Be Yourself or Deny Yourself?

David Hunter · May 16, 2023

Be you! Be yourself! Do you! Oh the messages that bombard our minds. Not only are these messages from public figures and self-help books, but family, friends and... even from the, gulp, Christian Church? Today's video I share what's on my heart about the "be you" and "be yourself" trend that's going around and what we really should be doing...

I'd also love to hear your thoughts about this as well so comment below!

friend of · May 16, 2023

The more your will is resigned to God's will, the more of a human being you will become.

David Hunter · May 16, 2023

friend of said:
The more your will is resigned to God's will, the more of a human being you will become.

Interesting take on that... By human being to you mean more alive?

friend of · May 16, 2023

David Hunter said:
Interesting take on that... By human being to you mean more alive?

I mean we have an ever greater will for our lives and the lives of those whom we touch with our presence, when we are following God's plan for our lives as closely as can be. This is in the form of sanctification and being Spirit-led. Being truly Spirit-led is the pinnacle of human excellence.

Strong in Him · May 17, 2023

David Hunter said:
Be you! Be yourself! Do you! Oh the messages that bombard our minds. Not only are these messages from public figures and self-help books, but family, friends and... even from the, gulp, Christian Church? Today's video I share what's on my heart about the "be you" and "be yourself" trend that's going around and what we really should be doing...

We have to be ourselves and the people God made us to be - to try to be someone else would mean that we were putting on an act or being inauthentic.

Denying ourselves means denying our own needs/desires/rights and putting God first.
We were created by God, in his image, to know him and be his children; this is who we were made to be.

Gregory Thompson · May 17, 2023

best of both worlds: be your denial self.

One thing about this message is that, once you deny yourself and become the person based on the Spirit, do you continue denying the yourself you have become?

Since the old is gone and the new has come, am I my body, or the thing God transformed within me? I'd like to think I'm that thing God brought to life, and not the temporary dwelling of my body. So depending on your perspective, "being yourself" can mean different things.

Sometimes pastors use messages like this to put the hones on people and avoid responsibility and avoid answering tough questions.

Furthermore, the core teaching for Christians is to love others like you love yourself. So if this type of message is taken to an extreme as it usually is, people start hating themselves. As a result, a church that hates others the way they hate themselves becomes common.

The message is indeed in the scripture, and appears simple, but does not take other factors such as the core teaching into effect in the application.

Benjamin Müller · May 17, 2023

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

I have noticed at the stores when browsing through things, especially those girlie planner stickers (you know those sticker things at Dollar Tree for 12 year olds), well they have a lot of "empowering statements", like BE YOU(RSELF); GIRL BOSS; I'M AWESOME. Now, when it's directed at 12 year olds, I'm like, meh, whatever, little girls will be little girls, but when grown women (and men) are saying the same 'empowering statements', I'm honestly embarrassed for them. It actually seems like witchcraft to me because their trying to get people to channel their inner power for emotional self-reliance and the freedom from restraint (or self control), rather than to focus on God and rely on His power and overcome the pulls of the flesh.

If I were 'to be myself', I would be miserable, grumpy, unkind, selfish, covetous, cruel, unmerciful, a liar, jealous, envious, bitter, a thief, a murderer, rebellious (which is as the sin of witchcraft) - yeah this list can go on and on.

Telling me to be myself or telling anyone to be themselves, isn't good advice. I know who I am without God the Father and Jesus Christ ruling in my life, and I hate who I am. And I don't even know everything about myself! but what I do know, I hate. We're told to overcome, and as Christians we have to Overcome Satan, the World and Ourselves--by being ourselves, we are not overcomers.

Honestly it's a bit sad to me because these people who latch onto these sayings are lost without God and are seeking spiritual gratification through the self-empowerment trend. When they realize that these empowering statements don't work and their still not better off--because we never will be without God--a new trend will pop up and people will chase after the new trend. Wish we could just tell them that the Old Ways is what works: worship God.

Strong in Him · May 17, 2023

Michael Collum said:
best of both worlds: be your denial self.

One thing about this message is that, once you deny yourself and become the person based on the Spirit, do you continue denying the yourself you have become?

Since the old is gone and the new has come, am I my body, or the thing God transformed within me?

For me, being myself means being who God created me to be. That means being true to my gifts and recognising that I have desires and needs. So, for example, not becoming a teacher/doctor/judge because other people want me to. Not stifling my creativity because other people think it is not important, or a worthy gift; not stifling an opinion or observation because it may not be well accepted by others.

