There is often a confusion in the Christian mind between the biblical concepts of God's call and our identity in Christ and the secular concept of self actualization. There is biblical exhortation to know our identity as children of God, to know we as individuals are known and designed with purpose, and to seek to walk out in spiritual gifts and callings for the edification of the church and the glory of God. Often, however, we read our secular ideas of self actualization into Scripture, or smuggle its concepts into our understanding of these things.
Christian culture can mistakenly focus on self actualization disguised in the language of Christianity, the language of Scripture- spending a great deal of time on our calling, our giftings, our identity, our dream, our vision, our individual design.... and so on. While all of these do have validity, they are continually in the context of Christ, the glorification of Christ, service to Christ, surrender to Christ, imitation of Christ and conformity to Christ. Jesus is at the center of the story. This is not a story about us. Its a story of God's glory- He has graciously swept us up in the most epic tale of all time... chosen to make us objects of His love...but its still about Him. Its by Him and through Him and FOR Him that we have our being.
Self actualization is, in addition, opposed to the Christian realities of the fallenness of man, the virtue of sacrifice and the need for degrees of self mortification. It is a very different concept than the identity and calling which are under consideration in redeemed Christian sanctification and calling.
Self actualization is, in addition, opposed to the Christian realities of the fallenness of man, the virtue of sacrifice and the need for degrees of self mortification. It is a very different concept than the identity and calling which are under consideration in redeemed Christian sanctification and calling.
In the Christian doctrines and pursuits, the essential pursuit is not self but CHRIST. Individuality is a matter primarily of variety of expressions of the same Christ; Giftings given for the edification of the church vary in effect but are by the same Spirit; We are not trying to become more independent and more ourselves- we are becoming more conformed and more like Christ. Certainly the more we do so, the more we will become truly ourselves as we were designed to be. But this is fundamentally a byproduct and not a pursuit. As a pursuit, its a tragic misunderstanding at best; humanistic idolatry at worst.
Its as if self actualization likens us to varied jewels; but our diversity as Christians is more akin to being facets of the one majestic diamond. We are revealed not for the beauty of ourselves (mere cuts and angles) but for displaying the splendor of God. If our goal is to be fully revealed, in all our glory...we have turned aside from the Christian understanding of identity in Christ to a godless self actualization. (Oh the disappointment of atheistic dreams when it is found that we are mere ruts and gashes when wrested out of the context of God and that the refractions of light once shown were not our own!)
If our rallying cry rather be “Christ in me, the hope of glory” we will surely not be disappointed; and our selves will certainly be found in Him.
If our rallying cry rather be “Christ in me, the hope of glory” we will surely not be disappointed; and our selves will certainly be found in Him.
