"The Bible has very little to say in praise of men.
Nowhere in sacred writ are men praised into spiritual maturity. Mankind is not to be praised into a
higher state of morality. The Bible testifies against the deceitful nature of praise even in contrast to the sober experience of rebuke (Proverbs 9:8; 27:1–2, 5–6; 28:23). However, this is not true within the realms of psychology.
Unfortunately for the pro self-esteem movement, the evidence is lacking. High self-esteem has no predictive value on good performance, just as low self-esteem has no predictive value on poor performance. In a large international study on the predictive value of self-esteem, investigators compared student’s mathematics scores with their self-esteem inventory. They found that countries with the highest self-esteem rankings—i.e. the United States—had the lowest math scores. Nations with the lowest self-esteem rankings—i.e. South Korea—achieved the highest math scores.
Despite evidence to the contrary, self-esteem is held with sacred regard by the American education system. Obsessed with this philosophy, the educational system blames poor academic performance, teen pregnancy, drug use, and suicide on low self-esteem. Instead of focusing on reading, writing, and arithmetic, they have made it their mission to nurture and protect self-esteem. And what has been the result? Sensitivity panels, stress-free zones, emotional intelligence, grief counselors, safe-space spaces, the end of dodge ball, and a war on common sense.
At one time college campuses were forums for debate, bantering of controversial ideas, and
challenging entrenched beliefs, but are currently the forefront of emotional coddling and “safe spaces.” Now, students upset at the results of a presidential election are offered free counseling sessions. In February of 2016, officials at Rutgers University held an emotional round table to help students cope after a politically conservative speaker lectured on campus a few days prior. The mere listening to ideas challenging one’s worldview caused students to report feeling “scared, hurt and discriminated against.” Recently, students at Berkley violently rioted assaulting attendees who wanted to listen to speeches from a politically conservative journalist. There is almost a totalitarian urge within education to protect students from negative experiences. Yet, these disappointing life events, according to history and Scripture, are that which forge robust character.
In the UK, a pastor was “was charged with causing ‘harassment, alarm or distress’” and put in jail, “after a homosexual police community support officer (PCSO) overheard him reciting a number of ‘sins’” including homosexuality from the Bible. In the United States—within the state of Kentucky—the Department of Juvenile Justice has enacted a policy preventing youth pastors from condemning homosexuality to inmates in their facilities..... the social justice warrior (SJW). SJWs police the internet under the guise of being offended to shut down free speech, attack those they don’t agree with, and shame those who violate politically-correct norms.
SJWs also prevented Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate, from speaking at the Johns Hopkins University—the very University he served as director of pediatric neurosurgery—because he made some comments which upset the gay/transgender community.
Unfortunately, the self-esteem movement is not limited to academia or the world, it has also infected the church. Not wanting to displease the worldly or lukewarm, ministers avoid topics like judgment, sin, Christian perfection,
and sinless living. Indeed, these topics are maligned as unloving, judgmental, and harmful. One such example is “last generation theology.” Once a hallmark of Adventist teaching, it is no longer taught by church institutions. Popularized by theologian M. L. Andreasen in his book The Sanctuary Service, this doctrine posits that the final generation just before the close of probation would perfectly reflect the character of Christ to a lost world. Perhaps because of the high standard it sets before believers (or because any notion of Christian perfection is bound to induce in Christians feelings of disgust) it was sacrificed on the altar of good feelings. One psychologist even labeled this theology as a “devastating” influence upon the “Adventist soul.”
The gospel of self-esteem has taken over. Now the goal of preaching is to make Christians feel loved, accepted, embraced, and forgiven. Thus, the marketing words of Christianity are “grace, mercy, and love.” While each of these words hold a special place in the Bible, they cannot supplant the whole testimony of scripture. It is precisely because of sin, judgment, indignation, and seven last plagues that those three words have meaning. However, when “grace, mercy and love” are used to comfort the worldly, sin-loving, and unrepentant, God is not pleased. It is written: “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah,” (Proverbs 17:15 ASV), or as the New Living Translation renders the last part: “both are detestable to the Lord.”
When John the Baptist called men to repentance, they invariably
replied: “What must I do to be saved?”—this is the goal!
Over 80 years ago, Dietrich Bonehoffer observed this trend in Christianity and sardonically labeled such teachings as “cheap grace.” For Bonehoffer, cheap grace is grace without contrition, and without transformation; it saves the Christian from sin, but not from being a sinner.
There are no safe spaces in the lake of fire. The holy law of God sitting underneath His throne will not change because you are offended. The standards of righteousness and the means of salvation through repentance cannot be altered because they are deemed harmful to the psychological well-being. Those who are saved will not spend eternity praising themselves, but praising the Lord and casting their crowns at His feet."
