Christian Living
One of the problems with psychology is that it sees man as essentially good. Mankind is basically good, so we are told, and Christianity says that mankind is basically bad. (Romans 3:23; Jer. 17:9)
People will behave badly, says the Christian, because human nature is twisted and liking yourself doesn't remove the twist. Psychological theory doesn't take into account the fall. (Romans 5:12) Most psychology takes the position that there are no bad natural inclinations. If you are a homosexual we are told not to judge. We are told not to try to get him to change his ways, afterall, he is only living out the way he was created you see.
These people are living out their natural inclinations and we should learn to accept them. Accept them as they are. Unconditional love. Christianity tells us that we ought to love other people for an entirely different reason and we ought to love ourself for an entirely different reason.
The reason why we love ourselves is because God loves us and we will love ourselves more to the degree that we experience and feel God's love for ourselves and know His love for us. We love others as we love ourselves but if we don't believe that God loves us then we're not going to love ourselves and we're not going to be able to show love to our neighbors.
We're not centers of wholeness and goodness by ourselves. The only reason we are of infinite worth is because we are the apple of God's eye. He loves us as a father loves his child.
Now look at Christ as the wounded surgeon, the Great Physician who came to perform radical surgery on us and what we need is not our little finger fixed and put in a cast, but rather, we need a heart transplant.
We need a new heart. Our heart is full of corruption and sin and wickedness and we perish without a new heart. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26
"A new heart I will give you says God."
Christianity wants you to feel good about yourself but not until there is something to feel good about. We want to show people the road to recovery right? But first to get them on the road to recovery and to show people their potential we must show them their potential as it is in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 3:20; James 1:2-4;) People must be in Christ first before there can be any improvement, that is, sanctification. Romans 8:28-30
The humanistic optimism that views mankind as basically good and looks for a golden age of success, advancement and properity makes null and void the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Ask yourself this, why should Christ have died for our sins if there was nothing wrong with us?
Carlton Pruitt ministers the gospel to the Los Angeles area. Formerly a Hollywood actor (SAG member)and junk removal expert he now spends most of his time studying the scriptures, writing articles, hymns and poems and doing street preaching. See his videos on www.YouTube.com LAStreetPreacher. CONTACT at [email protected]
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