Being born again or being made new did not mean I became a completely different person - i.e a scientist or mathematician.

Benjamin Müller · May 17, 2023

Michael Collum said:
One thing about this message is that, once you deny yourself and become the person based on the Spirit, do you continue denying the yourself you have become?

I understand your point. I think the problem (at least for me) is that the world is telling others to 'be yourself'. There's no, 'be the person Christ has called you to me' message. In fact God the Father and Jesus Christ are never mentioned at all in these self-empowerment speeches and catch phrases, which turns the trend into self-worship, which is idolatry and witchcraft.

We should be ourselves, in the sense, that we embrace where we are in the Body of Christ so we can serve others. If I'm the little toe and your the foot, I should be content that I'm the the little toe and not try to be the foot, when that's not what God intended for me to be.

Servus · May 17, 2023

It depends on if be yourself means not trying to copy others. Being a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of someone else. Being content and accepting who you are, rather than wishing you were someone else you think is better looking, has a better personality, is more talented, wears cooler stuff etc. All of which is vanity and ego.

In all those cases, I agree with be yourself.

Maria Billingsley · May 17, 2023

David Hunter said:
Be you! Be yourself! Do you! Oh the messages that bombard our minds. Not only are these messages from public figures and self-help books, but family, friends and... even from the, gulp, Christian Church? Today's video I share what's on my heart about the "be you" and "be yourself" trend that's going around and what we really should be doing...

I'd also love to hear your thoughts about this as well so comment below!

Being yourself is equivalent to feeding the flesh. No doubt there are flesh driven Christians but we should be Spirit driven and this is certainly denying one's self. Thanks for sharing ! Blessings.

Unqualified · May 17, 2023

I said be yourself not be in the flesh. All right be your new self. I think there is a saying, be yourself and obey God. Knowing that we are sinners and not perfect, we have to start somewhere. Better to be honest and real and let God work. Than stuck in the middle. God is working a little at a time. We put him on daily and stretch for perfection but always fall short. You have to agree!?

You gave a good evangelistic message. Its a good tool but in reality God reaches right where we are and changes us into His image, as you said. But not all at once. It could be argued, we are different, but in every day life we have to let God have control. Maybe trust is perfection because we sure do make mistakes like David. But God is there and makes it right again. God Bless You.

Gregory Thompson · May 17, 2023

Benjamin Müller said:
I understand your point. I think the problem (at least for me) is that the world is telling others to 'be yourself'. There's no, 'be the person Christ has called you to me' message. In fact God the Father and Jesus Christ are never mentioned at all in these self-empowerment speeches and catch phrases, which turns the trend into self-worship, which is idolatry and witchcraft.

We should be ourselves, in the sense, that we embrace where we are in the Body of Christ so we can serve others. If I'm the little toe and your the foot, I should be content that I'm the the little toe and not try to be the foot, when that's not what God intended for me to be.

Thanks for explaining. I have noticed a similar trend of unity through worship of the participators that does not imitate the trinity form of oneness Jesus prayed for in John 17.

One of the issues with having large buildings is the cost of paying for maintenance, so the message tends to be spoken to a broader audience, not necessarily to those regenerated through second birth.

Gregory Thompson · May 17, 2023

Strong in Him said:
For me, being myself means being who God created me to be. That means being true to my gifts and recognising that I have desires and needs. So, for example, not becoming a teacher/doctor/judge because other people want me to. Not stifling my creativity because other people think it is not important, or a worthy gift; not stifling an opinion or observation because it may not be well accepted by others.

Being born again or being made new did not mean I became a completely different person - i.e a scientist or mathematician.

I was born again early enough to see where my life was going and late enough so I could notice the change. So the transformation over time did alter the way I related to the world on a dramatic level.

I may have been a mathematician or scientist, but became more philosophical and/or mystical along the way.

David Hunter · May 17, 2023

Michael Collum said:
best of both worlds: be your denial self.

One thing about this message is that, once you deny yourself and become the person based on the Spirit, do you continue denying the yourself you have become?

Since the old is gone and the new has come, am I my body, or the thing God transformed within me? I'd like to think I'm that thing God brought to life, and not the temporary dwelling of my body. So depending on your perspective, "being yourself" can mean different things.

Sometimes pastors use messages like this to put the hones on people and avoid responsibility and avoid answering tough questions.

Furthermore, the core teaching for Christians is to love others like you love yourself. So if this type of message is taken to an extreme as it usually is, people start hating themselves. As a result, a church that hates others the way they hate themselves becomes common.

The message is indeed in the scripture, and appears simple, but does not take other factors such as the core teaching into effect in the application.

