In the last chapter, I talked about how our self-image acts as a thermostat to regulate our behavior. Now I would like to share how our false self-image can become a prison for us.
I’m currently watching old episodes of the original “Battlestar Galactica” T.V. series with my oldest son. Last night’s episode (“The Long Patrol”) was about Starbuck getting captured by colonials who mistakenly thought he was bootlegging. They knocked him out and put him into prison. When he came to, he began asking the prisoners in the adjoining cells who they were, but he discovered that none of them had real names. Instead, they referred to one another by the name of their crime (e.g., “Bootlegger 157” or “Adulteress 122”). Their captors had successfully divorced them from who they were by making them think of themselves in terms of what they did.
Aren’t those just like the Enemy’s tactics? He imprisons us spiritually because of some sin we commit. By continuously reminding us of our sinfulness, he starts to change our self-image. We begin to identify ourselves by our sin instead of the incredible creation that God made us.
At one point in the show, Starbuck gets frustrated and tries to shake the bars of his jail cell. Instead of shaking the cell, he accidentally pushes the door open. He looks at the other prisoners and asks, “Are all the doors unlocked?” To which, they reply, “The locks haven’t worked for centons (i.e. years).”
What?! The cells have been open for years?! They are in prison voluntarily?! In the plot of the story, it sounds silly, but it makes a great metaphor. Even though we have been freed from Satan’s prison… even though our debt has been paid in full by Jesus Christ, we still feel imprisoned by our old self-image. We’re comfortable knowing that we’re sinners. Our new identify as saints is way out of our comfort zone, and against all logic, we prefer our imprisonment to the scary unknown of living a blameless life.
When we see ourselves as “sinners,” we keep ourselves in prison by continuing to sin. If we manage to walk blamelessly for a period of time, we begin to get nervous so far away from our comfort zone. The pressure builds and builds until we sin again. When we do, even though we have the guilt of having failed the Lord, we feel somewhat relieved that the pressure to be perfect is over. Thus, our sin helps us balance the scales. We wouldn’t want to be too good, now would we?
I hope I’ve made the point that our self-image is a powerful force in our struggle to build our walls. It’s why so many have a difficult time creating lasting change in their behaviors. But having made the point, I want to remind you that your self-image is really a Christ-image if you’ve accepted Him as your Savior. You have Christ in you! You have His righteousness!
Don’t let Satan convince you that you are still a sinner; you’re not. You’re a saint who sometimes sins. Notice the difference. When we talk about your sin, we’re no longer talking about who you are; we’re now just talking about what you do. Behavior is infinitely easier to change than self-image. See yourself as a saint, and your self-image becomes a powerful force for eliminating your bad behaviors. You will begin to sin less, because your self-image thermostat aligns your behavior with your high opinion of who you are in Christ. Self-image works both ways, so where you start is of utmost importance.
