What defines you? Is it your achievements, your fears, or the masks you wear to fit in? Or is it something deeper—something eternal? In The True & False Self, bestselling author and pastor Tyler Staton invites you on a transformative journey to rediscover your God-given authentic self and shed the false identities shaped by fear, shame, or cultural expectations.
The desire for self-discovery is not a recent cultural phenomenon but an ancient human ache and an equally ancient biblical theme. In Genesis, we read that God created humankind in his image (Genesis 1:26–27). This was their true self—their God-created identity divinely imprinted with his image. However, their sin, prompted by a lie about God's nature, introduced shame and the need to hide behind fig leaves. This was their false self—a fear-driven identity formed by shame that impacts us to this day.
God's desire is for us to be restored to our true selves. In Colossians, Paul wrote that the true self is "hidden in Christ with God" and said that we must take "off the old self" and "put on the new self" (3:3, 10). In Galatians, he characterized this same concept as being "clothed with Christ" (3:27). We must therefore unmask the false self in all its destructive disguises and recover the true self so we may be "clothed" with Christ. In this way, we experience freedom from sin and freedom to life.
This study is for "the misguided" (those unknowingly blending cultural self-revelation with biblical truth), "the pilgrim" (seekers who need a roadmap to guide them home), and "the missional" (those longing to connect spiritual formation with sacrificial love). More than just a Bible study, it is a call to personal freedom and an invitation to live fully in your true self and awaken that same identity in others.
Designed for use with The True and the False Self Bible Study Guide plus Streaming Video, sold separately.
