Self Esteem | The Institute for Creation Research

Self Esteem
BY  | 
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 08, 1993

“Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3).

There is a great emphasis these days, even among Christians, on developing a positive self-image, building up one’s self-esteem, and seeking self-fulfillment. The emphasis is on one’s own self. But God’s Word teaches differently.

One famous television pastor has even developed his own un-Biblical definition of sin: “Sin is any act or thought that robs myself or another human being of his or her self-esteem.” Then he even presumes to define being born again as being “changed from a negative to a positive self-image.”

Such concepts are diametrically opposed to Scripture, though often cloaked in pseudo-Biblical garb, and they are leading multitudes away from the true gospel and true Christian life. We do not need a positive self-image, but a realistic self-image, to see ourselves as God sees us. Paul warned: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

Paul served Christ faithfully for thirty years, yet still esteemed himself as “chief of sinners” (I Timothy 1:15), and testified that it was only “by the grace of God I am what I am” (I Corinthians 15:10). Jesus said: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself” (Luke 9:23). “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence” (I Corinthians 1:27–29). HMM

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	How can we use the Bible to guide scientific research? Why is counting ice core layers an insufficient way to determine Earth’s age? How does ICR’s Flood model explain the origin of Crater Lake? What evidence is there for a codependent design between bucket orchids and bees? Discover the answers to these questions and more in the January-February 2022 issue of Acts & Facts! [MACRO aaf_article, 13140] [MACRO aaf_article, 13141] [MACRO aaf_article, 13142] [MACRO aaf_article, 13143] [MACRO aaf_article, 13149] [MACRO aaf_article, 13153] [MACRO aaf_article, 13156] [MACRO aaf_article, 13168] [MACRO aaf_article, 13172] [MACRO aaf_article, 13182]



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