The esteem of God
Faustino de Jesús Zamora Vargas
SUMMARY: As Christians, we must base our self-worth on our identity in Christ, not on humanistic ideas of self-esteem. Our self-image should be rooted in the fact that we are made in God's image and likeness, and that we are beloved, accepted, redeemed, blessed, chosen, adopted, and forgiven children of God. Humanistic self-esteem focuses on what we think of ourselves, while Christian identity focuses on what God thinks of us. Self-esteem promotes pride and self-sufficiency, while identity in Christ leads us to put our ego aside and live for Christ. Self-esteem tries to deify man and promote that God is not needed, while identity in Christ reaffirms us as children of God. We must know who we are in Christ to walk with Him and avoid the identity crisis that many churches are experiencing.
Today there is talk, even in Christian circles, of a concept about which a lot has been written, especially in the area of secular psychology: self-esteem. In the era of relativism par excellence, where each one tries to insert himself into humanistic sociocultural philosophies and tendencies (humanism deifies man and discards the word of God), Christians must assume firm positions in our convictions based on the Bible, our rule of faith and practice.
Each one makes an image of himself, it can be a good image or a bad image. Many times people act and value life from the image they have created of themselves. If your self-image is good, chances are you will harbor feelings of pride, complacency, and satisfaction. Then one projects into life with the security of being oneself, without feeling ashamed of their own image, without apparent fear. When your self-image is negative, the opposite happens. People then hide from the world, they do not face it, they feel frustrated, dissatisfied. It is as if one is incompatible with the world, and therefore does not express what really operates in his soul (thoughts, feelings and desires). The image and likeness to God does not have to do with appearances, but with the soul. Your soul resembles God's.
Each one makes an image of himself, it can be a good image or a bad image. Many times people act and value life from the image they have created of themselves. If your self-image is good, chances are you will harbor feelings of pride, complacency, and satisfaction. Then one projects into life with the security of being oneself, without feeling ashamed of their own image, without apparent fear. When your self-image is negative, the opposite happens. People then hide from the world, they do not face it, they feel frustrated, dissatisfied. It is as if one is incompatible with the world, and therefore does not express what really operates in his soul (thoughts, feelings and desires). The image and likeness to God does not have to do with appearances, but with the soul. Your soul resembles God's.
