“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” E.E. Cummings
Authenticity: the quality of being real or true.
I love that when I hash-tagged (I think hash-tagged is a real word in our current culture) the word authenticity on an Instagram post, I gained new followers. One is openly gay. One is a writer who uses very colorful language with expertise. And, one is living out loud the mantra of sex, drugs, and rock and roll through his social media feed.
Why do I love that? Because it affirms my belief that becoming authentic is a deep desire of every heart. Because of their response, I’m sure these three people believe that by living “their truth” out loud they are embracing authenticity. If one of my new friends actually reads this blog post, let me first say to you that I understand your quest in desiring to live truthfully. And, just because I am a Christian doesn’t mean that I am angry with you. As a matter of fact, I’m not angry at all; I care deeply about you. But, if you would allow me to challenge you a bit, I would like to propose that until we come into a relationship with Jesus, true authenticity is an impossibility.
And here is why…
We are all born into this world the same way – separated spiritually from Father God who is the originator of life. We find ourselves taking on an understanding of who we are based on both our propensity toward certain behaviors and our experiences that mold our thinking and emotional biases. Ultimately, we take on a false identity because we are not connected to the source of truth. This is true whether we find that the consequences of our choices bring with them a sense of fragmentation, or we spend our days working toward physical and emotional wholeness. Without being identified with Christ – our identity can be shifted to fit our life experiences. If I get to decide who I am, then what keeps me from changing that perception when it doesn’t suit me anymore? If others are allowed to define me, what keeps me from changing my core beliefs based on the pressures of that group?
If my identity is founded upon shifting sand, then what is truly authentic about it?
The good news of the Gospel is that we no longer have to be separated from our heavenly Father. Through being identified with Jesus we can literally be born again and become the person that we are truly designed to be. Every person has a God-given expression of the Kingdom that we are to fulfill during our lives. This is the cry we all have in our souls for authenticity.
Romans 8:29-30 says this, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
Did you know that Father knew you before you were born? This is not a scripture about those who are chosen and those who are not. This is a beautiful expression of Father’s heart toward every person that has been placed on the earth. We originate in the heart of Father God long before the biological act of conception takes place. Because God has foreknown us, he has marked out a destiny that transpires as we are conformed into the image of the first-born son, Jesus.
What does that mean? It means that when we are re-born, we take on the family characteristics that we have been re-born into – we become like Jesus in our character. It doesn’t mean we are all alike. We each have a unique expression to give back to those around us. But, we are called to live in the light of God’s face – fully forgiven and in the process of being completely liberated from the false identity that the world offered us before we knew anything else.
Over the next few weeks, we will look at what it takes to live a truly authentic life in Christ.
If this speaks to you, I write about this in greater detail in my book One Small Voice. It is my own story of learning to shed the false identity that pain brings upon a soul and then experiencing the deep healing that Jesus offers so that we may live freely in his love and care – and in turn be our authentic Kingdom selves.
You may order your copy on Amazon today by using the link below:
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