His work, and all freedom from this world we experience is His work in us.
However, in order to prepare our hearts for His work, we must repent. We must look at ourselves honesty and with humility, so that we can see our deprived state and understand our dependence on Jesus for our salvation. This brings us to the topic of the next article in this series: self-affirming culture.
Many people try to free themselves from their painful past, negative labels, and a toxic self-image through positive affirmations like, “you are perfect just as you are,” “you are enough,” and the like. This is understandable, but this is not the most effective way. This is not the Christian way. There is a better way in Jesus, and we will discuss this in more detail.
As a side note, I plan to get back to the Considering Proverbs series once this series on self image is completed.
Part 3: Positive Affirmations
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3).
First, what does it mean to be rich in spirit? I think this has to do with the spiritual attachments of a person. As mentioned previously, a person can be of many spirits, and the more consumed a person is with the spirits of this world the more their soul—the core self—is also attached to this world.
We know that this world is passing away, so we do not want to overly identify with this world and the spirits of this world.
A person who is rich in spirit feels a sense of contentedness with the things of this life and with themselves.
A person who is poor in spirit is not content with this life and with themselves. They know that something is missing from their life.
Can a person who is rich in spirit find the kingdom of heaven? If a person is content with their life, how can they give their life over to Jesus? If a person is content with themselves, how can they repent of sin? How can they seek Jesus to be healed if they “don’t need the physician?”
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mark 2:16-17).
The scribes and Pharisees were the religious authorities in the days of Jesus. They did not think that they needed to hear His teachings because they were whole already. They were rich in spirit.
Jesus knew this, so He did not bother much with the scribes and Pharisees. Instead, He spoke to the publicans (tax collectors) and “sinners.” The scribes and Pharisees were also sinners, but they could not see it. They justified themselves in their legalism and hypocrisy while condemning others. They felt themselves superior.
Jesus comes to those who are “poor in spirit,” and He makes them whole. A person who is poor in spirit is one who can receive the gospel. A person who is poor in spirit is one who can receive the Holy Spirit. A person who is poor in spirit is one who can continue to grow in the faith. It does not matter how long you have been a Christian. You still need the physician. There is still room to grow.
Knowing these things, should we support self-affirmation culture? Should we seek to have a positive self-image or a high self-esteem?
There are understandable reasons why a person would be attracted to the idea of positive self affirmations like, “you are enough,” “you are perfect just as you are,” “you are strong,” “you are independent,” and so on.
People cling to these things because they are poor in spirit and they are looking for something to fill themselves. However, if we fill ourselves with more “self” and not Jesus, then the void only worsens. Instead of being filled as we should be, we become desolate (empty and void of life-giving substance).
The ideas of positive self-esteem and self-affirmation culture are harmful lies that have invaded Christianity. This is a tool of flattery that makes a person fat and lazy in spirit. Jesus does not flatter, but Satan does.
There are few idols more harmful than the idol of self. There are few idols more harmful than the idol of mankind’s sufficiency. These are satanic in nature, and they rob you of the real wealth you could experience in Jesus. These lead to a mindset of “I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing.” Because of such ideas, many do not know that they are “poor, bloody, and naked.” (Revelation 3:14-22).
There are many Christian churches and teachings that perpetuate worldly prosperity. This includes measuring God’s blessings in financial wealth, popularity, and promoting a positive self image.
How is it that many do not see how deranged this is? Don’t we know that God wants to pull us out of this world, not make us comfortable and complacent in it?
It is amazing to me how many believers are of the prosperity gospel mindset, and some do not even recognize it. They even deny the prosperity gospel, but in their daily lives they welcome it. Their words betray them when they indicate God’s favor through money, career, popularity, or a positive sense of self. This is not good.
Let us consider this.
I know this life is hard and this world can be so cruel. We want to find our place. We want to be accepted. We want to be loved for who we are and not for what others think we should be. Many of us are carrying around deep shame that stems from childhood or abusive relationships. We want to believe that we are enough for someone.
In Jesus, you can come to Him just as you are no matter how sinful. However, He will not leave you unchanged and this is a blessing. He will fill you with Himself, and you will find your place of acceptance.
However, you will not find place and acceptance in the things of this world. The things of this world are in opposition to the things of the Kingdom of Heaven. This world might even despise you, but you will not care because you found a place that matters more. You found a love that matters more and sustains more than any person could, least of all your own self.
When He loves you, you are safe. He knows your flaws and He helps you overcome. He heals you, and though you are never good enough to live forever, He gives you everlasting life. You can trust in Him. He is your strength, sufficiency, and place. He provides you with a new nature, a new identity, and a new purpose in His kingdom.
You do not need self-affirmations or positive affirmations. You need Jesus.
If you are Christian and you cling to self-affirmations, then maybe you should consider. Are you still poor in spirit? That is good. Seek Jesus more.
Are you making yourself rich in spirit by filling yourself with more self and more of this world? That is not good. That is desolation. Repent and recognize your poverty so that Jesus is what fills your heart. You cannot have it both ways, and Jesus is not going to make you rich in spirits of this world. He will make you rich in His Spirit, but that requires poverty of the self and often poverty in this world.
Here are more scriptures to consider:
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones (Isaiah 56:15).
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise (Psalm 51:17).
16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. 20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. (Psalm 34:16-22).
Isaiah 61
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
4 And they shall build the old wastes,they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
8 For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
There are riches in spirit to gain in Jesus Christ. In Him we have joy, even during times of trouble and suffering. We trust in Jesus and not in the flatteries and dead things of this world. We praise Jesus alone, and not ourselves or others. In so doing, we are filled with the abundant riches of His Spirit, and there is nothing to be compared to what He has to offer us now and in the eternity.
As Christians, we need to glorify the Lord, Jesus in all that we do. If we are glorifying self or others, then there is a problem and we need to repent. Self is desolation. The world is desolation. Man is desolation. We need to recognize this. We need to stop glorying in man and filling others with flattery. We need to honor Jesus alone.
