Return to Main Page Kingdom of Right Relationships Part 5: Loving Self Correctly Matthew 22:34-40; Ephesians 3:20; 2 Timothy 3:2-4 Introduction: A. Living in Four Relationships B. The Most Important Relationship C. The Commandment - Matthew 22:37-38 D. Agape Love – Romans 5:5, Galatians 5:22-23 Love which desires only the highest good for its object. I. Loving God A. Loving God the Father - The Father’s Highest Good - John 17:1-5 B. Loving God the Son - The Son’s Highest Good – Philippians 2:9-11 1. Exalt His name above every name. 2. Bow your knee to Him and worship Him 3. Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. C. Loving God the Holy Spirit - The Spirit’s Highest Good – Philippians 2:13 1. The highest good we can do for the Holy Spirit is to allow Him to do His work in our lives! a) Do Not Resist the Spirit – Acts 6:10; 7:51 b) Do Not Quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19) c) Do Not Grieve the Spirit - Ephesians 4:30 d) Be Filled with the Holy Spirit – Ephesians 5:18; John 12:3 II. Loving Self A. Your Highest Good – Ephesians 3:20-21 1. Pleasing self or pleasing God? a) Mark 8:34-35 b) 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 B. Loving Self Is Not Commanded 1. Matthew 22:36-40 a) Jesus gives two great commandments: b) There is no third command to love yourself. 2. No one hates himself; rather, he loves, cherishes, and nourishes himself a) Ephesians 5:29 3. Man’s problem is that he pays too much attention to self, not too little a) Philippians 2:21 b) Romans 6:12-14 C. The Issue of Self-Esteem 1. Definitions from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary a) Self-Esteem: Undo PRIDE in oneself b) Pride: Over-high opinion of oneself; conceit c) Humility: Absence of PRIDE or self-assertion 2. "High" Self-Esteem - Self-aggrandizement (pride) 3. "Low" Self-Esteem - Self-degradation (false humility) 4. "No" Self-Esteem - No self-concern (true humility) 1 Peter 5:5 Ephesians 2:8-10 2 Corinthians 9:8 D. Seeing Ourselves Correctly - As God Sees Us E. Who does God say I am? Conformed to His Image – by Kenneth Boa 1. John 1:12 2. John 15:1, 5 3. John 15:15 4. Romans 3:24 5. Romans 6:6 6. Romans 8:1 7. Romans 8:2 8. Romans 8:17 9. Romans 15:7 10.1 Corinthians 1:2 11.1 Corinthians 1:30 12.1 Corinthians 3:16 13.1 Corinthians 6:19 14.1 Corinthians 6:17 15.2 Corinthians 2:14 16.2 Corinthians 3:14 17.2 Corinthians 5:17 18.2 Corinthians 5:21 19.Galatians 3:28 20.Galatians 4:7 21.Galatians 5:1 22.Ephesians 1:3 23.Ephesians 1:4 24.Ephesians 1:7 25.Ephesians 1:10‑11 26.Ephesians 1:13 27.Ephesians 2:4‑5 28.Ephesians 2:6 29.Ephesians 2:10 30.Ephesians 2:13 31.Ephesians 3:6; 5:30 32.Ephesians 3:12 33.Ephesians 4:24 34.Ephesians 5:8 35.Philippians 3:20 36.Philippians 4:7 37.Philippians 4:19 38.Colossians 2:10 39.Colossians 3:1 40.Colossians 3:3 41.Colossians 3:4 42.Colossians 3:12 43.1 Thessalonians 1:4 F. Loving ourselves correctly means seeing ourselves as God sees us! The better we understand who we are in Christ a) The more our actions reflect Christ-like character b) The more we can love our selves correctly, the way God does c) The more we can glorify God! III. Loving Self Incorrectly - 2 Timothy 2:2-4 IV. Loving Self Correctly

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