In this series of blog posts, I am attempting to convict and admonish my fellow brothers in respect to our blindness toward the idols of our culture and their unfortunate presence in the household of God. These false idols are destructive aspects of  culture which must be purged from within God’s people. My goal in writing is to stir up a bit of introspection, self-evaluation, and repentance. I struggle with these idols as much as anyone, and I want my brothers to hold me accountable. Here is my second post.

 …God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
-1 Peter 5:5 ESV

Pride is perhaps the most pervasive and starkly unbiblical element of our modern American culture. I cannot think of any other biblical teaching so clear, yet twisted to produce a the exact opposite moral value in our society. Somehow, pride has become a good thing; in America, we find it acceptable and proper to worship ourselves. Perhaps “self-esteem” is a more gentle term for our foolishness, but it produces the same results: narcissism, selfishness, and insolence. Sure, telling our children that they’re special and puffing them up with endless compliments seems harmless, but it’s created a culture so “me”-centered that anyone who doesn’t think the world of himself is thought to have some sort of disorder. Oh no, the low self-esteem plague may be creeping into our home. I sure hope someone brings candy. 

Naturally, we’d say there’s a difference between self-respect and arrogance; after all, you don’t need to be a jerk to feel good about yourself. This is very true. And this is also why the idolatry of pride goes unnoticed in our culture; people think high self-regard is okay as long as you’re not too much of a bragger, a showboat, or a whiner. But the gospel tells us something else; we are helpless sinners, evil people in need of mercy. Yes, the gospel should shatter our pride; if you have low self-esteem, it’s still too much.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people misconstrue Jesus’ words, “love your neighbor as yourself,” to say that such a command implies that one must love himself before he can love his neighbor. This is a blatant example of allowing our culture—along with its idolatry—to determine our biblical interpretations. Biblical love is clearly sacrificial in nature (cf. 1 John 3:16). In essence, love always seeks the interest and well-being of its direct object. By loving other people, we put their well-being above our own, even to the point of death. Love of self, then, is the antithesis of loving others; it is completely incompatible with the commandment of Christ. Self-esteem and pride are as about as unbiblical as you can get.

Of course, televangelists and so-called “health and wealth” preachers promote self-esteem because it brings in the crowds (thus boosting their own self-esteem, as well as their pocketbooks). However, the doctrine preached by such men as Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland and the like is downright heresy. These men are sugarcoated fools, effeminate cowards and shameless liars, seeking their own glory and well-being, thereby rejecting the true gospel of Jesus Christ. We cannot allow the pride of our culture to run rampant in our churches, because it necessarily constitutes a refusal of biblical salvation. We are not good. We are wicked and broken. We cannot earn salvation. We  desperately need someone to save us from our destructive ways. Jesus Christ did just that. In this gospel, there is no room for self-esteem (cf. Ephesians 2:1-10). Only humility and repentance will do. 

It’s important to note, however, that just because we are sincerely grieving over our sin does not mean we should be led to utter despair. God’s salvation should bring us great joy. Those who remain despondent often lack a trust in God’s ability to save. In this way, their despair is actually prideful, as they still think it’s up to them to save themselves (as if they have the ability). True humility stemming from the gospel should put man in his place as unworthy and incapable of true good, apart from the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In this grace we rejoice, for despite our depravity, Christ died for us, and God’s love abounds. Our confidence lies not in ourselves, but in Jesus. If this is not the case, we, quite frankly, are not Christians. 

Paul warns that throughout the church age,  ”there will come times of difficulty. 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, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV).

There is no denying that this description fits our self-esteem society quite well. And what’s more is that many of these people “have the appearance of godliness”—they seem to have their crap together and don’t offend others—yet deny the power of the gospel. It will difficult for us to rid ourselves of this idolatry; the church is full of it. Yet the doctrine of high self-esteem must be taken as a lie if we are to believe Scripture. Pride is not a virtue; it is a sin which God hates. It is hard-heartedness toward the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must examine ourselves, repent, and seek God diligently, that He might change our hearts. 

 Love the LORD, all you his saints!
   The LORD preserves the faithful
   but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
-Psalm 31:23 ESV

“Remember, therefore, it is not your hold on Christ that saves you — it is Christ; it is not your joy in Christ that saves you — it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument — it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to your hand with which you are grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to your hope; look not to your faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. We will never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul.”
-C.H. Spurgeon

This quote is particularly moving to me, as it brings great glory to God.

First, Spurgeon points out that it is not our ability to hold on to Christ that brings us salvation, but God’s holding on to us. We have not “attained” Christ as if we had the ability to reach and take hold of Him, but God has mercifully rescued us from harm’s way and continues to keep us close in His arms.

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6 NASB).

Next, Spurgeon notes that it is not our joy in Christ that produces salvation. We don’t “earn” favor by rejoicing in God. Instead, it is God who fills us with joy; it is a gift from His hand, given to us along with His precious salvation.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Thirdly, Spurgeon goes so far to say that it is not even our faith in Christ that saves us, adding, however, that it “be the instrument.” We’re not saved by our faith, in a self-righteous sense, but by God’s grace, operating through faith. Salvation is not of ourselves, but of “Christ’s blood and merits,” working through the faith He has given us. To be specific, faith itself doesn’t save us—God does. This is by grace.

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8 NASB).

When meditating on salvation, we dare not look to ourselves, lest we try to steal the glory from God. Instead, we need only look to Calvary, upon the Cross on which the Lamb was slain. Simply put, we are helpless to raise ourselves from eternal death; our beautiful, undeserved salvation is God’s doing.