By Jeff Ware, Student Life Pastor
In the beginning, we see something amazing; God breathes His breath into us and makes us in His own image. Because of this, we are the crowned jewel of creation. Now every human being has intrinsic value, worth, dignity. We should find great joy in who we are created to be, but could we possibly have made this idea of loving ourselves into something that was never intended?
There is a cultural phenomenon taking place before our very eyes. It is seemingly innocent but, at the root, is opposite to a Christian worldview. It is a movement called Self-Love. Now, before I dive too deeply into this, let me say a few things that I’m NOT saying just to clear up any future confusion on the issue.
I’m NOT saying that you should hate yourself. This is untrue. I want you to love yourself, but that love should be grounded in the person of Christ and the identity found in Him, rather than just in you. The other thing I’m NOT saying is that human beings have no value. Indeed, one of the greatest arguments for the existence of God lies in the fact that human beings are intrinsically and inexplicably valuable.
So, what am I trying to say? There is a huge difference between the value and love we have for ourselves by finding our identity in Christ and the current and dangerous self-love movement. Self-love promotes happiness and love of self over literally everything else. The following quote is taken directly from the self-love movement website, “Self-Love is the act of putting your own happiness & well-being first, something that is lacking within our current society. It all starts with SELF.”
Yikes.
If anyone sets happiness as their goal, they will be very disappointed when it comes and goes. This is because happiness does not stick around indefinitely. It is incredibly fragile and can be shattered just as quickly as it is received. Happiness is predicated almost completely on our circumstances and surroundings. Self-love isn’t based on Scripture; it’s based on humanism. Humanism states that “man is the measure of all things, and that human experience and logic are the chief teachers” ... This is the opposite of what the Bible teaches.
The Bible says that what is wrong with the world is, well, us. We are broken, rebellious creatures who continue to seek relief, comfort, and satisfaction within ourselves and then wonder why we find none of those things are within us!
So, how should we as Christ-followers respond to the self-love movement? Well, I think our first response must be to consult Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:2-4 offers a startling response,
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (ESV).
Love of self here is mentioned in a pejorative form. Meaning that this is not something that we as believers should be. Because in this context, that would mean that we believe that WE are sufficient. We are not sufficient at all; only Jesus is. Scripture never ever promises happiness, but it does promise joy. Joy is significantly different because it depends not on our circumstances, but on Jesus, despite our circumstances. Therefore, it is imperative for the Christian to rest upon this foundational truth, and instead of embracing self, we DIE to self. Luke 9:23-24 says,
“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (ESV).
I want to say one final thing. Many turn to self-love to combat anxiety, depression, insecurity, lack of purpose, etc. In no way am I trying to mitigate the reality of depression or mental health. I personally have dealt with anxiety for many years. Rather, what I’m saying is that instead of seeking to find answers within yourself, find them in Jesus.
