If the only time you act like a Christian is when you are attending church or around other Christians, you are an imposter. You are a facade. Jesus uses the metaphor, “whitewashed tombs” in the book of Matthew and then Paul used the metaphor, “whitewashed wall” in Acts. A good word picture for that is “where external piety hides internal rot”*
So, who are you. The real you. The lowest level of how you act in different circles is who you really are. That’s your base model. That’s who Jesus sees and knows. That’s who He recognizes. Your Grammy-winning performance in front of others is just a show. It’s not the authentic you. You are just coming in and out of character.
The book of Galatians tells us that “if we walk in the spirit” we will not ” fulfill the lust of the flesh.” It goes on to tell us what that looks like in chapter 5, verses 19, 20 and 21: “Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things — as I warned you before — that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Why does this matter? Do I really need to address the inconsistency?
The answer is, “Yes.” It does matter and we must address the inconsistency! The Bible says, in John 8:23, “the truth will set you free.” If I don’t live in the reality of who I am, I will never kill my old self with its habits and behaviors. If I continue to pretend I’m someone that I’m not, I will never have a reason to change. As long as we cover up and hide, we will never change.
So, how do I get off what I don’t like instead of covering up and hiding?
This can be done by taking a good long look in the mirror. Let’s take a look at this in a natural, earthly way.
When you stand naked in front of the mirror you see the real you. When you’ve taken off all the makeup, the hair extensions, the wig, the fake nails, the fake lashes, the girdle, the tight clothes, and anything else that hides and covers up, this is 100%, authentically you. This is where you can take stock and truly find the problems and look for healthy solutions to transform yourself into a new authentic you.
If you are overweight and hiding behind girdles and tight clothes to try and look thinner, you have not changed, but tricked yourself and others into believing you look better than you really are. The only honest and real way to bring change is to stop hiding behind props and actually get rid of what you are hiding. You start exercising, eating healthy, get medical advice, seek a personal trainer, and you do this in order to change the things you don’t like and create the new body you want. You kill old eating habits, lazy or sedentary activities, and choices.
Even thin women have insecurities and need props to distract others from their flaws. Some women who claim to be Christian wear low-cut, tight, and sensual outfits to draw the eyes of others for attention. It’s all clouds and smoke to hide what’s really going on. The need to be seen and have approval is what feeds immodest exposure. The glances and compliments fill a need that has not been address. The only way to stop hiding behind this behavior is to be honest about the need. What is the root cause of attention seeking? What lies make you believe your value lies in your body? Why do you need approval from others? Getting honest about the truth helps find real solutions that brings healing and transformation at the core of who you are. When you become the healthy “new you,” the performance stops and the hiding ends. You do this by getting counseling, spiritual advice, and reading the word of God.
God does not want the fake you or the sinful you, he wants the changed you.
If we want to identify with Christ and we say we accept him as our savior, we are told in Scripture to follow Him. Just as Christ died for our sins, we are called to die to our self. “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20.) Jesus came to give us new life. To save us from ourself. The Word of God tells us to take off the old man. (Eph 4:22.)
If you have not died to yourself, it is not Chirist who is living in you and you are not a new creature. You are still the old man. We are called to become a new creature. We are to die to our old behaviors, die to our old responses, die to our old habits, die to our old lifestyle.
If peer pressure, social pressures and worldly pressure make you adjust to perform, God hasn’t changed your heart. You haven’t died to the flesh. Maybe its time for a spiritual heart transplant!
The Bible says, “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45.) Listen to what you say and you will know the condition of your heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
The question is, “what is flowing out of your heart and are you guarding it?” This is your responsibility. You are accountable for your actions and we are told in the Bible to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Then Jesus said, in Mark 7:21-23, “For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, self-indulgence, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”
Do you recognize any of these heart conditions? What are you doing about it? Are you trampling the grace of God? The author of Hebrews says, “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,” and “How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?”
Hard words to swallow. Difficult questions to answer. A good start is getting spiritually naked before an almighty, righteous God, and being completely honest and real. It’s being ready to die to yourself and allowing the Holy Spirit to live in and through you so that you begin to live a life imitating Christ. Maybe its time you stop making excuses for your sin and taking responsibility for your actions and start obeying the word of God.
It’s not easy to do, but we are able to accomplish it though the power of a good and loving God. He is gracious, forgiving, and patient.
But he is also a jealous God, and He wants you. All of you. He wants a changed you. Are you ready?