CHALLENGING CULTURAL SYSTEMS WITH KINGDOM IDENTITY: THE LIE OF INDIVIDUALISM
Webster’s dictionary defines INDIVIDUALISM as the habit of being independent and self-reliant. Webster’s dictionary defines IDENTITY as the fact of being what a person or thing is; the characteristics that determine who or what a person or thing is; similar personality, character, originality, distinction, singularity, uniqueness.
I don’t know if you notice, but when I read those two definitions. They feel like they are coming from a very different heart. An individual becomes independent and self-reliant. I don’t need you. I don’t need to be you. And, I am ok being way over here by myself being me.
But identity is the fact of who I am. I don’t have to be independent of you to be me. I am made up of distinct characteristics that determine my uniqueness. And that uniqueness is something I am. It’s not something I can compartmentalize. It is the WHOLE of me.
We have become really good in our culture at being individuals. Individualism is sold to us as an ideal that will make us more united. It says that if I can just be accepted for my individuality, and then turn around and accept you for your individuality, then that will create unity among us. But I ask you, do you see more unity in our culture or our churches because of our individualism? Probably not.
That is because we have replaced true IDENTITY for the lie of INDIVIDUALITY. Identity and Individuality sound similar, but are not even remotely defined the same way. The Enemy is a master at this. He has always taken things that “sound right” and twisted them to fit his own agenda. Just read the temptation of Jesus account in Luke 4:1-13. He loves to make things sound right, even when they are completely wrong.
When we replace true identity with individualism, we become a culture that is segregated. Segregation is the action of setting someone or something apart from people or things. Individualism does that well because it makes me independent of you and reliant on me. Paul defines it this way in I Corinthians 1:12: “What I mean is this: One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ’.” Is Christ divided?”
Compartmentalizing ourselves into categories makes us divided. This is the same point Paul was trying to make above. We do this both within the church and within the culture.
As an example, we do this in the church with denominations. We say that one of us is charismatic and belongs to a denomination like the Assemblies of God. We say that some of us are more traditional and belong to a denomination like Presbyterian or Baptist. Or, we say we do not IDENTIFY with either of those and become Non-Denominational. We have separated ourselves from one another based on the category we belong to instead of the GOD who we belong to. If I just stand with you on the word of God, I don’t have to individualize my interpretation of God in order to be different in my identity than you. We are not of “Paul”. We are not of “Apollos”. And we are not of a “denomination” either. Christ cannot be divided. Individualism has divided our churches.
We do the same thing in our culture. We say that one of us identifies as trans-gender or bi-sexual. We say that one of us identifies with being liberal or conservative. And we have accepted that my identification with something is now my identity. But the truth is, identity is not something you can choose. Identity is the whole of what makes you singular and unique as something that was given to you by the God who created you.
True IDENTITY would make us united. When I am fully operating as me, not identifying with the categories the world has created to make me an individual, I can be fully me and you can be fully you. The diversity in each of us is what makes us able to be united. Individuality makes me independent. And that is the problem. When it becomes that I do not need you. Nor do I associate with you, segregation creeps in and tears us apart.
Paul said it like this “There is one body, but many parts.” (I Corinthians 12:12). “The eye cannot say to the hand, I don’t need you!” (I Corinthians 12:21) “…God has put together all the parts of the body…In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy.” (I Corinthians 24-26, paraphrase)
When we understand our identity as part of the whole, we step into a Biblical identity which is unique, but not separate. It is counter cultural to not exact my individuality. But, it seems to me, that according to Heaven, seeing myself as a unique and vital part of the body as a WHOLE is actually what makes our culture united as one, even though we are each different. When we separate and individualize, is when we fall apart. When we understand our identity according to how a body functions TOGETHER, we can all work together. So I ask you…in your original, unique, and special design…what part of the body are you as it functions together in the world, in the workplace, in the church? Maybe if we start asking ourselves that question, we will create a world where my diversity, my unique makeup in Christ, is the key to my unity.