Self is an idol that needs to be removed. Do we worship this image? We should not. In the next article, we will consider other idols that we use to find our sense of place, purpose, and self. We will contrast these with the only ideal we should focus on: Jesus.
Note (inserted a few hours after original posting):
I try to be careful with my words, but sometimes I become aware of things that could be taken the wrong way. As for the prosperity gospel mentioned in the above article:
Just because a Christian is prosperous financially or in career or socially does not mean they support the prosperity gospel. God has a unique plan for each Christian. For some, wealth is a blessing so long as wealth does not distract from the Kingdom of Heaven. Others, like myself, who are prone to “cares of this life and deceitfulness of riches” are best in poverty. At least for a time.
I know Christians who I consider to be very prosperous financially, in career, and socially who seem to be very zealous for the faith also. They give thanks to God for their prosperity (as is fitting) and they are also very generous. There is a lot of hatred in this world for those who prosper in the world, and we do not perpetuate that. Many are covetous, envious, and hateful towards the rich. That is not the Christian way.
We do not accuse our brethren of belief in the “prosperity gospel” just because they are prosperous or give thanks to God for prosperity in this world. However, the prosperity gospel is a real hindrance towards riches in the Kingdom of Heaven. Each person can seek Jesus and evaluate their own hearts. We do not have that place or that right to accuse people, especially the wealthy who thank God and have a giving heart.
We should also consider that the poor in this country are wealthy when compared to other countries. My poverty is also wealth. Do I believe in the prosperity gospel? No. After considering what I wrote this morning, I felt the statements I made about the prosperity gospel to have an accusatory tone because the full idea was not made clear. It was not meant that way, and I don’t want the writing to be used in that way.
Part 4: Ideals and Idols
An ideal is anything, such as a person or idea, that represents that which is suitable or perfect. The ideals we hold vary depending on what is most important to us. The severity of attachment to our ideals can also vary from harmless to deadly.
There are many ideals. Here are a few:
There are ideals that encompass the perfection of some hobby or interest, such as an ideal sports team or artist.
There are lifestyle ideals that encompass the perfect career, social status, or family life.
There are personal ideals of a physical nature such as race or an idea of what is physically attractive.
There are personal ideals of an inward nature such as personality or morality.
There are ideals pertaining the world around us including politics and economics.
What ideals do we carry, and how harmful are they?
Once we have honestly evaluated the things we identify with, we can consider what that says about our ideals.
For example, if we strongly identify with our race, does race become an ideal that we look to? Do we consider what it means to be of that specific race then do our best to embody that image? Do we begin to destroy anything that seems to oppose our ideal, either within ourselves or others?
Herein lies one of the biggest problems with ideals: we will destroy anything that stands in the way of our ideal—especially if our sense of self is strongly attached to that ideal. We might even lay our own life down in protection of an ideal.
The possibility for destruction obviously depends on the nature of the ideal and our attachment to it. There is also a spectrum of destruction, ranging from personal attack through name calling, slander, and false accusations to murder of an individual or mass genocide.
Many are killed for the ideal of race. Many are killed for the ideal of gender. Many are killed for the ideal of female body rights. Many are killed for the ideal of sexual orientation. Many are killed for the ideal of social equity of outcome. Many are killed for the ideals of politics and economics. Many are killed for the ideals of money and power. These are extremes.
Many are also killed (usually spiritually, though sometimes physically) for lesser ideals like the ideal man or woman, the ideal lifestyle, or the ideal career.
Every person holds a wide variety of ideals, and it is impossible not to. Each person should have the liberty to hold whatever ideals they choose.
However, if we are willing to kill ourselves or others for an ideal, then that ideal becomes an idol.
That idol becomes our god.
False idols and false gods are not acceptable because of the destruction they bring to self and to the world around us.
Are we willing to kill for a dead god—a god that only brings destruction?
As mentioned in a previous article, all things of this world are passing away. If we are overly attached to the things of this world, which is an attachment that results in murder of self and others, how can we expect to live once that attachment is severed at the coming of the only One who is everlasting: Jesus Christ?
Wouldn’t it be better if we attached ourselves to Jesus instead of our dead idols?
Jesus provides a replacement ideal for every idol of mankind.
The idols of mankind are spirits of destruction in this world.
The Word of God severs soul and spirit with Truth. When all dead things—all lying idols—are destroyed, who can stand? It is better to know what is true by He who is True. We cannot do this if we do not know Jesus and what He stands for.
Murder—in spirit and in the flesh—occurs every day because of our idols, and Christians are not immune. Many within the church have ideals that replace knowing Jesus, what He really stands for, and how a Christian ought to order their life. They have their ideal denomination or doctrine, their ideal teachers or pastors, or their ideal positions within the church.
As with all ideals, there is a measure of liberty so long as that ideal does not bring murder. When that ideal brings murder, we have an idol.
There are many idols in the church.
Many are killed (as of now usually in spirit). Many are slandered, accused, and cast out from their congregations. Many are bound by legalism that creates illusions of Christ but does not bring Christ to the heart.
Many Christians embrace idols of this world also, such as those mentioned in the list above.
Thank God for His mercy and the blood of Jesus.
Even the most devout of Christians will struggle against ungodly ideals—even idols—and we need to be careful in judging this. If we are given the proper insight and judgment of God, we can judge what is right and what is wrong in a systemic sense. However, when dealing with individuals, we cannot judge. We do not know the inner struggles a person might face. We do not know the torment a person endures as they fight against an ideal that runs their life or tempts them to sin.
As we get to know Jesus better, He will remove our idols from us. He will replace these idols with Himself, and He does so with patience and wisdom as one who knows our frame and is merciful towards us. If we trust in Jesus, we are saved. We are forgiven of the destruction we have brought, and we are saved from the destruction of all dead things.
However, as we follow Jesus more, we will also learn what it means to “take up our cross.” We might even lay our own lives down in faithfulness to Jesus. In whatever manner we die, we are raised from the dead by the only One who brings Life.
