Have you ever wished that you could be invisible? I have. I’ve wished I had the magic of a two-year-old playing a game of peek-a-boo—I could cover my eyes and make the world go away. As adults we think children who “hide” in plain sight are adorable. We don’t realize we play the same game with God under a different name—church face.
What is church face?
It’s that little game made popular in Egypt…denial. (I couldn’t help myself) We plaster that fake smile on our faces, grab our Bibles, dust off our spiritual catch phrases, and pretend like everything between us and God is a-okay. It’s one of the worst states in which we can find ourselves. We can’t correct what we won’t admit is a problem…and this is a big problem.
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8, 10
Church face is different from saving face.
Sometimes we play church face out of self-preservation. I get that. I’ve played a lot of church face just to get through a worship service without crying. I’m not talking about social niceties and salvaging your makeup. The problem comes when we come before the throne of God with our masks on.
Sometimes we find ourselves praying in handmade, fig leaf dresses just like Eve did. We think things like, “I don’t really need to confess that…it’s really not that bad.” or “I can’t give this dream to God. What if He doesn’t allow it to come to pass?” These thoughts…these accusations…reveal that we lack understanding of the true nature of our Heavenly Father who seeks to grow us in love and give us all good things.
We can't live in freedom if we don't wash our church face off. Click To TweetWe can’t live in freedom if we don’t wash our church face off. Denial may keep our internal boat from rocking too uncomfortably, but it will drown us, keeping us from our destination of fruitfulness in Christ.
The key is seeing God for Who He truly is.
As Jesus followers, God is no longer our Judge, Jury and Executioner. The payment for sin was made on the cross. Our debts have been paid in full! The Apostle Paul assures us that…
Our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Romans 6:6-7
We have been set free, but living this out takes action on our side. We have to implement the truth. Each time we choose to be honest before the Father, He draws us into deeper fellowship with Him.
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7
Scripture doesn’t say that we are to be perfect. It says that we are to be honest. In order for God to walk with us, we must choose to walk in the light of His Word. We must confess our faults and dreams to Him. We must give Him permission to release our chains and wipe clean our church face.
God's love for us does not grow based on our goodness. Click To TweetSwap your church face for a welcome mat.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
God is knocking on your heart’s door, but you hold the key. You must accept that God’s love does not grow based on our goodness. He knows the secret places of your heart and loves you still. Why not invite him into those places and infuse them with the light of His truth? It seems scary and painful, but by opening that door, you will find freedom. And freedom is so much more beautiful than church face.