What the Gospel is NOT?
"I'm OK, you're OK"
Many people think our biggest problem is small self esteem. Think about how common it is to hear even professing evangelicals agree with the secular idea that our main problem is lack of self-fulfillment, or poor self-esteem. What's wrong with this?
The presupposition behind this view of humanity is unbiblical. This secular definition of the human problem presupposes that I should esteem myself better because I'm really good at heart. In fact, I'm better than I think I am.
The "self-esteem gospel" answers a worldview question differently than the Bible answers it.What is the nature of the human problem according to the Bible? Does the Bible think our biggest problem is the smallness of our esteem for our large hearts? Not quite.
- The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it (Jer 17:9)?
- And you were dead in your trespasses and sins ... and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest (Eph 2:1, 3).
- There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one (Rom 3:10-12).