Let us consider our ideals that have become deadly idols, replacing Jesus with another god. Let us get to know Jesus better so that we can identify these dead idols and replace them with Christ.
Let us consider what Jesus has to say concerning all dead things—and in contrast what Jesus has to say about the ways of life. The scriptures teach us if we will pay attention to them and seek Jesus above man (including our idols within the church).
We need to recognize our poverty in spirit and seek Jesus in all things.
If we recognize our poverty in spirit, He will give us understanding of what the scriptures teach. If we love the Jesus we find and seek to keep His ways, we will again recognize our poverty in spirit because we know that we can never perform that which is pleasing to Him. If we seek Jesus in this, He will send the Holy Spirit to work on us. He will free us from all dead things overtime according to the purposes of God for each individual.
As we continue to learn and approach Jesus for more of His Kingdom, we will continue to see our poverty in spirit, though we also rejoice in the riches He gives to us—which is the richness Christ and not this world. We will rejoice in Christ both in this present life and in the Kingdom to come. When we are raised from the dead at His coming, we will find full release from all dead things and we will live forever.
There is no idol worth dying for other than Jesus Christ because He is Life.
All dead idols will be destroyed. The dead things of this world will consume this world, and many will die. However, all things are for the good of the children of God. Jesus loves us, and He will chastise us as sons. As a result, many Christians will suffer because of their deadly attachments. However, many will also find mercy at the resurrection of the just through the blood of Jesus.
All Christians will suffer for the name of Jesus, either in defense of His name or as we die to this world and grow into Him. It is better that we suffer for righteousness sake than we suffer because of our dead idols.
If we must die for the namesake of Jesus, let it be in defense of Him not because of chastisement.
Part 5: Seek Jesus
The purpose of this article series has been to encourage myself and others to evaluate our false self-images so that we can find a new and better identity in Jesus Christ.
It can be difficult to peel away the layers of identity we put on over time—either as a means of conforming to what this world says we are or should be, or as a means of protection against the cruelties of this world.
The difficulty is greater when our sense of self is attached to strong ideals, especially once that ideal becomes a kind of god to us, controlling our thoughts, emotions, and actions—even encouraging us to destroy other people who attack our ideal because when that ideal is attacked, we feel personally threatened.
It can be difficult to look at ourselves honestly because we might think ourselves to be worse than the average person. Maybe we think that something is especially wrong with us, and we would rather hide from our darker selves and believe in the persona we have created for others to see.
However, there is a place where we can begin to do this hard work, and the reward is immeasurable.
There is One knows us already. Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our every thought and every deep intention of our heart. He knows what motivates us, what hurts us, what limits our ability to grow.
He knows exactly what we need to find freedom from the emotional and mental pain we carry. He knows how to divide us from the damaging things of this world and replace these things with a life-giving substance: Himself.
In Jesus we can be true with ourselves. There is no need to be anything else. In Jesus we can find a place of real purpose and contentment. In Jesus we can find what love really is. In Jesus we can find security in a hurtful and confusing world. In Jesus we can find life—even everlasting life.
Whether you have been a Christian for years, or if you are a new convert or an unbeliever, If you struggle with issues of toxic identity, I hope you will consider what Jesus can do for you.
I’ve been there. I was never allowed to be myself because myself was always degraded and replaced with what everyone else said I should be. I became those things—most of which revolved around the negative labels that were fed to me for most of my life. One day I realized that I did not even exist. I was an empty shell of a person with no real identity.
It took a lot of time and work to get to know who I really am, and I am still learning. This began by looking at my faults honestly and realizing that I am a sinful person. Then I realized that everyone else is too, and that is why we need Jesus. From there I began to learn about Him and His teachings, I sought the Holy Spirit for two years and He came to me.
From there I continued to learn through exposure to different challenges as necessary for my growth, and now I am continuing on a new work of stripping away all of the aspects of myself that do not fit in with His Kingdom—and I have learned that a lot of these aspects of self were engrafted into my heart and mind through abuse.
I know this is the case for many people, though not always. I think most people can relate to the ideas mentioned in this series, simply because we live in this world and there is nothing we can do to prevent the things of this world from getting into us and molding us.
In Jesus, I am finding out who I really am, and this is not an identity of flattery or man-pleasing, nor is it an identity of toxic self-hatred. This is an identity that is beginning to know the person that God created.
This is a place and purpose in an everlasting Kingdom that is free from the ideologies, hatreds, and all variety of constraints in this world. There is still work to do in divesting myself of this world and waiting to see what Jesus will replace that with, and I expect this to be an ongoing journey until this life is over.
I feel so sorry for people who struggle with self-image or feel as if they have no place in this world. I am the same, but I know that Jesus is near the brokenhearted, and if we struggle in these areas then that means we are poor in spirit and that is good.
If we recognize our poverty of spirit then we can go to the One who created us and who can show us what our life was created to achieve in a new and better Kingdom than this dead world.
Do not make up for self-image or self-esteem issues by filling yourself with flattery or with the ideologies of this world. Do not make up for a painful life with destructive behaviors, drugs and alcohol, or pursuit of wealth and popularity. The things of this world only make a person fat in spirit and hinders growth in something better. However, our state is never too far gone for Jesus to deal with. I know this from personal experience too.
Reach out to Jesus, even if it feels strange at first. Call on His name and talk to Him. Talk to Him about your pain. Give it all to Him. Talk to Him about your struggles with destructive behaviors or desires that you wish you could overcome. Ask for Him to show you the truth in this confused world. Keep seeking Him and maybe He will answer.
How will He answer? Maybe He fills you with a desire to read the scriptures, or maybe He sends someone into your life who will help you learn and grow. His ways are perfect for each person because He knows precisely what and who He made. When He reaches back, you will know.
Was this article series helpful for you? Do you have something to share? Please feel free to leave a reply below and to share with friends.
The purpose of this article series has been to encourage myself and others to evaluate our false self-images so that we can find a new and better identity in Jesus Christ.
