We often hear the advice, “just be yourself, be true to who you are.” For Christians, this can be a dilemma…
We often hear the advice, “just be yourself, be true to who you are.” For Christians, this can be a dilemma, because we have two natures (see Galatians 5:16-21, and Ephesians 4:22-24):
1) the old nature, or sin nature, which indulges in moral filth and debauchery, selfishness and greed, idolatry, anger, strife, racism, etc;
2) the new nature, or Christ-likeness, demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit, love, peace, self control, integrity, humility, purity, etc.
When someone tells you to just be yourself, to be true to yourself, you need to decide which self you want to be, which nature will be dominant. Scripture exhorts us to put off the old nature/self, which belongs to our former manner of life, with its deceitful passions and lusts; and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, putting on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
So be yourself, not the sin-indulgent person you are when your sin nature dominates. But be the new person, the new creation whom God has made you to be in Christ. Amen!