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Part 5: Loving Self Correctly Introduction: A.
Living
in Four Relationships B. The Most Important Relationship C. The Commandment - D. Agape Love – 1. 2. Love which desires only the highest good for its object. I.
Loving
God A.
Loving
God the Father - The Father’s Highest Good - B. Loving God the Son - The Son’s Highest
Good – 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 – 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 – b) Do
Not Quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians Quenching the Spirit is to not do what the Spirit prompts you to do. c) Do
Not Grieve the Spirit - Grieving the Spirit is to do what the Holy Spirit tells you not to do! d) Be
Filled with the Holy Spirit – Pleroo II.
Loving
Self A.
Your
Highest Good – 1. Pleasing self or pleasing God? 20Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 2. Your focus for living is either to please self or to please God a) b) B. Loving Self Is Not Commanded 1. a) Jesus gives two great commandments: (1) Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind (2) Love your neighbor as yourself b) There is no third command to love yourself. 2. Jesus is saying, "as you already love yourself" indicating a state of current existence, not a command. 3. Jesus knows we already love ourselves so He commands us to love others the same way – with agape love. 4. No one hates himself; rather, he loves, cherishes, and nourishes himself a) 5. Man’s problem is that he pays too much attention to self, not too little a) b) You will face constant temptations to self-centeredness that are devastating to the Body of Christ and your own walk with the Lord. c) These are sins and they must be confessed and overcome if you are to mature as a child of God (1) d) By God’s grace, even this sin will not have dominion over you! C. The Issue of Self-Esteem 1. The wisdom of this world teaches a) that many of our problems are rooted in a “bad self-image” or “low self-esteem” b) that you must learn to love yourself before you can love others c) that your “perceived” needs must be met so you can help others 2. All of these views are in error, since they conflict with the truth of God’s Word. 3. 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 4. "High" Self-Esteem - Self-aggrandizement (pride); a) Focus: Self (self-love) b) Result: Pride; "Good" self-image; Destructive -- serve self (1) Inordinate attention to self is the exact opposite of God’s commandments to love Him and others. 5. "Low" Self-Esteem - Self-degradation (false humility) a) Focus: Self (self-hate) b) Result: Fear and Hiding; "Low" self-image; Destructive -- serve self (1) Self-belittlement, self-exaltation, and self-pity all indicate a preoccupation with self. (2) Inordinate attention to self is the exact opposite of God’s commandments to love Him and others. (3) A self-focus also prohibits the development of a Christ-like servant attitude in you. (4) If you
try to save your life by focusing on self, you will reap a certain
consequence; instead of saving your life, you will lose it (Matthew 6. "No" Self-Esteem - No self-concern (true humility) a) Focus: God and others b) Result: Worship God; Biblical view of self; Productive -- serve God and others (1) (2) (3) D. Seeing Ourselves Correctly - As God Sees
Us 1. A proper view of self comes from an understanding of who you are in Christ 2. We are constantly in danger of letting the world instead of God define us, because that is so easy to do. a) It is only natural to shape our self‑image by the attitudes and opinions of (1) our parents (2) our peer groups, and (3) our society. b) None of us are immune to the effects of performance‑based acceptance c) That makes us think that we must try to earn God's acceptance. d) Only when we define ourselves by the truths of the Word can we discover who we really are. 3. What does it mean to see ourselves as God sees us? a) The biblical doctrine of grace humbles us without degrading us and elevates us without inflating us. b) It tells us that apart from Christ, we have nothing and can do nothing of eternal value. c) Grace also tells us that we have become new creatures in Christ, having been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of his light, life, and love. d) In him, we now enjoy complete forgiveness from sins and limitless privileges as unconditionally accepted members of God's family. E.
