Are you authentic? Do people know who you really are? In TrueFaced, the authors argue that we all wear masks, hiding behind an image we want to be (resorting to appearances) rather than reveal our real selves- but they show the way to freedom. A summary follows.
We wear masks because of sin. We feel guilt (for what we do) and hurt (for what others do to us). And when we don't resolve it appropriately, it spreads and causes problems as we hide it. How do we fix it?
For the Christian, we're in one of two camps: pleasing God or trusting God. The first camp is one of appearances, constantly striving in an effort to please God, earn his favor, and achieve godliness. The second trusts what God says is true about us- that we are already godly because of the righteousness Christ has given us. The second is where we need to be.
"How I view myself is the most revealing commentary of my theology." God has already changed us. We're not perfect in this life, because we still have sin in us. And yet, "we need to see each other as saints who sin, rather than as sinners who are saved." That's fundamentally different than how we (and the world) tend to think. Because of this reality, we can be honest with each other about our failures- and it changes everything.
When we're secure with who we are in Christ, we acknowledge our failures. We realize that our good deeds don't earn God's love- we already have it- and our failures don't separate us from God. That's freedom! We're free to discuss our sin and that of others with gifts of grace: love, repentance, and forgiveness.
Love understands I have needs. Having needs met is being loved, and we can freely admit we desire to be loved, and let others do so on their terms. We can say "I need help."
"Repentance isn't doing something about our sin; rather, it means admitting that we can't do anything about our sin."
Forgiveness admits something happened and forgives the consequences. We're honest with God about what happened, and forgive the offender for our benefit and theirs, seeking reconciliation.
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This book was pretty good. I've seen many of its truths in my life. I'm most obedient not when I'm striving to be, but when I acknowledging that I'm in Christ regardless of whether I sin or not. He loves me regardless- and this produces a desire to do good. When I do well not to earn His love, but out of a response to His love, that's where I'm supposed to be. But too often I fall back into a mindset of "I must do good for God to love/bless me," which produces an exhausting (and always unsuccessful) striving mentality. Here's the truth: when I'm doing well, I'm not earning God's love, and when I'm doing poorly, I'm not escaping His love. True freedom- because I can now admit my wrongs to others and life in true authenticity, dropping my masks because my value isn't based on my action or good deeds but my identity in Christ. I can freely say "I'm wrong," "I failed," or "I need help." And when we live authentically with each other, true community results. We as humans want to know and be known by each other.
Though the book certainly had good points, it felt way too long (it could have been an article), and I didn't care for the way the information was presented. But it is worth a look.
Rating: A-
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