Spiritual Imposter Syndrome
1 John 3:1–3
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
If you walk into the second bedroom of my home you would see two guitars and a violin hanging on the wall above a piano and a box drum. You might think that because I own so many instruments, I must be a talented musician. In reality, I play two of those instruments passably and really only pick them up from time to time when the urge hits me. I would certainly not call myself a musician, maybe a hobbyist at best. Most days I don’t feel like a musician and some days I don’t feel musically competent at all. I have dreams that one day with enough practice I can master all four instruments in my second bedroom and feel worthy of the title of a musician but currently, those dreams are far from a reality.
If psychologists and researchers are to be believed, my experience is a common one. According to them, I struggle with imposter syndrome. If you’ve never heard that term it’s the fancy phrase people use to describe feelings of inadequacy. When you feel like people might look at you on the outside and think of you a certain way but on the inside, you are terrified that you are going to be found out. The exterior feels like a different you than what exists on the interior.
But as I read this passage from 1 John, there’s a similar kind of experience I think many of us have, a kind of spiritual imposter syndrome. You believe the gospel. You believe that Christ has the power to save but John’s words here calling you a child of God are a bit hard to take in. There’s a little voice in your head raising serious doubts that you could ever truly be considered a child of God. On the exterior, you wear the title of Christian but on the inside, you see the ways in which you don’t look much like Christ. Most days you don’t feel like a Christian and some days you don’t feel spiritually competent at all. You’re terrified that you might be found out as an imposter.
John writes these verses to people like you and me people who are struggling with our spiritual identity and status. If you believe the gospel you are God’s child now. Your identity as his child doesn’t hinge on what you’ve done right or wrong. Your spiritual competency is a non-issue. It is his purity and power that compensates for our impurity and weakness. His love is for you. You have been adopted into his family and that is what is true of you at this very moment. You are his child, not later, not soon, right now.
