Hows That Self Esteem Working Out For Us?

Even the seculars had more sense many years ago than many Christians today. Believers have fallen into the trap of "self esteem", not only accepting it as truth but defending it adamantly as though it were from the Bible. Sadly it is antithetical to the Bible, no Scripture commands or even condones the teaching of self esteem, in actuality God's Word condemns it.

We are now seeing all the consequences of indulging children in self esteem.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 describes the mentality that occurs from teaching people to be selfish.

"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a]haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [b]godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."

Judy Rominger said:
"In 1947, forward-looking Harvard sociologist & historian, Dr. Carle C. Zimmerman wrote a book called "Family & Civilization." He identified 11 "symptoms of final decay" that he observed in the fall of both the Roman and Greek civilizations. It's important to note that Dr. Zimmerman was not a religious man, but he contended that the heart of the problem was the loss of the pro-family, biblical religious faith which enabled a society to flourish."

1. No fault divorce.

2. "Birth Dearth" - increased disrespect for parenthood & parents.

3. Meaningless marriage rites/ceremonies.

4. Defamation of past national heroes.

5. Acceptance of alternative marriage forms.

6. Widespread attitudes of feminism, narcissism, & hedonism.

7. Propagation of anti-family sentiment.

8. Acceptance of most forms of adultery.

9. Rebellious children.

10. Increased juvenile delinquency.

11. Common acceptance of all forms of sexual perversion.

And people wonder why there is so much unrest, pain, and heart ache today?

Idolizing Ourselves

Serial Appeasers always harm the righteous while facilitating evil.

Serial Appeasers are more about being accepted and successful than they are about truth and righteousness.

Truth divides but not purposefully, the intent of truth is to help those who don't know it yet and to correct those who think they know but are in error.

Stubborn people hate to be corrected, they hate to admit they might be wrong and they are all about being elevated by others. Sadly because of this mentality the stubborn people can not grow past infancy in their actions or reactions.

In order to grow we must be able to admit our error, confess our sins and seek truth. Truth must always trump our feelings and desires. When we seek truth our feelings and desires change, no longer focused on being special, but rather moving forward in knowledge and wisdom.

James 1:5
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

Proverbs 8:11-12
"For wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion."

Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

When we are stubborn we do not love Christ, we love ourselves more than Christ, thus becoming an idol to ourselves.