Disciples show love to
themselves without becoming
unhealthy lovers of self

Are we supposed to love ourselves? You won’t find a bible quote for it. The bible denounces self-love (2 Tim 3:2) and self-importance (Philippians 2:3). But God does advocate a sense of worth (you are worth more than many sparrows – Matthew 10:31).

Let’s dig into loving ourselves without becoming unhealthy, ungodly lovers of self that Paul describes to his protégé Timothy.

Your Biblical Identity in Christ

2 Timothy 3:1-5

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Galatians 5:13-26

Life by the Spirit

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Pondering Point

It is good to love ourselves – but not above others; it is good to love ourselves, but not in the manner of putting sinful desires (ours or others) above God’s holy desires – or even putting sinful desires into play at all. Any unholy desire runs counter to the will of God and therefore conflicts with God’s ways of love. Since I am a lover of God, I want to love myself in ways that honor God and to stand against self-defined or world-defined ways of supposed “love” that conflict with God’s will for me or others.

So our identity in Christ for the week will reflect this godly desire:

• In Christ, we are loved by God our Father and will express love to ourselves and others in ways that honor Him.

Prayer Prompt