Another Gospel – “The Gospel Of Self-Esteem”

As the Apostle Paul said, any other gospel than Christ and Him crucified is “another gospel.” The Gospel of self-esteem which has permeated most gospel preaching today in Body of Christ is man-made, man-oriented and contradictory to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. No false doctrine has ever crept into the body except it come in on the heels of some truth. This is the deadly lie of the original “gospel” Satan preached to Eve in the Garden of Eden when he calmly told her, “you shall be as gods.” Satan is telling the church the same thing today. We must hear what the SPIRIT says to the Church in this perilous hour and battle for truth prior to the Lord’s return. Souls are in the balance.

By Chris McDonald

TEXT: Genesis 3:4-5 - And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: [5] For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

There is a new gospel today that is sweeping the Body of Christ. It’s actually not “new,” but a reformed version of an older “lie,” that is as ancient as the Garden of Eden. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul said, that if a person comes preaching any other gospel than Christ and Him crucified, that person was preaching “another gospel” and was to be accursed. It was repeated TWICE in this passage in Galatians listed below:

Galatians 1:6-9 - I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: [7] Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. [8] But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. [9] As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

The Greek word for “accursed,” is very strong in it’s meaning – “let him be damned to the pit of hell forever.” I think the Holy Spirit wanted to get our attention to how God feels about doctrines that “pervert” the gospel of Christ. God paid an awful price for man’s redemption and when a sinful human race tinkers with the message of grace that was paid for by blood, the Lord is not too happy about it.

Today’s modern church world has become STEEPED with the Gospel of self-esteem. Most (there are some exceptions but very few) gospel preaching today in the Body of Christ is man-made, man-oriented and contradictory to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember this neighbor, no false doctrine has ever crept into the body except it come in on the heels of some truth. Many of those who purport this message quote tons of scripture to validate their point but the root of their heresy is centered back in the Garden of Eden where the first deadly lie of Satan’s original “gospel” was preached to Eve.

The power play that made Eve finally believe the serpent was the words, “you shall be as gods.” Satan is telling the church the same thing today. We must hear what the SPIRIT says to the Church in this perilous hour and battle for truth prior to the Lord’s return. Souls are in the balance.

I get somewhat frustrated at times by some who when I discuss these issues with them try to tell me that I should not be upset about such things as this. I’m told that our “doctrinal” beliefs don’t matter that much and that we just all need to “get along” with everyone. I’m told that everyone is following the same path to the same God and that in the end “it’ll all come out in the wash.” I’m told by some that I need to be careful as not to become a “heresy hunter,” i.e. Hank Hannegraf (GOD HELP US) and others who are always looking for a “boogie man” in every thing someone says. I pray and seek God that my motives are higher than that. I’m not here to draw a sword with anyone or grind an ax with a movement. My concern is for the souls of the readers who come to our website.

If you read something on here that is laced with New Age humanism and go away with a “feel good” sensation all the time, then we’re not preaching the gospel and we need to take the site down. The true gospel of Christ ALWAYS confronts man with his sinful condition and requires repentance through the blood of Christ. The TRUE GOSPEL never lets us off the hook without making a decision in our hearts on whether we’re going to believe CHRIST and the finished work He did at the cross or we’re going to believe a New Age dogma that tells us that man is basically good and only in need of “enlightenment,” or “refinement.”

What Does The Bible Say About Man?

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 3:10-19

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: [11] There is none that understand, there is none that seeketh after God. [12] They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. [13] Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: [14] Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: [15] Their feet are swift to shed blood: [16] Destruction and misery are in their ways: [17] And the way of peace have they not known: [18] There is no fear of God before their eyes. [19] Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

In these passages, the Holy Spirit reminds us that the WHOLE WORLD is guilty before God – and that the purpose of the Mosaic Law was to emphasize that all men are guilty before God and in need of salvation.

Romans 3:21

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Romans 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

Man’s only hope does NOT lie in works, but in the justification extended through the grace of God, which is based on the CROSS and what Christ did there 2,000 years ago. We’re not talking about some mysticism or strange obsession with an object. We’re talking about the PRICE that HE paid for our redemption with His own blood that broke the chains and the shackles of sinful man and destroyed Satan’s power over us. We can be free today. Let me change that – we ARE free through CHRIST! We ARE saved through the precious blood of the LAMB OF GOD.

