Self&Image - a podcast by Lewis Marsh

ReTHINK #6,

Self & Image

By Louie Marsh, 10-10-2021

3 funny church signs

 Quotes about Self & Selfishness

“To be happy, we must not be too concerned with others.” ― Albert Camus

“I say let the world go to hell, but I should always have my tea.”  ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground

“Almost every sinful action ever committed can be traced back to a selfish motive. It is a trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves. ”  ― Stephen Kendrick, The Love Dare

Self-Image = fuhgeddaboudit

Forget About It

Intro:

 

What are the marks of a heart that has been radically changed by the grace of God?  I want to look at what our hearts should look like as we follow Jesus and He changes us into his image.

 

Up until the twentieth century, traditional cultures (and this is still true of most cultures in the world) always believed that too high a view of yourself was the root cause of all the evil in the world.

 

But, in our modern western culture, we have developed an utterly opposite cultural consensus. Top of Form

Our belief today – and it is deeply rooted in everything – is that people misbehave for lack of self-esteem and because they have too low a view of themselves.

You see, the thing about the ‘low self-esteem theory of misbehavior’ is that it is very attractive. You do not have to make any moral judgments in order to deal with society’s problems. All you have to do is support people and build them up. In traditional cultures, the way you dealt with these problems was that you clamped down on people and convicted them and called them bad!

 

The interesting thing about this passage from 1 Corinthians is that it gives us a new approach to how we regard ourselves, one that is different from both the traditional and the modern/postmodern approach.

 

21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.  1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. 6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. 7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? 1 Corinthians 3:21-4:7 (ESV)

 

• DISCOVER the natural condition of the human ego.

 

6 I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. 1 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV)

 

The word translated “puffed up” is not the normal hubris word for pride (hubris), but physioõ.

 

Paul uses it here and another five times in this particular book and once in Colossians 2. You will not find it anywhere else in the Bible as it is used only by Paul. It literally means to be overinflated, swollen, distended beyond its proper size. It is related to the word for ‘bellows’.

 

The human ego is:

 

• Empty

 

Soren Keirkegaard, in Sickness Unto Death, says the normal state of the human heart is to try and build its identity around something besides God. The human heart is an idol factory, constantly seeking to fill itself it’s emptiness with God substitutes.

 

• Busy

 

The human heart is busy doing two things – comparing and boasting. Vs. 6 – “you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.”

 

In Mere Christianity CS Lewis says – “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next person. We say the people are proud of being rich, or clever, or good looking, but they are not. They are proud of being richer, or cleverer or better-looking than others. If everyone else became equally rich, or clever, or good-looking there would be nothing to be proud about.”

• Fragile

 

It’s like an over inflated balloon – very, very easy to burst it and deflate it completely.

 

2) SEE what the transformed sense of self is.

 

• My identity is INDEPENDENT of others and myself.

 

1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 1 Corinthians 4:1-4 (ESV)

 

Paul doesn’t care –

 

• What the Corinthians think
• What he thinks – My Opinion Doesn’t Matter!

 

15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 1 Timothy 1:15 (ESV)

 

Paul says he’s aware of his sin and aware of his accomplishments, but he doesn’t connect any of those with himself. He refuses to play that game. He doesn’t let sin destroy his sense of self, and he doesn’t let his accomplishments inflate his ego. He will not make that connection.

 

• My identity is ANCHORED in Jesus alone!

 

• My opinion or yours isn’t relevant, only GOD’S OPINION counts!

 

4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. 1 Corinthians 4:4-5 (ESV)

 

• I’m forgiven of my SIN & free from

 

22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Romans 4:22-25 (ESV)

 

3) BEGIN the process of transformation.

 

• I must BELIEVE that Jesus has forgiven & accepted me.

 

1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV)

 

• I no longer have to PERFORM FOR ACCEPTANCE, because I am accepted in Christ!

 

27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:27-30 (ESV)

 

• I must DIE to myself.

 

“38And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:38–39, ESV)

• When I doubt – I RETURN TO THE GOSPEL over & over again.

 

12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 (ESV)

 

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

 

Here’s the Bottom Line:

 

I shouldn’t hate myself – I should simply FOCUS on God & others more & more.

 

“25For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:25–26, ESV)

The best moments of your life are when you are so in the moment you forget about yourself.

 

Video from the Camino

 

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