It can be difficult to peel away the layers of identity we put on over time—either as a means of conforming to what this world says we are or should be, or as a means of protection against the cruelties of this world.
The difficulty is greater when our sense of self is attached to strong ideals, especially once that ideal becomes a kind of god to us, controlling our thoughts, emotions, and actions—even encouraging us to destroy other people who attack our ideal because when that ideal is attacked, we feel personally threatened.
It can be difficult to look at ourselves honestly because we might think ourselves to be worse than the average person. Maybe we think that something is especially wrong with us, and we would rather hide from our darker selves and believe in the persona we have created for others to see.
However, there is a place where we can begin to do this hard work, and the reward is immeasurable.
There is One knows us already. Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows our every thought and every deep intention of our heart. He knows what motivates us, what hurts us, what limits our ability to grow.
He knows exactly what we need to find freedom from the emotional and mental pain we carry. He knows how to divide us from the damaging things of this world and replace these things with a life-giving substance: Himself.
In Jesus we can be true with ourselves. There is no need to be anything else. In Jesus we can find a place of real purpose and contentment. In Jesus we can find what love really is. In Jesus we can find security in a hurtful and confusing world. In Jesus we can find life—even everlasting life.
Whether you have been a Christian for years, or if you are a new convert or an unbeliever, If you struggle with issues of toxic identity, I hope you will consider what Jesus can do for you.
I’ve been there. I was never allowed to be myself because myself was always degraded and replaced with what everyone else said I should be. I became those things—most of which revolved around the negative labels that were fed to me for most of my life. One day I realized that I did not even exist. I was an empty shell of a person with no real identity.
It took a lot of time and work to get to know who I really am, and I am still learning. This began by looking at my faults honestly and realizing that I am a sinful person. Then I realized that everyone else is too, and that is why we need Jesus. From there I began to learn about Him and His teachings, I sought the Holy Spirit for two years and He came to me.
From there I continued to learn through exposure to different challenges as necessary for my growth, and now I am continuing on a new work of stripping away all of the aspects of myself that do not fit in with His Kingdom—and I have learned that a lot of these aspects of self were engrafted into my heart and mind through abuse.
I know this is the case for many people, though not always. I think most people can relate to the ideas mentioned in this series, simply because we live in this world and there is nothing we can do to prevent the things of this world from getting into us and molding us.
In Jesus, I am finding out who I really am, and this is not an identity of flattery or man-pleasing, nor is it an identity of toxic self-hatred. This is an identity that is beginning to know the person that God created.
This is a place and purpose in an everlasting Kingdom that is free from the ideologies, hatreds, and all variety of constraints in this world. There is still work to do in divesting myself of this world and waiting to see what Jesus will replace that with, and I expect this to be an ongoing journey until this life is over.
I feel so sorry for people who struggle with self-image or feel as if they have no place in this world. I am the same, but I know that Jesus is near the brokenhearted, and if we struggle in these areas then that means we are poor in spirit and that is good.
If we recognize our poverty of spirit then we can go to the One who created us and who can show us what our life was created to achieve in a new and better Kingdom than this dead world.
Do not make up for self-image or self-esteem issues by filling yourself with flattery or with the ideologies of this world. Do not make up for a painful life with destructive behaviors, drugs and alcohol, or pursuit of wealth and popularity. The things of this world only make a person fat in spirit and hinders growth in something better. However, our state is never too far gone for Jesus to deal with. I know this from personal experience too.
Reach out to Jesus, even if it feels strange at first. Call on His name and talk to Him. Talk to Him about your pain. Give it all to Him. Talk to Him about your struggles with destructive behaviors or desires that you wish you could overcome. Ask for Him to show you the truth in this confused world. Keep seeking Him and maybe He will answer.
How will He answer? Maybe He fills you with a desire to read the scriptures, or maybe He sends someone into your life who will help you learn and grow. His ways are perfect for each person because He knows precisely what and who He made. When He reaches back, you will know.
An ideal is anything, such as a person or idea, that represents that which is suitable or perfect. The ideals we hold vary depending on what is most important to us. The severity of attachment to our ideals can also vary from harmless to deadly.
There are many ideals. Here are a few:
There are ideals that encompass the perfection of some hobby or interest, such as an ideal sports team or artist.
There are lifestyle ideals that encompass the perfect career, social status, or family life.
There are personal ideals of a physical nature such as race or an idea of what is physically attractive.
There are personal ideals of an inward nature such as personality or morality.
There are ideals pertaining the world around us including politics and economics.
What ideals do we carry, and how harmful are they?
Once we have honestly evaluated the things we identify with, we can consider what that says about our ideals.
For example, if we strongly identify with our race, does race become an ideal that we look to? Do we consider what it means to be of that specific race then do our best to embody that image? Do we begin to destroy anything that seems to oppose our ideal, either within ourselves or others?
Herein lies one of the biggest problems with ideals: we will destroy anything that stands in the way of our ideal—especially if our sense of self is strongly attached to that ideal. We might even lay our own life down in protection of an ideal.
The possibility for destruction obviously depends on the nature of the ideal and our attachment to it. There is also a spectrum of destruction, ranging from personal attack through name calling, slander, and false accusations to murder of an individual or mass genocide.
Many are killed for the ideal of race. Many are killed for the ideal of gender. Many are killed for the ideal of female body rights. Many are killed for the ideal of sexual orientation. Many are killed for the ideal of social equity of outcome. Many are killed for the ideals of politics and economics. Many are killed for the ideals of money and power. These are extremes.
Many are also killed (usually spiritually, though sometimes physically) for lesser ideals like the ideal man or woman, the ideal lifestyle, or the ideal career.
Every person holds a wide variety of ideals, and it is impossible not to. Each person should have the liberty to hold whatever ideals they choose.
However, if we are willing to kill ourselves or others for an ideal, then that ideal becomes an idol.
That idol becomes our god.
False idols and false gods are not acceptable because of the destruction they bring to self and to the world around us.
Are we willing to kill for a dead god—a god that only brings destruction?