Col. 2:14-15

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [15] And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

1 Peter 1:20-21

Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, [21] Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

But the “new gospel” that is preached today says something totally different. It leads people down a path that calls for a “new reformation,” and “new theology.” In the late 1980s, one of the leading proponents of this new age self-esteem gospel was Robert Schuler from Los Angeles, California.

In his book “Self-Esteem, The New Reformation,” Schuler said that original Reformation was flawed under Luther and Calvin because it emphasized, “men are sinners.”

“Once a person believes he is an ‘unworthy sinner,’ it is doubtful if he can honestly accept the saving grace God offers in Jesus Christ.”

On the heels of this Schuler offered his own blueprint for salvation:

“If you want to know why <I> smile on television, if you want to know whyI make people laugh once in a while, I’m giving them sounds and strokes, sounds and strokes like you would a baby. It’s a strategy. People who don’t trust need to be stroked. People are born with a negative self-image. Because they do not trust, they cannot trust God.”

If this is right, then Jesus was not a good soul-winner. If Schuler is right, then maybe we need to just stop telling sinners they need a Saviour. If Schuler is right, maybe we need to just stop talking about man’s rebellion and sin against a Holy God and never speak of hell, nor warn them of the terrible consequences of rejecting this great salvation!

What Schuler is basically saying is this. Let’s “smile” them into the Kingdom of God, “elevate” their self-esteem and “stroke” them into faith. This is NOT the message of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ who looked at the greatest religious person living in his day in Nicodemus and said to HIS FACE: YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!

John 3:3-8

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. [4] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? [5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. [6] That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7] Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. [8] The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Shuler went on to say,

“Á theology of self-esteem also produces a theology of social ethics and a theology of economics – and these produce a theology of government. It rises from one foundation of the dignity of a person who was created in the image of God.”

What Schuler has said over the years is that we not only need a new reformation and a new theology, we need a new Bible. This is sort of an aside but a very relevant one – has anyone noticed the modern craze with the new translations??? Has anyone besides me noticed the church world just clamoring like newborn babies after milk for the paraphrased versions of the Bible that take the original King James text and basically lets men make up their own thoughts as to what THEY think it means??? That is part of the new gospel! A new gospel has to have a new Bible, and neighbor the Christian bookstores are full of them! That is something that I have full authority to say because I work in one part time on the weekends when I’m home. I’ve seen so many things come down the pike, just within the last year it would make your head swim.

You see, the doctrine of the gospel of self-esteem strikes at the very heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel of Christ states that man is a SINNER who cannot save himself and thus desperately needs a REDEEMER. Man is more LOST than he’ll ever know. Man’s depravity goes deeper than just his social or economic standing. Man’s sin nature goes deeper than how much education he has or the number of degrees he has obtained. It goes deeper than the theology of government, economics or socialism like Mr. Shuler said.

The Modern Prophets

As we have entered a new time in the Body of Christ, the names have changed but the lie of the devil remains the same. Robert Shuler boasted not too terribly long ago that two of his most attentive pupils had went out and made great names for themselves in building huge networks of people across America. Those two pupils are RICK WARREN and BILL HYBELS. Both these men have stated unequivocally that they have taken the formulas they use today in building these mega-church empires through books and other avenues directly from their mentor- Robert Shuler.

Thus, what we’re saying, is that the original seed of this other gospel that started sweeping America in the 1970s-1980s has now come full circle in 2005 through the writings of Rick Warren who has sold millions of copies of his well-known books, “the Purpose Driven Life,” and the “Purpose Driven Church.” In both books, Warren addresses the issues facing the nation as “social, economic, and moral.” Those three issues are the very three-pronged assault used by Satan to fuel and foster the original self-esteem philosophy ages ago.

Satan’s three-fold, humanistic plan for taking over the world is basically simple. You may find it interesting how these older philosophies from men in the psychology field have found there way into the new theology of modern Christendom.

§ Darwinism – the concept of evolution as it affects the social man

§ Marxism – Satan’s economic foundation

§ Freudianism – a profound influence on the morals of man.

