Believe in Yourself?
Do you believe in yourself? This is a core part of self-esteem in psychology. Do you believe in God? This is a core part of salvation in Christianity. These two beliefs are mutually exclusive.
“Have faith in God.” - Mk. 11:22 God deserves our trust because the LORD is pure, spotless, sinless, and faithful. We are the exact opposite. Sinners do not deserve our faith because such creatures are not trustworthy. Therefore, it is extremely foolish to trust in oneself.
“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” – Prov. 28:26
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” – Jer. 17:5 Having faith in yourself is sacrilegious and idolatrous. It is sacrilegious because you can’t have faith in God while believing in yourself. It is idolatrous because faith is an essential act of worship that belongs to God. Faith in oneself is the idolization of man in the place of God. And we know that no idolater will inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10, Eph. 5:5, Rev. 21:8). Belief in oneself is a religious act of idolatry that enshrines your own understanding and wisdom. Doing what’s right in your own eyes isn’t a good thing.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” – Prov. 3:5-7
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” – Prov. 12:15
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” – Prov. 16:25
Naturally, if you believe in yourself, you will be true to your passions and interests even if they aren’t ethical, moral, or biblical. You will want to live authentically for yourself! This is the bane of psychological treatment. Your local Therapist will send you on an exciting quest of self-discovery that ends in shipwreck.
“A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.” – Prov. 18:2
“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.” – Prov. 21:2
Have you figured out who you are? God knows. Before you prioritize your happiness as a sinner, and suppose that this is the essence of living a good life, you should read the Bible. God has something to say about you.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” – Jer. 17:9-10 Psychology was invented by sinners in the 1700s as an act of rebellion against the Bible. Psychology will make you feel good about yourself because you are deemed to be an innocent victim of your environment. The Bible teaches us that sinners are guilty criminals in the sight of God. Psychological treatment ministers a false peace to condemned sinners.
“They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” – Jer. 6:14
At the end of the day, if you are feeling good about yourself, your Therapist has done her job. The indoctrination of psychology has done its work. At the end of the day, if you are feeling bad about yourself, the courtroom Judge at City Hall has done her job. The due process of justice has done its work. The former is treated like a victim and the latter a criminal. Which one are you? Just punishments bring remorse to otherwise impenitent criminals.
“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” – Rom. 3:9-19 The Word of God, contained in the Bible, deals honestly with the situation that we are in as condemned sinners. We need to see our criminal behavior against the laws of God in the Bible as something outrageous and unacceptable. Only then will we, as sinners, come to appreciate the Savior of sinners. Only then will we see justice being served at the Cross of Jesus Christ, who suffered and died in our place on the dark hill of Golgotha, receiving in Himself the punishment that we deserved. Only then will we truly repent and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