As mentioned in a previous article, all things of this world are passing away. If we are overly attached to the things of this world, which is an attachment that results in murder of self and others, how can we expect to live once that attachment is severed at the coming of the only One who is everlasting: Jesus Christ?
Wouldn’t it be better if we attached ourselves to Jesus instead of our dead idols?
Jesus provides a replacement ideal for every idol of mankind.
The idols of mankind are spirits of destruction in this world.
The Word of God severs soul and spirit with Truth. When all dead things—all lying idols—are destroyed, who can stand? It is better to know what is true by He who is True. We cannot do this if we do not know Jesus and what He stands for.
Murder—in spirit and in the flesh—occurs every day because of our idols, and Christians are not immune. Many within the church have ideals that replace knowing Jesus, what He really stands for, and how a Christian ought to order their life. They have their ideal denomination or doctrine, their ideal teachers or pastors, or their ideal positions within the church.
As with all ideals, there is a measure of liberty so long as that ideal does not bring murder. When that ideal brings murder, we have an idol.
There are many idols in the church.
Many are killed (as of now usually in spirit). Many are slandered, accused, and cast out from their congregations. Many are bound by legalism that creates illusions of Christ but does not bring Christ to the heart.
Many Christians embrace idols of this world also, such as those mentioned in the list above.
Thank God for His mercy and the blood of Jesus.
Even the most devout of Christians will struggle against ungodly ideals—even idols—and we need to be careful in judging this. If we are given the proper insight and judgment of God, we can judge what is right and what is wrong in a systemic sense. However, when dealing with individuals, we cannot judge. We do not know the inner struggles a person might face. We do not know the torment a person endures as they fight against an ideal that runs their life or tempts them to sin.
As we get to know Jesus better, He will remove our idols from us. He will replace these idols with Himself, and He does so with patience and wisdom as one who knows our frame and is merciful towards us. If we trust in Jesus, we are saved. We are forgiven of the destruction we have brought, and we are saved from the destruction of all dead things.
However, as we follow Jesus more, we will also learn what it means to “take up our cross.” We might even lay our own lives down in faithfulness to Jesus. In whatever manner we die, we are raised from the dead by the only One who brings Life.
Let us consider our ideals that have become deadly idols, replacing Jesus with another god. Let us get to know Jesus better so that we can identify these dead idols and replace them with Christ.
Let us consider what Jesus has to say concerning all dead things—and in contrast what Jesus has to say about the ways of life. The scriptures teach us if we will pay attention to them and seek Jesus above man (including our idols within the church).
We need to recognize our poverty in spirit and seek Jesus in all things.
If we recognize our poverty in spirit, He will give us understanding of what the scriptures teach. If we love the Jesus we find and seek to keep His ways, we will again recognize our poverty in spirit because we know that we can never perform that which is pleasing to Him. If we seek Jesus in this, He will send the Holy Spirit to work on us. He will free us from all dead things overtime according to the purposes of God for each individual.
As we continue to learn and approach Jesus for more of His Kingdom, we will continue to see our poverty in spirit, though we also rejoice in the riches He gives to us—which is the richness Christ and not this world. We will rejoice in Christ both in this present life and in the Kingdom to come. When we are raised from the dead at His coming, we will find full release from all dead things and we will live forever.
There is no idol worth dying for other than Jesus Christ because He is Life.
All dead idols will be destroyed. The dead things of this world will consume this world, and many will die. However, all things are for the good of the children of God. Jesus loves us, and He will chastise us as sons. As a result, many Christians will suffer because of their deadly attachments. However, many will also find mercy at the resurrection of the just through the blood of Jesus.
All Christians will suffer for the name of Jesus, either in defense of His name or as we die to this world and grow into Him. It is better that we suffer for righteousness sake than we suffer because of our dead idols.
If we must die for the namesake of Jesus, let it be in defense of Him not because of chastisement.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3).
First, what does it mean to be rich in spirit? I think this has to do with the spiritual attachments of a person. As mentioned previously, a person can be of many spirits, and the more consumed a person is with the spirits of this world the more their soul—the core self—is also attached to this world.
We know that this world is passing away, so we do not want to overly identify with this world and the spirits of this world.
A person who is rich in spirit feels a sense of contentedness with the things of this life and with themselves.
A person who is poor in spirit is not content with this life and with themselves. They know that something is missing from their life.
Can a person who is rich in spirit find the kingdom of heaven? If a person is content with their life, how can they give their life over to Jesus? If a person is content with themselves, how can they repent of sin? How can they seek Jesus to be healed if they “don’t need the physician?”
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mark 2:16-17).
The scribes and Pharisees were the religious authorities in the days of Jesus. They did not think that they needed to hear His teachings because they were whole already. They were rich in spirit.
Jesus knew this, so He did not bother much with the scribes and Pharisees. Instead, He spoke to the publicans (tax collectors) and “sinners.” The scribes and Pharisees were also sinners, but they could not see it. They justified themselves in their legalism and hypocrisy while condemning others. They felt themselves superior.
Jesus comes to those who are “poor in spirit,” and He makes them whole. A person who is poor in spirit is one who can receive the gospel. A person who is poor in spirit is one who can receive the Holy Spirit. A person who is poor in spirit is one who can continue to grow in the faith. It does not matter how long you have been a Christian. You still need the physician. There is still room to grow.
Knowing these things, should we support self-affirmation culture? Should we seek to have a positive self-image or a high self-esteem?
There are understandable reasons why a person would be attracted to the idea of positive self affirmations like, “you are enough,” “you are perfect just as you are,” “you are strong,” “you are independent,” and so on.
People cling to these things because they are poor in spirit and they are looking for something to fill themselves. However, if we fill ourselves with more “self” and not Jesus, then the void only worsens. Instead of being filled as we should be, we become desolate (empty and void of life-giving substance).
The ideas of positive self-esteem and self-affirmation culture are harmful lies that have invaded Christianity. This is a tool of flattery that makes a person fat and lazy in spirit. Jesus does not flatter, but Satan does.
