Sadly this constant bombardment led to deep error that corrupted the culture and the church.
Feelings are the shallowest part of our being, they are fleshly based on personal desires not on truth.
Feelings are easily manipulated. A person can be made to feel bad in the blink of an eye through deliberate responses to control others.
When we seek to "feel" rather than "think" most things we encounter will be wrongly interpreted.
Narcissists are constantly looking for praise and adulation, therefore if someone does not praise them they feel bad.
Narcissists cannot tolerate a challenge to improve because at the core of the being they desire to be seen as perfect. They are not very interested in authentic excellence in themselves, only in perception of it.
If we "follow our gut" as many are teaching in psychological circles today we will get false readings. Our gut recoils and feels bad at a challenge whether or not it is justified. Those who follow their gut are in a constant state of uncertainty and inability to read circumstances in truth.
These people are blown to and fro at every cultural change as wells as any doctrinal change that are not Biblical.
Ephesians 4:14 "that we henceforth be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and their cunning and craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"
Our gut can bring warning signals but it cannot always be trusted.
As believers we can sense our gut reactions but the proof of their meaning must come from asking the Holy Spirit to guide us in our decisions.
Those who follow feelings will be led into error constantly. They will make assertions that God gave them permission to do things He would never tell them to do. God never commands or leads a believer to disobey His principles. These people have often rejected truth because their feelings told them opposite of what God said.
"In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes." (Judges 21:25)
When Christ is not the focus or the One someone seeks for truth, all that is left is fleshly desires based on acceptance in the culture in which one lives. Experiential living leads to ruin.
The narcissist often walks in the realm of his own feelings.
The narcissist says to himself; "you make me feel bad so you are a bad person." This is the reason we have so much rage when we bring truth to those who are full of themselves. Narcissists will only like truth when it makes them look good. Notice that the focus is to blame others for their own feelings.
This is the reason they seek for knowledge that puffs up rather than truth that might convict them of sin for cleansing.
The narcissist says to himself: "you make me feel good so you are a good person." This is the reason the narcissist can love and elevate those who are irrationally connected to people pleasing. They are more invested in getting people to like them than they are in truth.
The narcissist will ignore the bad in someone to embrace the attention they gain from that person. Exposing the evil in the one the narcissist elevates is worthy of rage for them.
The narcissist will ignore the good in the one for which they have contempt. They hate anyone who will cause them to think authentically about themselves. So their assessment about the good person is that they are not good but bad for making them feel convicted.
I have known many situations in which a person was elevated by family members simply because they were outwardly the people pleasers but secretly wicked people. These people hated anyone who exposed the wickedness of their idols. Anyone else who love these people will hate the one who exposes their idol.
We see this all the time in the news. Those who like a particular politician will choose not to believe accusations against them, but those who hate them will embrace the accusations. Unfortunately neither side is seeking truth, the are merely aligning themselves with those whom they love and rejecting those they hate based on their political bent.
We also see it in churches when the phrase "don't touch God's anointed" is thrown out there as a rebuke to our challenge for correction. The phrase is taken out of context to justify that which was never the intent in the Scriptures.
Narcissists are prone to assuming things about people and listening to gossip in order to continue their angst toward those who they have decided are bad people. They are also prone to elevate in worship fashion those who please them, fawn over them and say all the things they like to hear.
Narcissist Christians are always in lock step with the latest fads. When those fads are exposed as evil they will become angry or claim they were never a part of it. Lying is a big part of the narcissist experience.
Does all this sound just a little familiar when thinking about the apostate "prosperity preaching?" Many who would say they don't believe this "name it and claim it" gospel is wrong and yet live in an heir of superiority as though they have done well financially when God blessed them for being so good. They never come right out and say they are better, but their actions and attitudes often expose this within them.
Families who will not confront error and sin will be loved and admired by the narcissist. However, the individual in families who cares enough to warn of sin and the consequences will be mocked, demeaned and gossiped against to minimize their influence in the family.
Most people live in a superficial plain of reality, based solely on how they wish to live in happiness and prosperity as well as the praise of others. Not realizing that feelings, flattery and praise of others is condemned by God.
Proverbs 26:24-28
"Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin."
Proverbs 28:23
"Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with his tongue."
Romans 16:18
"For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."
Those who flatter are thinking only of themselves. They want to gain the love and trust of those they flatter to be accepted by them.
Those who tell the truth are the ones who love, they are willing to warn someone who may exact revenge through gossip. Often truth tellers are rejected, lied about and hated for their dedication to truth.
One of the favorite tactic of the narcissist when they hate being corrected is to claim we didn't show love in the way we said it. The trick of accusing someone of being unloving only works on those who are still worried about being accepted.
I have witnessed often those who will accuse the truth teller of evil delivery in order to deter from the real issue, that is their sin and rebellion, even their anger at being told truth.
Matthew 10:21-23 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"
Matthew 24:10
"And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another."
Narcissists have betrayed the truth of God as they betray God. They will do the same to the one who loves God and His principles.
Psalm 41:9
"Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me."
Proverbs 19:5
"A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape."
We have a great hope as followers of Christ. That hope is that one day God will set everything straight and those who obeyed Him will be acknowledged for their obedience. Those who came against Christ through their rejection of His people will be punished.
Those who remained faithful to the truth and to the Holy Spirit will be rewarded.
Colossians 3:23-24
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."
Hebrews 11:6
"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
Those who seek God can only do it through humility and truth. Those who do not seek God will not be given truth or humility.
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