There is a standard statement made by these modern prophets of self-esteem that says, “all truth is God’s truth.” But, just like so-called “Christian rock” if we attach “Christian” to it, most think that justifies whatever goes on. One well-known Christian psychologist wrote recently in a major Christian publication “it doesn’t matter if Adler and Maslow (psychologists) were humanists. If they stumbled upon truth, so be it. We must accept ‘truth’ no matter its source.”

NO MATTER IT’S SOURCE? No matter it’s source? This is exactly the battleground neighbor for what I bring to you in this message. There is but ONE SOURCE OF TRUTH and it’s not found in the pages of a backslidden, deluded sexual pervert, narcotics addict and unmitigated liar named FREUD who tried to make humanity believe it’s answer was in our minds, not our hearts. There is ONLY ONE TRUTH and that is the PERSON whom TRUTH embodies the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

All that purports to be truth OUTSIDE OF CHRIST and HIS FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS is a LIE. These so-called experts who tell you that we can save ourselves and keep ourselves free from sin with man-made philosophy can’t save their own soul!! How can they think they can save yours?

The Gospel of self-esteem is a lie neighbor. It’s false doctrine. It’s a false message built upon a false premise driven by a false spirit. Notice the emphasis on the word “driven.” Everything that Mr. Warren pushes is a “driven” purpose or a “driven” mandate for unity. The Holy Spirit doesn’t work that way. The Holy Spirit LEADS us into all truth; He never drives us. We are to be led of the Spirit of God, not purpose driven. Man’s purposes are distorted because MAN IS DISTORTED. Man cannot find his purpose on this earth outside the power of the blood of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. Mankind needs a savior because mankind is sinful. That brings us to our next question –

Is Man’s Problem One Of Low Self-Esteem?

Genesis 3:4, 5 - And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

The almost universal problem of the human race – especially today – is one of INFLATED SELF-ESTEEM and arrogance, not one of low self-esteem. This problem was evident in the Garden of Eden and even before when Satan fell from grace. His line “ye shall be as gods,” has become our greatest problem in the church today.

It is the ancient temptation that Satan used to beguile Eve, and he’s using that same ruse today. That’s why we have so many pastors who act like dictators to their congregations. That’s why so many pastors demand submission from their flocks because in their eyes they see themselves as “little gods.” It is the foundation of humanism. Man is the focal point, replacing God. The false god of man’s importance has replaced the spirit of servant hood, humility, brokenness and self-denial in our churches and preaching. We no longer talk about loving the brethren as Christ loved us. Today, we demand obedience to our own set of rules and dare anyone to break them.

I heard an interview over radio not too long ago where a young lady told of a horrible experience in her and her husband’s local church. The church was one of these “government of 12” churches that basically puts people under the authority of 12 “leaders” who are supposed to be able to be the accountability for those under them. (THEY CANNOT HOLD THEMSELVES ACCOUNTABLE SO THEY VERY WELL CAN’T HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE)

The young lady said that the church had so many programs going on that required their attendance that they had gotten burnt out. She said that some weeks they would be in church 7 days a week listening to seminars, lectures, etc. She also said that the church required them to read books on a regular basis. At one point she said they had to read 20 books within a month as required reading to remain part of the fellowship.

She said one night she came to her husband in tears telling him something was wrong. She looked at him and said, “we need to stop reading these other books, and read THE BOOK.” She wept as she told this story on the radio and said that since they had left that church and the abusive power structure they were under they had renewed their simple faith in Christ and found new freshness in the word of God again.

Her story is multiplied by the MILLIONS neighbor in America today. Pastors have become “little gods,” in their own mind and they destroy sheep in the process. From this mentality though usually comes their message too. If they are serving the false god of man’s importance, they are more than likely promoting new age dogma such as “Christian” psychology, fourth dimension teaching, dream your own dream (PDL), inner healing, self-esteem and the like. The new modern term is “find your own purpose,” and live it, meaning that no matter your soul is bound for hell, as long as you’re walking in purpose, God is pleased with you. That is a lie friend. It is another gospel, and the purveyors of that gospel are “accursed” by the Holy Spirit.

