How should we think of ourselves?
Notes
Transcript
Service Notes:
Couple testimonies
Time of prayer
Baptist History / Greg
Men’s Meeting at the end
Introduction:
Growing up I want to be #35
This morning we were told how to view and love our enemies
So much of life is dependent on us knowing who we are
If we find that we struggle with a low self-image, we need to look carefully at it, because it may not be low at all. It may in fact be a frustrated inflated self-image.
What our world often calls low self-image, I think Paul would say is just another way of thinking too highly of ourselves.
Romans 12:3 (AV)
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Holy and Unholy Ways of Thinking Highly of Yourself
Holy and Unholy Ways of Thinking Highly of Yourself
We are saints
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
New Creations. No longer condemned.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
We could also wrongfuly think highly of ourselves
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
Holy and Unholy Ways of Thinking Low of Yourself
Holy and Unholy Ways of Thinking Low of Yourself
If you see yourself as having once been the foremost of sinners
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Recognizing it is only the grace of God we are not worse than we are
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.
Prefer others above yourself in practical matters
10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
Not competing with others but esteem others better than ouselves
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Our decreasing has a purpose
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
God does not motivate with shame
But if you suffer from a chronic sense of failure, underachievement, and shame because compared to others you just are not smart enough, attractive enough, competent enough, gifted enough, organized enough, educated enough, successful enough, rich enough, or prominent enough, that is almost always an unholy lowliness.
20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
Because, in truth, we are thinking quite highly of ourselves indeed, and are sad, ashamed, and frustrated that we can’t garner the admiration of others we desire.
Fighting Unholy Lowliness
Fighting Unholy Lowliness
We all battle this at times.
We all battle this at times.
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
And Paul helps us fight this inverted form of thinking too highly of ourselves.
And Paul helps us fight this inverted form of thinking too highly of ourselves.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
We are meant to be different because we have different functions.
We are meant to be different because we have different functions.
This undermines envy and encourages our sense of stewardship.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
God has given us different gifts
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
We should be content with such things
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
We should fully use what we have recieved
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
This undermines covetousness and encourages our faith in God.
Unholy lowliness comes from comparing ourselves with one another in the spirit of the disciples who competed over
24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
Trusting him to exalt us at the proper times and ways
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Do not trust our impulse to be first, and remember that the least among us often is the one God considers great
48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.
Low self-image — unholy lowliness — which is in truth thinking too highly of ourselves, is weight we must lay aside in order to run our faith race
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Let us look to Jesus
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus showed us how to do this by coming to us as one who serves
27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.