There are few idols more harmful than the idol of self. There are few idols more harmful than the idol of mankind’s sufficiency. These are satanic in nature, and they rob you of the real wealth you could experience in Jesus. These lead to a mindset of “I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing.” Because of such ideas, many do not know that they are “poor, bloody, and naked.” (Revelation 3:14-22).
There are many Christian churches and teachings that perpetuate worldly prosperity. This includes measuring God’s blessings in financial wealth, popularity, and promoting a positive self image.
How is it that many do not see how deranged this is? Don’t we know that God wants to pull us out of this world, not make us comfortable and complacent in it?
It is amazing to me how many believers are of the prosperity gospel mindset, and some do not even recognize it. They even deny the prosperity gospel, but in their daily lives they welcome it. Their words betray them when they indicate God’s favor through money, career, popularity, or a positive sense of self. This is not good.
Let us consider this.
I know this life is hard and this world can be so cruel. We want to find our place. We want to be accepted. We want to be loved for who we are and not for what others think we should be. Many of us are carrying around deep shame that stems from childhood or abusive relationships. We want to believe that we are enough for someone.
In Jesus, you can come to Him just as you are no matter how sinful. However, He will not leave you unchanged and this is a blessing. He will fill you with Himself, and you will find your place of acceptance.
However, you will not find place and acceptance in the things of this world. The things of this world are in opposition to the things of the Kingdom of Heaven. This world might even despise you, but you will not care because you found a place that matters more. You found a love that matters more and sustains more than any person could, least of all your own self.
When He loves you, you are safe. He knows your flaws and He helps you overcome. He heals you, and though you are never good enough to live forever, He gives you everlasting life. You can trust in Him. He is your strength, sufficiency, and place. He provides you with a new nature, a new identity, and a new purpose in His kingdom.
You do not need self-affirmations or positive affirmations. You need Jesus.
If you are Christian and you cling to self-affirmations, then maybe you should consider. Are you still poor in spirit? That is good. Seek Jesus more.
Are you making yourself rich in spirit by filling yourself with more self and more of this world? That is not good. That is desolation. Repent and recognize your poverty so that Jesus is what fills your heart. You cannot have it both ways, and Jesus is not going to make you rich in spirits of this world. He will make you rich in His Spirit, but that requires poverty of the self and often poverty in this world.
Here are more scriptures to consider:
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones (Isaiah 56:15).
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise (Psalm 51:17).
16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. (Psalm 34:16-22).
Isaiah 61
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
4 And they shall build the old wastes,they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.
7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
8 For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
There are riches in spirit to gain in Jesus Christ. In Him we have joy, even during times of trouble and suffering. We trust in Jesus and not in the flatteries and dead things of this world. We praise Jesus alone, and not ourselves or others. In so doing, we are filled with the abundant riches of His Spirit, and there is nothing to be compared to what He has to offer us now and in the eternity.
As Christians, we need to glorify the Lord, Jesus in all that we do. If we are glorifying self or others, then there is a problem and we need to repent. Self is desolation. The world is desolation. Man is desolation. We need to recognize this. We need to stop glorying in man and filling others with flattery. We need to honor Jesus alone.
Self is an idol that needs to be removed. Do we worship this image? We should not. In the next article, we will consider other idols that we use to find our sense of place, purpose, and self. We will contrast these with the only ideal we should focus on: Jesus.
Note (inserted a few hours after original posting):
I try to be careful with my words, but sometimes I become aware of things that could be taken the wrong way. As for the prosperity gospel mentioned in the above article:
Just because a Christian is prosperous financially or in career or socially does not mean they support the prosperity gospel. God has a unique plan for each Christian. For some, wealth is a blessing so long as wealth does not distract from the Kingdom of Heaven. Others, like myself, who are prone to “cares of this life and deceitfulness of riches” are best in poverty. At least for a time.
I know Christians who I consider to be very prosperous financially, in career, and socially who seem to be very zealous for the faith also. They give thanks to God for their prosperity (as is fitting) and they are also very generous. There is a lot of hatred in this world for those who prosper in the world, and we do not perpetuate that. Many are covetous, envious, and hateful towards the rich. That is not the Christian way.
We do not accuse our brethren of belief in the “prosperity gospel” just because they are prosperous or give thanks to God for prosperity in this world. However, the prosperity gospel is a real hindrance towards riches in the Kingdom of Heaven. Each person can seek Jesus and evaluate their own hearts. We do not have that place or that right to accuse people, especially the wealthy who thank God and have a giving heart.
We should also consider that the poor in this country are wealthy when compared to other countries. My poverty is also wealth. Do I believe in the prosperity gospel? No. After considering what I wrote this morning, I felt the statements I made about the prosperity gospel to have an accusatory tone because the full idea was not made clear. It was not meant that way, and I don’t want the writing to be used in that way.
To identify something, we must understand the qualities of the object we want to identify. What about identifying the self? What makes up the self?
In the scripture, we see that a person is body, soul, and spirit.
Is our identity wrapped up in our physical self, including appearance, race, and gender? It certainly seems that these attributes are important to many people.
What about spiritual identity? What is spirit? We are told in scripture that man became a living soul after receiving the spirit of life from God (Genesis 2:7). Spirit is what animates a person (John 6:63). I believe that a person can be of many spirits. The spirit of a person might include aspects of personality, belief systems or ideologies, and perhaps abilities. There also seems to be spirits of sin, such as murder, envy, and pride.
A spirit can be shared among many individuals. There are “spirits of the times” and ideologies that possess entire groups of people. All Christians with the Holy Spirit are of the Spirit of God, though in different measures. Only Jesus had the Holy Spirit in fullness (John 3:34).
What about the soul? The soul seems to be the core and unique aspect of the individual. The soul cannot exist without body and spirit. When the spirit of life is divided from the soul, the soul and body die (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Many believe that the soul is immortal. That is not true. God only has immortality (1 Timothy 6:16).
