Bible Notes – Self-Love
1. What is Self-esteem/Self-image/Self-love and What Affects Self-Esteem
A. Proper fitting perspective of who/what we are, and why we are
a. Image of God
b. To Glorify God
c. Fellowship with God
B. Can you have low self-esteem and still be useful to God?
1. Joseph had a high esteem
2. Moses had a low esteem
C. Who is adequate? (2 Cor 2:14-17)
What is the Biblical Basis for Self Love?
A. “Love the Lord your God . . . and your Neighbor s Yourself”
B. “No man hates his own body . . . but loves it, and cherishes it”
1. Marriage Relationship and Inter-Relationships in General
2. Importance of “One Flesh” Relationship Within Marriage
What makes Us Worthy Of Self-Love, Or Of God’s Love?
A. “Worth”
1. “Worth-Ship”
2. Admitting that God alone is worthy
3. Use of hymns as a medium for worship
B. Did Christ die for us ecause we were worth dieing for?
1. Even unregenerate man is the Image of God
a. God made us that way . . . not our fault . . . God gets the credit
b. What about the angels?
2. Is man totally depraved?
3. If man is depraved, does that make man worthless?
4. What is depravity
a. Depravity speaks to mans inability to be reconciled to God The remedy is the Holy Spirit (John 16)
b. Mans’ depravity does not render him worthless . . . Hell is proof of this!
1) Man is reconcilable
2) Angels are not!
5. Christ’s death was a divine demonstration, and so is his life in us!
A. Three Types of “Love” In Koinay Greek
1. Eros => Physical arousal, not used in the New Testament
2. Phileo => Natural, uncalculated enjoyment of another person, therefore friendship
3. Agape => Deep attitude of esteem and respect, therefore commitment
6. John and 1 John appear to have the same outline, but . . .
a. John is about salvation . . . how to GET saved
b. 1 Jon is about Fellowship, how to live AFTER one is saved
c. 1 John is about being filled with the spirit
7. True Love / God’s Love (Agape) is evidenced by self-denial, not self glorification
A. Self denial = Loving God . . . which places self love in proper perspective
B. John 12:23-26 (antimony)
1. A seed must “die” to bear fruit
2. If you love life, you must be willing to use it
3. “Only a life worth sacrificing is worth living” – The Chosen
C. Matthew 16:24-28; Mark 8:34-9:1; Luke 9:23-27
1. To follow Christ we must give up our lives
2. Deny our self . . . pick up our cross
D. Matt 20:25-28
1. Son of man came not to be served but to serve
2. You must become a servant first if you are going to become the master
E. Philippians 2:1-11 => The Kenosis
1. In humility consider others better than yourselves
2. The mind of Christ => same attitude that Jesus demonstrate by becoming the “God-man”
F. While humility involves self-denial, it does not imply self degradation or humiliation
1. “Christianity is a religion for losers” – Ted Turner (Reader’s Digest, Understanding The Times)
2. “Christian love is absurd” – Sarte
G. Love is commitment to others . . . and therefore, to God . . . demonstrated by unselfish actions for the sake of Christ
8. Psychological/Spiritual model of the three aspects of love
A. Self-image
1. Phileo/Feelings
2. Dynamic/In Flux
a. +/- Moods
b. Circumstances
c. Performance
d. Based largely on our personality type
3. How you feel others perceive you
4. Emotional aspect of “the image of God”
B. Self-esteem
1. Self estimation
2. Ability to make an objective inventory of oneself and one’s abilities/capabilities
3. Philippians 4:10-13
a. Secret to contentment
b. No matter how we feel, we can still know our worth and therefore our capabilities
4. Intellectual aspect of the “Image of God”
C. Self-Love
1. Self sacrifice
2. Romans 15:1-3
a. The ability to set aside our rights for the sake of others (Rom 12-15)
b.