The True Self

In Ephesians 4, the biblical writer (Paul?) instructed his readers to put off the old self, to put on the new self (Ephesians 4:22-24). The author's image of changing clothes depicts the essence of the spiritual journey. It is a journey of inner transformation and change. The spiritual journey is about the interior life - the condition of the heart.

We live out of what is inside ... out of what is in our heart. The condition of the heart determines what we do and how we relate. As the heart is transformed, what we do and how we relate changes, as well.

Thomas Merton, the Trappist monk and mystic, referred to the new self as the true self - the person God originally created us to be and is now recreating us to be. The true self is who we are in Christ.

The true self (new self) has two dimensions: (1) who God created us to be when God knit us together in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13-14) coupled with (2) how God is recreating us into the likeness of Christ.

The true self includes our uniqueness - who we are that no one else can be. As we grow into our true self, we joyfully live out of our gifts and abilities in an area of passion to make a difference in the life of another in Jesus' name. True self = gifts + passions + ministry in Jesus' name.

The true self is also who we are with a transformed heart. The true self is the product of God's work, of the Spirit's work in our life. The biblical writer said the new self is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (vs. 24). The true self reflects the likeness of God, the character of God. The true self is who we are as we mature spiritually.

Thus, the true self exhibits the fruit of the Spirit. The true self lives out of joy and peace. The true self chooses to love as Jesus loved.

The new self stands in contrast to the old self. The biblical writer described the old self as "corrupt and deluded by its lusts" (vs. 22 - think of "lusts" as hungers). The old self is the self-serving self, the one that lives out of a what's-in-it-for-me spirit. I speak of the old self as the constructed self - the self we created by conforming to the expectations and demands of some social group (family, church, school, friends, community, society.)  The old self or constructed self is who we became in order to gain attention or acceptance or affection or approval from that defining group. (These four - attention, acceptance, approval, affection - are our emotional hungers that unconsciously govern our lives.) In other words, our old self is who they create us to be. (As adults, these original groups give way to a fraternity/sorority, country club, service organization, business associates, etc.)

Our old, constructed self is based upon external conformity to the expectations and social standards of our "homies." Note: it is focused on the externals, not the internal - behavior, not the heart - what we do or don't do, not what is deep inside. Our old, constructed self depends on self-effort, resulting in trying harder to do better. It naturally involves comparing - comparing ourselves to the standard of expectations, comparing ourselves to others. It produces us-them thinking - who is acceptable, who is not; who's in, who's out. It naturally involves competing, leading to better than-less than thinking. It naturally involves judging leading to merit-based thinking. "S/he doesn't deserve ..." "It s/he would only ..., then ..." It naturally involves using power against others, bargaining acceptance and approval for conformity while threatening rejection and condemnation.

This old, constructed self is a fragile self, easily threatened by that which is different and those who are different. We protect it through ridged beliefs and positions. We attack and demonize anyone who does not align with our beliefs and positions.

The old, constructed self cannot love as Jesus loved. It is too busy protecting its fragile veneer. It does not know inner peace or joy. It lives with anxiety and fear, anger and resentment. Love, joy, and peace are only possible as the Spirit transforms our hearts, setting us free to be who God created us to be ... the new self, our true self.