A Right Perception Of Self

Temple Baptist Church - 2-3-2019

Romans 12:3

Introduction:  

A.  Self-esteem, an enemy to the child of God!  The heretic, Robert Schuler, wrote a book titled Self Esteem.  His book was nothing more than a religious rendition of humanism. 

B.  The Bible not only does not teach self-esteem but teaches to the contrary.  This does not mean that we are to spend out time belittling ourselves, but that we should have a proper perspective of who we are and why we are what we are. 

C.  Three different looks at self covers it all.

1.  A High-minded look.  People who think that they are superior.  Self-esteem, or self worth, is simply pride.  This extreme will divide the local church and is detrimental to its mission.

Philippians 2:3  "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."

2.  A Hopeless-minded look.  This represents the opposite extreme.  I know of a preacher, saved from a life of wickedness, who could never get past this past.  He always had a hopeless sense of unworthiness.

Luke 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  (I understand this verse but wanted us to look at the “standing afar off, would not life up so much as his eyes.”  A practical application as we are to come boldly before the throne of Grace.)

3.  A Humble-minded look.  This is a right mind.  It is neither foolish pride nor is it false humility, it is a right perspective concerning self.

D.  I find this verse interesting in that it follows verses 1-2.  The context is holiness and separation.  Separation and holiness are right and good in God’s sight, but can lead to serious problems when they become a source of pride. 

E.  A right perspective of self glorifies God.  A wrong perspective of self glorifies man.

1.  A Wrong Perceptive Of Self Brings About Pride  (When someone begins to tell me how separated that they are, I sense pride!  Their separation is between them and God.  Separation is a very personal thing.)

a.  Pride Is Sin - 1 John 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

b.  Pride Is Defiling - Mark 7:18-23  And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;  Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?  And he said, That which cometh out (Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh) of the man, that defileth the man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

b.  Pride Is Hated - Proverbs 6:16-19  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  A proud look (first on the list), a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

c.  Pride Is Phariseeism - Luke 18: 10-14  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

d.  Pride Is Dangerous - Proverbs 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 29:23  A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

2.  A Right Perception Of Self Brings Glory

            a.  We Are Nothing (just dirt!)

1)  Our Flesh Is Wicked - Romans 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

2)  Our Heart Is Wicked - Jeremiah 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

3)  Our Righteousness Is Wicked - Isaiah 6:5-6  Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

            b.  He Is Everything

1)  He Was Before Everything - Colossians 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

2)  He Created Everything - Colossians 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

3)  He Sustains Everything - Colossians 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

            c.  Without Him We Can Do Nothing

Philippians 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 1Corinthians 15:10  But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Acts 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Ephesians 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

1 Corinthians 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

John 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

            d.  Therefore, It All Glorifies Him

Romans 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

1 Chronicles 29:11-12  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.  Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.