What does all of this have to do with identity, and why does it matter?
This matters when we consider the idea of eternal life.
First, we consider that which is passing away.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (1 John 2:15-17).
15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:15-17).
8 Charity (love) never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away (1 Corinthians 3:8-10).
There are many things that do not have an immortal nature. Physical identity, race, and gender do not have an immortal nature. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) There are also many spirits that are passing away, such as social ideologies that are against the teachings of Jesus, as well as spirits of sin and spirits of antichrist.
Now, let’s consider that which is everlasting: Jesus Christ—the Word of God.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35).
Consider this:
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).
When Jesus returns—when the Word returns—all that is of a dead nature will be “destroyed by the brightness of His coming.”
What happens when a person’s identity—a person’s core self and soul—is attached to that which is passing away? Can the soul live?
I think it is natural for people to attach their sense of self to things like politics, social movements, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or other forms of classification. We want to find our place, and that which we identify with becomes our sense of security and fills a need for order and connection with others.
However, many things we attach ourselves to are dead things. What will we do when the true nature of the dead thing we are attached to become exposed? Will we feel personally threatened? People do. This is natural, though it is dangerous.
Thankfully, we serve a wise, patient, and kind God. Jesus understands our frame, and He works on us according to His perfect timing and methods. It is true that the Word is sharp and powerful, able to divide soul from spirit. His Word can kill. However, His word can also make alive, and He knows precisely how to cut away the dead things from a person without destroying them.
This is an amazing thing to consider.
Through faith in Jesus, His blood cleanses us of our sins so that we are freed from the final consequence of sin which is death. Through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, the things we identify with that are harmful or contrary to the teachings of Jesus are stripped away over time, and we are given a new identity. We even receive a new name—if not during this present life, then in the life to come.
However, though we perceive ourselves as “new,” to God we are coming into our true selves. As we walk more after the Spirit and less after the constraining labels of the flesh, we begin to see who God created us to be. Before we were formed in the womb, God knew who He was creating.
This is a fearful thing but also a reassuring thing. Jesus loved us before we loved Him, and He knows exactly what He made and who He will make. We can approach Him safely, as a child with a good parent, knowing that our God intends everything for our good and He is kindly disposed towards us in our sinful struggles. This is especially true when we are honest about our sin and desire to do what is right. When we approach God in this manner, He is safe and we can trust in Him.
In Conclusion:
We all want to find our place in this world. However, we do not want to overly identify with the things of this world which are passing away. Jesus provides us with a better place—an everlasting habitation—that is free from the sinful constraints and labels of this world. That is so freeing.
Mankind can be very merciless, and it can feel impossible to escape the labels of our past. It is not so with God when we put our faith in Jesus. We are created again new. We are not bound to our past but freed from it so that we can live and pursue a better way in Jesus.
This is an amazing gift and opportunity that was bought with the precious blood of the Son of God. Let us really consider and lay hold of this. How great is the salvation we are given? How miraculous, merciful, kind, wise, and perfect?
What dead things do we need to divest ourselves of? What life in Christ must we put on? We need to find our identity in Jesus. Who did God create us to be? What purpose do we have in His kingdom now and to come?
As mentioned in the first article within this series, there are many forces in this world telling us who we are and who we should be. In Jesus, we can begin to strip all of this away. These things do not matter. These things are not alive, but dead.
Jesus will strip away the parts of our identity that do not fit in with His Kingdom so that He can create us again in His image. He will cause this to happen, and there is nothing we can do to get in the way of His work. We are His work, and all freedom from this world we experience is His work in us.
However, in order to prepare our hearts for His work, we must repent. We must look at ourselves honesty and with humility, so that we can see our deprived state and understand our dependence on Jesus for our salvation. This brings us to the topic of the next article in this series: self-affirming culture.
Many people try to free themselves from their painful past, negative labels, and a toxic self-image through positive affirmations like, “you are perfect just as you are,” “you are enough,” and the like. This is understandable, but this is not the most effective way. This is not the Christian way. There is a better way in Jesus, and we will discuss this in more detail.
As a side note, I plan to get back to the Considering Proverbs series once this series on self image is completed.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
If we pay attention to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles and if we put our trust in Jesus alone, we have everything necessary to defend ourselves against the ways of the “strange woman.”
Her ways can be found throughout scripture. I believe what we read of in Proverbs compares very closely to what we read of the Great Whore of Mystery Babylon in Revelation—who is the great apostasy within the church. It is said that she is “that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
There is another city. There is New Jerusalem. A city is not just a location on a map, but a people. As Christians, we are residents of New Jerusalem. The apostate church that worships the false Christ is the Great Whore of Mystery Babylon.
The entire book of Revelation is written to the churches, and the beginning shows us that five out of seven churches are warned with being removed. In Revelation 11 we see that two candlesticks remain who keep the testimony of Jesus and speak against the Great Whore and the false Christ. When their testimony is finished, they are killed. Three and a half days later the Spirit of Life from God enters them and they are resurrected.
It is not far fetched to consider the shortcomings of Christianity or to consider that the majority will fall away when the false Christ comes.
However, we who trust in Jesus do not need to despair or begin to doubt our salvation. I do think it is wise for us to consider the devises of the “strange woman” and Satan. All things are created by God for a purpose, and we should do our best to hear what He is saying to us.
We can learn a lot about the ways of the “strange woman” within Revelation including the warnings given to the churches, the description of the two beasts, and the description of the Great Whore of Mystery Babylon. We can also learn from the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, as well as the Old Testament prophets concerning the enemies of Israel.
If we can learn about these things, and contrast the ways of the “strange woman” and Satan with those of the faithful church and Jesus Christ, then we should see some important differences that help prepare our hearts and minds, safeguarding us against that great deception.
Isn’t trust in Jesus what matters most? If we trust in Him, why bother learning about these things?
It is true that trusting in Jesus is paramount, and no amount of knowledge will prepare us if we are not faithful to Him. However, as faithful stewards who are building up the Kingdom, we should not be unarmed against the enemies to come. Just as the men of Nehemiah carried swords on their person while they rebuilt the wall of the temple, we carry the Word of God.
