The Problem of Self-Focused Self-Esteem
In this temporal world the follower of the Lord Jesus the Christ must look beyond all things temporal to find one’s esteem.
This value or esteem we are searching for will either be rooted in the temporal or the eternal. When our esteem is rooted in the ancient sin of Adam, we will always look to a temporal moment to give us value.To the reader who claims to be a follower of Christ according to the Bible, we must look to the sufficient word of God for our value.
If we think of God as one like us, then we will continue to find our esteem in all things like us- temporal. Consider a few things with me. What is God? Who is God?
If our starting point is with the temporal, then we will have no interest in knowing the eternal.
There is only one living God and He is kind to tell us who He is. If ones source of this God is not a reliable source, then one will be satisfied to search for a god other than Yahweh, the God of the Bible. To view God as lesser than eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present; then one will think that god is ever changing and fluid in nature. One will not see all things, peoples, nations, and creation as God’s so long as one keeps self as the most important being in the universe. Self-focused self-esteem is rooted in a sin of pride, selfishness, and/or unbelief.
Consider how God addresses this in Isaiah 13 and Revelation 18.
In Isaiah 13, nearly one hundred and eighty years before Babylon rises to the height of its global influence, Isaiah informed the nation of Judah that Almighty God uses all nations, sets aside all people, ordains all situations, and sanctifies kings and kingdoms for His work. He blesses the good and the evil with rain. He causes famines, plagues, natural disasters, and tyrannical rulers to rise and fall for His glory. To see God as anything less is to see oneself as greater than we are.
One of the greatest sins in our day is to have a low view of God and a too high view of man. Now, God has obviously put a value on life because He created life, but to misplace and put greater value upon something is to cheapen the value of another. One could argue that some in our day have too low a view of man due to how easy it is to get an abortion, but that will be a topic for another day.
When one looks at the proclamation of Isaiah 13 and reads Revelation 18, it is clear that God does indeed know what is best for us.Understanding starts with seeing God for what God is and seeing our sin cravings for what they are.
In Revelation 18, we are told to “come out of Babylon”. By the time Revelation is written, Babylon has gone the way of all nations of the world. Replaced by another nation to be the judgment of God upon people who make claim to follow God but really have created a god for themselves and only follow their sinful desires.
God calls His people to come out of Babylon. The reason He calls us to come out of Babylon is because otherwise we will participate in the sins of Babylon. As long as we stay in the sins of our flesh we will be in the path of the God’s wrath. The sins of Babylon have piled up as high as heaven and God remembers their iniquities. This is the only just thing a righteous God can do, judge those who sin against Him.
This is why the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ is so sweet. God’s wrath justly lands on someone just like me, all of humanity, all who remain in Babylon. Jesus became sin for us so that those repenting and believing have a way out of the city before His wrath comes.
So long as one’s greatest interest is self and feeling at peace in the city of sin, one will not search for truth. If temporal pleasures are chosen over eternal truth, truth will not even be sought.
Today, while it is still called today, call upon the eternal God and be saved. There are churches throughout the Magic Valley who proclaim this truth faithfully. Find one this weekend and be pleased to give glory to God for His kindness and mercy. The kindness of God is what leads us to repentance. This kindness of God is an eternal truth.
Turn from your sin. Turn to Christ and be saved.
________________________________ Edited on April 9, 2018 for grammar and spelling
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