Myth, 106

 ~ Just Be Yourself ~

Myth  ~  Many times people are encouraged to “just be themselves.”

Reality  ~  All humans are sinful and wicked.  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Scripture  ~  “As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.  They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.  Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes’” (Romans 3:10-18).

The Truth  ~  Rather than to be ourselves we are to be like Christ.  We are to continuously seek to become increasingly like Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

It starts with our thinking and our minds. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him” (Philippians 2:5-9a).

“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” (Romans 8:29-30).   

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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