We need to study the scriptures and understand so that we might be wise concerning the ways of our adversaries and prepared to make a stand against them. Many strong men will die at their hands, and even now, many strong men are captivated by the “strange woman” who leads the church towards death.
As Isaiah wrote, “hell hath enlarged herself and opened her mouth without measure.”
As faithful Christians, we are not to be consumed. Yet, let us be wise. Let us use every tool we have at our disposal. Let us consider what the word says through scripture concerning these matters. Let us hear what the Word says and be strengthened by Him and filled with Him, so that we use the Word to fight our enemies. “Fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies.”
If we want that power—if we want to be among the two faithful churches—then we need to show ourselves to be good stewards of the word of God that was written and faithful recipients of the blood that was shed by the Word of God.
All of this said, what are the ways of the “strange woman” and the contrasting ways of the faithful church?
This has been discussed somewhat in this Proverbs study, and we will continue to explore this topic.
In general terms, I believe the ways of the “strange woman” have to do with abusing the word of God (the scriptures) and the Word of God (Jesus’s sacrifice). In general terms, we do so when we go the extreme of forgetting mercy for sinners and we do so when we go the extreme of condoning a sinful life.
We also do so when we exalt others above Jesus. These lead to the death of many spiritually and physically, and if we are “drunken with blood” then we will have to drink the cup which we have filled.
The mercy of God given through Jesus underpins all judgments. Though we have been unfaithful to the Word, we can find mercy if we admit our ways to the Lord and do everything we can to turn to Him more fully. In so doing, should we be here during the time of great trouble and temptation, we will stand with greater peace of mind.
The world will be full of fear when the end times truly begin—so full of fear that their hearts fail (Luke 21, Mark 13, 2 Thessalonians 2). We are not in the end times, and Jesus will not return at just any time to rapture the church away. We do not trust in the rapture which will not come, but in the resurrection when Jesus returns at the seventh trumpet.
It is the Great Whore who says, “no harm will come to us.” Harm will come to us. Jesus said so. The apostles said so. Revelation says so. However, in Christ we have the ultimate victory. If we suffer and die—just as Christians around the world have always suffered and died (are we better in the United States that we should not?)—He will raise us up.
Though the earth will be full of fear as never seen before, we will trust in Jesus. Our trust is made stronger when we repent of our unfaithfulness and know that we are right with Him. Our trust is made stronger when we see Him working in our lives, drawing us closer to Him and away from the “strange woman.”
I know that some discount Old Testament prophets because Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant. However, everything occurs in cycles and there is “nothing new under the sun.” We can learn a lot from the Old Testament prophets when viewed in light of the New Covenant and Revelation.
All of the prophecies speak of Jesus and warn us of the ways of our adversaries. The hearts of man are alike, and we have gone astray just as the people of God have always gone astray. We are no better, and Revelation as well as teachings of Jesus and the apostles speak to this fact.
That being said, this scripture from Isaiah comes to mind:
Isaiah 1:10-31
10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:
23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
24 Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.
27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.
28 And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.
29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.
30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.
What about myself? It is good for us to consider our own state and our own sin above all else. I know that Jesus tries the hearts of man, and for the majority we are alike. It is only by the blood of Jesus and the work of His Spirit that I am cleansed of sin and “quickened” after His likeness.
I don’t always take the word as seriously as I should, and I have been very clumsy with it at times. I don’t always take the Word as seriously as I should, and I don’t feel worthy that His Word should come from the things I speak or write. I need to grow in this.
However, He is faithful and merciful, and He shows us how to be more faithful with what we are given. If we seek Him and continue to seek Him, though we make mistakes and struggle with sin, He is patient with us. He will not leave us nor forsake us.
We do not receive the Word because we are worthy, but so that His name is honored. “For His namesake, He leads me in the paths of righteousness. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For you are with me. Your rod and your staff they comfort me.” This is true for all who put their trust in Him.
What do you do when you are faced with a huge problem, and the only solution available to you is sinful? I am faced with such a scenario, and I suspect that many Christians will be faced with a very similar scenario due to the fear, apathy, complacency, and selfishness of those in power.
As a Christian, I trust in the Lord, Jesus. However, I don’t believe in tempting God either. So, I always try to do my best to handle any problem I face head on and prayerfully.
As for my problem, I have wracked my brain for an answer. There must be something I can do. Right?
Sure. There are several things I could do. Unfortunately, every option would lead to sin.
Would I sin to save myself or others?
It is so tempting, but in prayer I resisted and sought the Lord. If there is no way out without sin, then what is left? Do I just face my doom and the doom of others I love? Is that the Lord’s will? Maybe so. Maybe I try my best to be thankful for what life remains, wait for the end, and go down praising the Lord.
I began to accept this, when in my mind I heard this saying: “wait and see what the Lord will do.”
That saying seemed like scripture, so I looked it up. I think this is reference to Exodus 14. I am sharing this because I have realized that things in my life reflect larger issues in the world now and to come, so I want to encourage my brethren.
When things seem hopeless and there is no escape without giving into sin, “wait and see what the Lord will do.” I do not know what the Lord will do, but I do think this scripture reveals His plan for us somewhat.
Just as God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, He has hardened the hearts of many in this time and He will harden many more in the time to come. This is necessary so that our Lord, Jesus, can be glorified. He will save us from our troubles. He will make a way to escape.
However, His way of escape might not be what we want. Maybe the only escape we have is in spirit as we turn our hearts and minds to Him fully. Maybe we go down praising the Lord with faith in the resurrection. That may still be true for me. I don’t know, but it comforts me to comfort others. So, that is what I hope to do.
We all face temptations, and there is no temptation to sin like saving your own skin or those you love. “Wait and see what the Lord will do.”
Exodus 14
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. And they did so.
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:
7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
8 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord.
11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
26 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
31 And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses.
Jesus Alone 