Hahaha! Love it... be your denial self! And thanks for sharing, Michael. Interesting take on this. I would image once you're in the Spirit there is nothing to deny, but our flesh will continue to try to squeeze through, which we must deny.

David Hunter · May 17, 2023

Benjamin Müller said:
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

I have noticed at the stores when browsing through things, especially those girlie planner stickers (you know those sticker things at Dollar Tree for 12 year olds), well they have a lot of "empowering statements", like BE YOU(RSELF); GIRL BOSS; I'M AWESOME. Now, when it's directed at 12 year olds, I'm like, meh, whatever, little girls will be little girls, but when grown women (and men) are saying the same 'empowering statements', I'm honestly embarrassed for them. It actually seems like witchcraft to me because their trying to get people to channel their inner power for emotional self-reliance and the freedom from restraint (or self control), rather than to focus on God and rely on His power and overcome the pulls of the flesh.

If I were 'to be myself', I would be miserable, grumpy, unkind, selfish, covetous, cruel, unmerciful, a liar, jealous, envious, bitter, a thief, a murderer, rebellious (which is as the sin of witchcraft) - yeah this list can go on and on.

Telling me to be myself or telling anyone to be themselves, isn't good advice. I know who I am without God the Father and Jesus Christ ruling in my life, and I hate who I am. And I don't even know everything about myself! but what I do know, I hate. We're told to overcome, and as Christians we have to Overcome Satan, the World and Ourselves--by being ourselves, we are not overcomers.

Honestly it's a bit sad to me because these people who latch onto these sayings are lost without God and are seeking spiritual gratification through the self-empowerment trend. When they realize that these empowering statements don't work and their still not better off--because we never will be without God--a new trend will pop up and people will chase after the new trend. Wish we could just tell them that the Old Ways is what works: worship God.

This!!! I do see adults use these empowering statements, and they call themselves Christians, but they never mention the Lord and they try to do it all on their own strength. Sometimes I question them and I just get ignored.

David Hunter · May 17, 2023

One of the things is I think it's really dangerous to tell someone to "be you," "be yourself" since you could either get someone weak in their faith and think how they're living is fine, or someone who isn't a believer and they hear the "be you" and they think they're born a certain way so it's ok to continue to live that lifestyle. I feel we need to be careful with how we present it.

Aussie Pete · May 17, 2023

David Hunter said:
Interesting take on that... By human being to you mean more alive?

We were created in the image of God. Adam chose Satan's way, in opposition to God's way. So the natural life within him took over. This life was corrupted by Adam's disobedience, and so it died to God. God's intent was for Adam to eat from the Tree of Life, which is spiritual, not natural. And so those who are born again need to deny the fallen, natural life and choose instead the Life of Christ which dwells in each believer. It's not automatic. We must choose against the natural and choose instead the spiritual. So yes, as we choose aright, we become what God intended for us to be in the first place. It is a process, called in God's word "the salvation of the soul". Some incorrectly call it progressive sanctification.

biblelesson · May 17, 2023

David Hunter said:
Be you! Be yourself! Do you! Oh the messages that bombard our minds. Not only are these messages from public figures and self-help books, but family, friends and... even from the, gulp, Christian Church? Today's video I share what's on my heart about the "be you" and "be yourself" trend that's going around and what we really should be doing...

I'd also love to hear your thoughts about this as well so comment below!

It’s a way of looking away from God, and making self more important.

If we don’t really see Christ, we follow each other! Because we as human beings need to feel accepted and loved, which is a natural human desire, so, without understand Christ is our all and all, so we follow what seems acceptable and we lean on others to fill that void!

Sabertooth · May 17, 2023

Jesus died to redeem our intended personality (before sin), but we often mistake our flesh's sinful inclinations to be part of that personality.
My take is that we should "be ourselves" unless/until it comes into conflict with His Spirit's leading and/or our current understanding of His Word. We should avail ourselves to His correction, and expect it.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable

for doctrine,
for reproof,
for correction,
for instruction in righteousness,

that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Tim. 3:16-17 NKJV

friend of said:
The more your will is resigned to God's will, the more of a human being you will become.

New Way to Be Human, Switchfoot (1999)

Be Yourself or Deny Yourself?

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Be passionate about pursuing your purpose in life.

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243 God loves me

Change is inevitable, feel free to spare some.

Change is inevitable, feel free to spare some.

Be passionate about pursuing your purpose in life.

Be passionate about pursuing your purpose in life.

Be passionate about pursuing your purpose in life.

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