How can 'you doing you' conflict with your Christian values?
If you’ve heard the phrase “You do you” once, you’ve probably heard it a gazillion times. It’s a popular saying in the current climate and is often used in conjunction with telling someone to just “do them” regardless of whether you agree with their actions. Oftentimes, we find ourselves telling people, “You do you and I’ll do me” as a way to avoid confrontation and encourage people to be their “true self.”
Can you doing you — also known as being your true self — conflict with your Christian values? The short answer is possibly, it may conflict with your Christian values. Here’s why:
Our identity is in Christ
Our goal should not be to live our best life according to ourselves. Our chief desire should be to find who we are in Christ. Knowing who you are in Jesus begins with understanding who Christ is. So, that’s where we should start. Much like Jesus asked in Matthew 16:15, ask who He is.
Learn what the Bible has to say about Jesus’ character:
He is the Bread of Life — “I am the bread of life.” John 6:35 (NIV)
Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life — “I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6 (NASB1995)
He was a sacrifice — “Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live." Galatians 1:4 (NLT)
Once you have a solid understanding who Jesus is, it makes it easier to understand who you are in Christ. Here’s what the Bible has to say about you:
You are forgiven — “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Ephesians 1:7 (NIV)
You are a conqueror — “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 (NIV)
You are chosen — “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
We have a sinful nature
We are sinners by nature (thanks, Adam and Eve), which means that you doing you may lead to giving in to that sinful nature rather than seeking to follow God’s Word. Let’s dig in a little more on the topic of sin.
For starters, sin was not created by God. He created the world and everything in it, but He didn’t create sin. When Adam chose to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, sin entered the world. As humans, we are prone to temptation and to sin. Because of that reason, you doing you may lead to some pretty hefty sin, which may lead to some even heavier consequences.
God loves honesty
God wants us to live a truthful life, doing what is right according to what we believe to be true. If you’re a Christ follower, what you believe to be true is the Word of God. Jesus wants you to be honest with yourself and who you are, and that requires digging deep into the Word of God to learn about who you are according to Jesus. He wants you to ask the hard questions about who you are, and the answers are in the Bible. In Philippians 4:6, the Bible reminds us to “not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (NIV).
The question really is: If you’re a Christian, does you doing you differ from who you are in Jesus? The idea of embracing one’s true self and you doing you sounds great, but learning how to just be you in Christ will give you freedom.
Centerpoint Church is ready to walk with you on your faith journey
At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. Do you want to grow in your faith, or are you simply curious about who this Jesus guy is? You’re not alone. We encourage you to listen to our series online and welcome you to come to one of our Sunday morning services in Valrico, Florida.