In Pentecostal circles, the word of faith movements, have coined the phrased, “we ARE little gods; As Adam was formerly god of this world and lost it, we have now regained it. And we are now little gods under the Lord Jesus Christ.” This is a dangerous, man-centered philosophy that undermines and grossly cheapens the powerful gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rev. 3:17-21 - Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: [18] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. [19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. [20] Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. [21] To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Man is a SINNER. But the greatest hindrance to leading men to the Lord Jesus Christ is the “god syndrome” affecting not only society but the church. The hardest thing in the world is to get man, especially religious man, to admit he is a sinner. One must admit to himself that he is LOST before he can be saved! One must admit he NEEDS a Saviour before he can be introduced to one. One must admit he is BLIND, before he can see. Jesus told Laodicea, “because you SAY I am rich, increased with goods and have need of nothing,” you are blind, naked and wretched!

The reason for this matter of human pride is rooted in the original lie of the Garden when Satan said, “you shall be as gods.” This single fact is causing millions to perish without God and wind up in hell. Hell is real neighbor. You hear me, Mr. Warren? Rick Warren says he never tells anybody they’re going to die and go to hell because it turns them off. Neighbor, you better be turned OFF NOW, walk out mad under conviction NOW, stomp and snort your fee NOW, as to walk away feeling good about yourself and open your eyes in eternity one day without GOD. This new self-esteem gospel never uses such “negative” comments.

Joel Osteen, pastor of the one of the largest churches in Houston, Texas, who is also one of the modern prophets of the self-esteem message, sat down on secular television with a well-known television personality and basically stated that the gospel was “Good news” not bad. Even the heathen television personality looked at him and said, “come on now, I’m not naïve enough to believe that the Bible is only full of good things. Your gospel is all syrup and candy. There’s more to it than that!!”

The heathen television personality may not be a Christian but he made more sense in that one statement that the entire stupid, moronic, false gospel that is being shoveled to millions today COMBINED has made.

Self-esteem caters to man’s BASEST nature, which is man’s PRIDE. This is why the “dominion teaching,” took off with such a blast a few years back. Statements like “we are going to take over the world, we are going to solve the problems of mankind.” It was and still is “we this,” “we that.” If Jesus is mentioned in these doctrinal statements, it’s only in passing. Man has taken over the throne and Christ has taken a back seat.

ANY philosophy or doctrine that is man-centered and not God-centered is FALSE, unscriptural and damnable.

2 Peter 2:1-2- But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. [2] And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. [3] And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

A.W. Tozer, one of my favorite writers, said this long ago:

“If self occupies the throne, we cannot say Christ is on the throne of our heart. Self is man’s greatest enemy. He embodies selfishness, greed and all that opposes God. If Jesus Christ is seated on the throne, self is eradicated. And until self is eradicated, there can be no Christ-centered throne in our lives.”

Many called Tozer a modern day prophet when he lived. I agree with that and will go a step further and say that his words THEN carry a tremendous amount of weight NOW. Self-esteem will lead no one to Christ! It will lead to enshrinement of SELF. The Scriptures condemn any system that proposes to solve human problems apart from the Bible, the work of the Holy Spirit, and faith in Christ and Him crucified alone. In the eyes of the self-esteem movement, traits such as love, joy and peace are discussed as if they are not fruits of the Spirit, but merely the fruits of right views of one’s self, which anyone can attain without the Bible or the work of the Holy Spirit in his heart.

The ONLY thing the Bible has to say about self-esteem is a command to live in total opposition to anything that promotes US and not our fellow man:

Philip. 2:3

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

These puffed-up self opinions most preachers are espousing from their pulpits are making the sheep want to vomit. That’s why most sheep are leaving the church and staying home on Sunday. As one good friend told me recently, “if I’m going to go to church each week, bite nails, grind my teeth and want to scream over the false doctrines being preached, I’d just rather stay home, pray and seek God and not bite nails, grind my teeth and want to scream!” Good point and one well taken!

The modern Purpose Driven Life movement says that to glorify God, we must first love ourselves. If one is to accept self-worth teaching, we must first be of worth to ourselves in order to love others and love God.

That is not Biblical love. God does not love man because man is moral. God loves man DESPITE man’s moral failings. In Psalms 8, David asked, “What is man?” In Psalms 62, that question was answered – “MAN IS NOTHING!”