Who
does God say I am? These passages teach just a portion of the many truths about who we become through faith in God's Son. (From Conformed to His Image by Kenneth Boa) 1. I am a child of God. a) But
as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,
even to those who believe in His name. 2. I am a branch of the true vine, and a conduit of Christ's life. a) "I
am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser . . . . I am the vine, you
are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for
apart from Me you can do nothing." 3. I am a friend of Jesus. a) "No
longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is
doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from
My Father I have made known to you." 4. I have been justified and redeemed. a) Being
justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ
Jesus. 5. My old self was crucified with Christ, and I am no longer a slave to sin. a) Knowing
this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin
might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. 6. I will not be condemned by God. a) Therefore
there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 7. I have been set free from the law of sin and death. a) For
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law
of sin and of death. 8. As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ. a) And
if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed
we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. 9. I have been accepted by Christ. a) Therefore,
accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. 10.I have been called to be a saint. a) To
the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in
Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. 11.In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. a) But
by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and
righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. 12.My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in me. a) Do
you not know that you are a b) Or
do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,
whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 13.I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with him. a) But
the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 14.God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ. a) But
thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests
through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15.The hardening of my mind has been removed in Christ. a) But
their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old
covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. 16.I am a new creature in Christ. a) Therefore
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away;
behold, new things have come. 17.I have become the righteousness of God in Christ. a) He
made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him. 18.I have been made one with all who are in Christ Jesus. a) There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is
neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 19.I am no longer a slave but a child and an heir. a) Therefore
you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
20.I have been set free in Christ. a)
It was for freedom that Christ set us
free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of
slavery. 21.I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. a) Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. 22.I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God. a) Just
as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and blameless before Him. 23.I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ. a) In
Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of His grace. 24.I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance. a) In
Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according
to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will. 25.I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. a) In
Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your
salvation‑having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy
Spirit of promise. 26.Because of God's mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ. a) But
God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved). 27.I am seated in the heavenly places with Christ. a) And
raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in
Christ Jesus. 28.I am God's workmanship created to produce good works. a) For
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. 29.I have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ. a) But
now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by
the blood of Christ. 30.I am a member of Christ's body and a partaker of his promise. a) The
Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow
partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 31.I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ. a) In
whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. 32.My new self is righteous and holy. a) Put
on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in
righteousness and holiness of the truth. 33.I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord. a) You
were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children
of Light. 34.I am a citizen of heaven. a) For
our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ. 35.The peace of God guards my heart and mind. a) And
the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus. 36.God supplies all my needs. a) And
my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ
Jesus. 37.I have been made complete in Christ. a) In
Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and
authority. 38.I have been raised up with Christ. a) Therefore
if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where
Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 39.My life is hidden with Christ in God. a) For
you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 40.Christ is my life, and I will be revealed with him in glory. a) When
Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him
in glory. 41.I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved. a) So,
as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 42.God loves me and has chosen me. a) Knowing,
brethren beloved by God, His choice of you. b) Review frequently this inventory, since it reminds us of truths we quickly forget amid the worries and cares of this world. The more we embrace these affirmations from Scripture, the more stable, grateful, and fully assured we will be in the course of our lives. F.
Loving
ourselves correctly means seeing ourselves as God sees us! 1. But the Scriptures exhort us to look to Christ, not to self, for the solutions to life we so greatly need. 2. The biblical view of self‑love: loving ourselves correctly means seeing ourselves as God sees us. 3. This will never happen automatically, because the scriptural vision of human depravity and dignity is countercultural. a) To genuinely believe the reality of who we have become as a result of our faith in Christ requires consistent discipline and exposure to the Word of God. b) It also requires fellowship and encouragement of like‑minded believers. c) Without these, the visible will overcome the invisible. 4. A biblical understanding of grace addresses both human depravity and human dignity. a) It avoids the extremes of “I'm worthless and no good” and the opposite extreme of pride and spiritual arrogance. b) Grace teaches us that the most important thing about us is not what we do but who and whose we are in Christ. c) According to the Bible, our actions flow out of being – out of who we are. d) The better we understand who we are in Christ (1) The more our actions reflect Christ-like character (2) The more we can love our selves correctly, the way God does (3) The more we can glorify God! III.
Loving
Self Incorrectly - IV. Loving Self Correctly |
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