American Culture: Self Worship

Self-worship has been spun into the fabric of our culture. The very thing that caused Satan to rebel against God (Isaiah 14:121-15), tempted Eve to be like God (Genesis 3:6), has never gone away and is in our schools and churches. When discussing self-esteem with others, logically, people should feel good about themselves. However, this is from a world/sinful mindset. We are not supposed to be going around in constant anguish, but the anguish felt is supposed to draw a person to God, not further away when the focus is on self. In discussing this with other Christians, I was surprised and realized how big this problem is in that people were willing to look at non-biblical sources to find their truth. I would ask them if they thought that the Bible was sufficient, and they would pause and then say they agreed with me but then supported psychology.

The movement's appeal is direct to man's sinful nature and a way to escape responsibility for behavior. 1 Timothy 1:15 tells of this sinful nature, "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." Dying for sinners is what makes Jesus dying for us so incredible. Why would Christ have to die if people were so fabulous? Proponents of self-esteem teaching would say that man was made in God's image, and Jesus died for us, so that makes us incredibly valuable. The defenders of this view continue because of this Scripture. The thought is that humanity has to love itself. Healthy self-esteem makes a person a better person who benefits everyone; it is not selfish. It is selfless. Everyone suffers if you do not love yourself. The problem with this is that the focus is on self and not God.

The imagery of a mirror gives the perspective of what to be made in God's image means. What is reflected in the mirror has value, not the mirror itself. Biblical counselor and author Jay Adams once used an analogy that if a man spits on his wife's picture, he would have to be ready to fight. The picture itself did not have any value, but his wife that the image represented had all the value. The praise needs to go to God as Psalm 139: 13&14 illustrates this point, "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." Humanity is God's incredible creation, but all praise is to go the creator, not the object that did not do anything except exist.

Humanity is God's incredible creation, but all praise is to go the creator, not the object that did not do anything except exist.

Self-esteem teachings have become common in churches. It is a feel-good about yourself movement. Relying on how one feels rather than God's Word can not be a part of anything that does not hold to the sufficiency of Scripture.

We had some Christian friends invite my family over for dinner. They were telling us all about the self-improvement classes they were taking on the recommendation of their Christian psychologist. The latest thing this counselor suggested that they were excited about was something called partner yoga. During the class, they were put with more experienced people and were not partners. Our friends described partner yoga positions, and I would not want my wife to do those positions with other people. They said it was all OK because the moves were professional, and there was no yoga chanting.

My friends are intelligent entrepreneurs and view what the counselor has suggested as beneficial to their marriage and family. I knew where I could start with my friends when the wife, Betty, I'll call her, used the words "after all, how can you love others without loving yourself?" I brought up how there is no third commandment in Mathew 22:37-39 about loving yourself. I could tell this was getting them thinking.

Dying for sinners is what makes Jesus dying for us so incredible. Why would Christ have to die if people were so fabulous?

The problem is that my friends put their trust in the trained psychologist (and pay for sessions once a month). Ultimately what they are currently doing will fail because they are using worldly techniques. It may take them hitting a rough patch with the psychologist to be willing to look at a different perspective.

People have sin. Turning their focus on self-worship is not what God wants from us; thou shalt have no other gods before God. Why do some Christians think people are good to start with and deserve something? Jeremiah 17:9 is clear that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" God knows us, he is Holy, and until the individual's focus is on God, they are only deceiving themselves in thinking they are OK. Who can understand the heart, only God can understand that deceitful and sick appendage and replace it with Him, and then we can reflect his Holiness.