Psalm 8:1-9- To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. [2] Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. [3] When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; [4] What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? [5] For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. [6] Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: [7] All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; [8] The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. [9] O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Psalm 62:1-12

To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.

Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. [2] He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. [3] How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. [4] They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. [5] My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. [6] He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. [7] In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. [8] Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. [9] Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. [10] Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. [11] God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God. [12] Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renders to every man according to his work.

The way mankind finds eternal life is by putting its faith in the finished work of redemption by Christ on the cross 2,000 years ago. The Lord told those who would follow him that we must deny ourselves daily and take up our cross. We must put SELF TO DEATH through the power of the cross of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit as a result of our faith in that cross. Taking up the cross has nothing to do with specific sacrifice. In the Lord’s Day, taking up the cross meant a death sentence to the one carrying the cross. It was then THE method of execution.

The Lord is saying, “you must treat yourself – with your sinful ways, priorities, and desires – like a criminal. Your sins must be condemned and utterly done away with.” He is also saying that not only our sins must be condemned, but our GOODNESS as well! You say, “our goodness?” YES! Our goodness must come under the sentence of death as well through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said through John that when the Spirit would come He would come to reprove the world of SIN, not low self-esteem! This means that when the true gospel of Christ is preached, men will come under the convicting power of the Holy Ghost and be given the chance to repent. Man is not a creature of low self-esteem; man is a SINNER.

According to the gospel, an individual is reproved of sin by the Holy Ghost and is brought (hopefully) to a place of repentance. He suddenly sees himself as GOD sees him – a SINNER, lost and undone and without God.

I want to interject a quick thought here to the believer. Ultimately, WE too are undone without God. Many have the erroneous view that when we get saved we have become saints. Honey, the work has JUST begun! Yes, we are saints in the fact that we have come from darkness into light, but we must NEVER get arrogant and think that the goodness we “see” in ourselves is of us. It’s NOT! ALL the good and grace that we see in our lives as a result of salvation is because of CHRIST, not men!

In Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost, some 3,000 souls were saved. On that great day when the Holy Spirit fell, Peter did NOT appeal to those gathered on a level of stroking their vanities in an effort to raise their self-esteem. His message was the message of the New Covenant – REPENT.

Acts 2:36-38

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

[37] Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? [38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

This is HOLY GHOST conviction! In Peter’s SECOND great sermon where 5,000 were saved, he once more ignored the matter of the listener’s self-esteem. Instead he pointed them to their darkest natures and laid bare their hearts before God, as all true gospel-preaching DOES.

Acts 3:14-15

But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; [15] And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

In Closing

This is the God-ordained approved principle of confronting men with the fact they are sinners and that they are lost without God. If then becomes the responsibility of the Holy Spirit to convict them and bring them to Jesus Christ. Where does this leave the modern gospel of self-esteem? The two can NEVER be reconciled. In truth, Jesus is mentioned but only as lip service, in the self-esteem gospel of the new modern prophets. It does not bring biblical salvation. It brings people to a man-centered philosophy instead.

Individuals who respond to this siren song of deceit are seldom (if ever) truly born again. They do not turn to the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. How can I say that, one may ask. It’s because a vain philosophy has been tendered to the people instead of the true gospel. The self-esteem gospel confronts people with an impossible task – saving themselves. MAN CANNOT and NEVER will be able to do that – SAVE HIMSELF.

Matthew 15:14

Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Millions are being led down a path today that is not leading them to eternal life. The vain deceit and philosophy of the modern new age humanistic gospel puts the emphasis on man’s standard of greatness in himself. The Lord’s standard of greatness involves the level of our SERVICE and LOVE for HIM and others. Man’s standard is to humble others, while making himself look better. God’s standard is for us to humble OURSELVES. The self-esteem gospel promotes the first lie ever uttered to man, “ye shall be as gods.”

The church needs the Holy Spirit more than ever. If we have the anointing of the Holy Ghost upon us, we will demonstrate the principle of HUMILITY always. The ministry today is suffering from a dose of SELF, instead of a dose of the Holy Ghost. Let’s return to the cross of Christ and let ego be slain, the world see the risen CHRIST in us.

Let me lose myself and find it Lord in thee;

Let all self be slain, the world see only thee;

Though it cost me grief or pain, Let me find my life all again

Let me lose myself and find it Lord in thee!