Sacred Gift of Knowing Yourself - a Biblical Perspective

 

The psalmist said humans are "fearfully and wonderfully made!" But who really knows themselves? Does it matter if you know yourself - what you think? What you believe? What bugs you, what thrills you? What if I told you, in Christ, your sanctification process is honing and refining your personality so you make sense to yourself and others. 

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Matthew 5:14 - Jesus said about His disciples, "You are the Light of the world.." Sound theological principles teach us how our physical being hosts the presence of God, our Soul (mind, will and emotions - also personality) expresses the nature of God unique to how he created us; and our Spirit - once dead, but made alive by the redemptive work of the Cross - informs our Soul. It is easy to see how humans fail in living for God because they are ill equipped for the conflict that arises in conscience... 

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Focusing on our Soul - by understanding how we are created in His image for His particular purpose, we can see how our natural propensity to self-preserve gets in the way of living brilliantly for God. It requires radical faith to surrender our natural instincts so we live free of its limitations and  

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The study of human behavior has been around for centuries. Corporations have utilized personality assessments to qualifiy job applicants. Identifying strengths and limitations in candidates is critical in placing the right kind of person in the position. We are different! The study of human beings has been around for centuries!

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People of faith, those who are spiritually alive in Christ, hold a beautiful, vibrant spiritual advantage that brings a higher perspective to life. Faith is a mystical thing that provides unspeakable joy, peace that surpasses understanding, love that transcends judgment. This also includes uncomfortable pangs of guilt or discontentment moving us forward in humility. 

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The Apostle Paul stated this in his painful anguish found in Romans 7 where he describes the tension between natural inclinations (Old Nature) and his born-again nature (New Nature) – and writes at Romans 7:22-25

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For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord! 

 

Is it helpful to understand the dynamic between our old nature, the one created by God in the first place, and the new nature that comes with redemption? Wherever two or more are gathered…there is conflict! Anyone who has spent any time with other humans can attest to the difficulties and struggles of living as Jesus asked – in unity. We know Jesus' heart through John 13:34-35

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"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”