THE IDOL OF SELF

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."

-Proverbs 16:25

In today’s culture of radical self-identification, where people declare their own pronouns, define their own truths, and claim their own fluid identities, we see a world unmoored from reality. A world that, in rejecting God, has become lost in the idolatry of self-worship. The staggering rise in depression, anxiety, and mental instability is no coincidence—it's the natural consequence of severing our identity from Christ Jesus, the One who created everything (Colossians 1:16-18).

Scripture reveals that our God of eternal Holy Trinity is the One who determines our identity—even our names. Our names are not arbitrary labels we assign ourselves; they are given by the Creator who formed us, knew us before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5), and calls us according to His purpose.

In the book of Ruth, Naomi, after suffering great loss, declared, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:20). Naomi attempted to rename herself according to her circumstances and pain, but her self-proclaimed identity did not define the reality God had ordained for her. The Lord never called her Mara. Ruth never called her Mara. Boaz never called her Mara. That's because the story of her life wasn't ultimately about Naomi any more than the story of your life is ultimately about you. God was writing a redemptive story far beyond what Ruth could see. He was restoring her joy through Ruth and ultimately weaving her into the lineage of Christ. God is doing the same with and for you, but ultimately it is His story. That's why King Jesus refers to Himself as the Alpha and Omega... (Rev 22:13).

When we name ourselves, choose our gender, select an "alternative" lifestyle, or attempt to decide for ourselves what defines our identity, whether out of rebellion, pain, or brokenness, we embrace a lie. Our circumstances do not define us. Our emotions do not define us. Our surrender to or rejection of God is what defines us and determines our eternal residence (John 3:36).

In the New Testament, we see another powerful renaming. Saul, the Pharisee and persecutor of Christ's Bride, i.e. the Church, became Paul, the humble Apostle of Christ. Though Scripture doesn’t explicitly state that God renamed him as He did with Abram to Abraham or Jacob to Israel, the shift from Saul to Paul signifies radical transformation. Saul, a name of prominence tied to Israel’s first king, became Paul—a name meaning "small" or "humble." No longer was his identity about his Jewish heritage, status, or personal zeal. His life became about Christ alone.

True identity is found in our total surrender to Christ. Saul’s identity in self-led to destruction; Paul's identity in Christ led to life (Philippians 1:21). The same is true today—self-made realities and identities inevitably and invariably crumble, but those rooted in Christ endure forever!

The Book of Revelation speaks of an eternal identity—one determined by God, not by culture, self-perception, or personal desires. Revelation 2:17 says, “To the one who conquers I will give … a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.” And later, in Revelation 3:5, Christ promises, “I will never blot his name out of the book of life.”

Our identity, our very name, is written by God Himself. It is not up for debate. It is not something we alter, redefine, or claim for ourselves.

The modern obsession with self-identification is not new—it is the oldest lie in the book. In Genesis 3, the serpent deceived Eve with the promise, “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). That same deception echoes today:

“You define who you are.”

“You determine your own truth.”

“You are in control of your own destiny.”

This is nothing less than the idolatry of self—exalting human autonomy over divine authority. It is a rejection of Colossians 1:16-18, which declares Christ as the Creator, Sustainer, and Purpose of all things:

“For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

-Colossians 1:16-17

To deny this truth is to exchange the glory of the Creator for the worship of self (a lie); it's the exchange of worship from the Creator to the created (Romans 1:25). It is to step outside the life-giving boundaries God has set, choosing confusion, chaos, and death over the clarity, peace, and life found exclusively in Him (John 14:6). In a culture that insists on self-identification, the real question is this: Who determines your identity?

The world says you get to name yourself, choose your gender, pronouns, lifestyle... which is absolutely true. Along with those choices comes the consequence of an eternal destination. God's word reveals that He knit you together in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13-14). The world says your identity is self-made. God says your identity is found in Christ alone (Galatians 2:20). The world offers confusion, anxiety, and instability. Christ offers truth, peace, and eternal security (Romans 10:11).

Will you surrender to the One who made you, calls you by name, has redeemed you by His blood at the Cross, seals you with His Holy Spirit, and writes your name in the Book of Life... the One who, while we were yet sinners, died for us? Or will you insist worshipping the idol of self to seize control that was never yours to claim, choosing to remain on the wide path that leads to eternal torment and destruction (Matthew 7:21-23)? To be in Christ is to be truly known by Him and to truly live (John 10:10)!

"Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." -Psalm 23:6

Blessings & love, -Kevin M. Kelley

BigIslandChristianChurch.com