"He desires His chosen heritage to value themselves according to the price He has placed upon them. God wanted them, else He would not have sent His Son on such an expensive errand to redeem them. He has a use for them, and He is well pleased when they make the very highest demands upon Him, that they may glorify His name."
Desire of Ages p.668 E.G.W.
Nowhere in sacred writ are men praised into spiritual maturity. Mankind is not to be praised into a
Praise, which allegedly increases feelings of self-esteem, is the currency of psychology. Self-esteem, as a psychological concept, has existed for over 150 years being popularized by psychologists in the 1960s. Psychologist, Abraham Maslow theorized that mankind could be “self-actualized”—perfected—through improving self-esteem via praise. Thus, if man felt affirmed, confident, and loved, then he could reach the zenith. According to Maslow, psychology is the means and self-esteem the capital for this new salvation. He wrote:
I am also very definitely interested and concerned with man’s fate…I hope to help teach him how to be brotherly, cooperative, peaceful, courageous, and just…I consider psychology most important to this end. Indeed, I sometimes think that the world will either be saved by psychologists—in the very broadest sense—or else it will not be saved at all.Maslow’s theories and psychology are not some distant philosophy reserved for esoteric intellectuals sitting in ivory towers. It is a secular religion which competes with the moral fabric of Christianity.
Unfortunately for the pro self-esteem movement, the evidence is lacking. High self-esteem has no predictive value on good performance, just as low self-esteem has no predictive value on poor performance. In a large international study on the predictive value of self-esteem, investigators compared student’s mathematics scores with their self-esteem inventory. They found that countries with the highest self-esteem rankings—i.e. the United States—had the lowest math scores. Nations with the lowest self-esteem rankings—i.e. South Korea—achieved the highest math scores.
Despite evidence to the contrary, self-esteem is held with sacred regard by the American education system. Obsessed with this philosophy, the educational system blames poor academic performance, teen pregnancy, drug use, and suicide on low self-esteem. Instead of focusing on reading, writing, and arithmetic, they have made it their mission to nurture and protect self-esteem. And what has been the result? Sensitivity panels, stress-free zones, emotional intelligence, grief counselors, safe-space spaces, the end of dodge ball, and a war on common sense.
At one time college campuses were forums for debate, bantering of controversial ideas, and
In the UK, a pastor was “was charged with causing ‘harassment, alarm or distress’” and put in jail, “after a homosexual police community support officer (PCSO) overheard him reciting a number of ‘sins’” including homosexuality from the Bible. In the United States—within the state of Kentucky—the Department of Juvenile Justice has enacted a policy preventing youth pastors from condemning homosexuality to inmates in their facilities..... the social justice warrior (SJW). SJWs police the internet under the guise of being offended to shut down free speech, attack those they don’t agree with, and shame those who violate politically-correct norms.
SJWs also prevented Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon and former presidential candidate, from speaking at the Johns Hopkins University—the very University he served as director of pediatric neurosurgery—because he made some comments which upset the gay/transgender community.
Unfortunately, the self-esteem movement is not limited to academia or the world, it has also infected the church. Not wanting to displease the worldly or lukewarm, ministers avoid topics like judgment, sin, Christian perfection,
The gospel of self-esteem has taken over. Now the goal of preaching is to make Christians feel loved, accepted, embraced, and forgiven. Thus, the marketing words of Christianity are “grace, mercy, and love.” While each of these words hold a special place in the Bible, they cannot supplant the whole testimony of scripture. It is precisely because of sin, judgment, indignation, and seven last plagues that those three words have meaning. However, when “grace, mercy and love” are used to comfort the worldly, sin-loving, and unrepentant, God is not pleased. It is written: “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to Jehovah,” (Proverbs 17:15 ASV), or as the New Living Translation renders the last part: “both are detestable to the Lord.”
When John the Baptist called men to repentance, they invariably
Over 80 years ago, Dietrich Bonehoffer observed this trend in Christianity and sardonically labeled such teachings as “cheap grace.” For Bonehoffer, cheap grace is grace without contrition, and without transformation; it saves the Christian from sin, but not from being a sinner.
There are no safe spaces in the lake of fire. The holy law of God sitting underneath His throne will not change because you are offended. The standards of righteousness and the means of salvation through repentance cannot be altered because they are deemed harmful to the psychological well-being. Those who are saved will not spend eternity praising themselves, but praising the Lord and casting their crowns at His feet."
"He desires His chosen heritage to value themselves according to the price He has placed upon them. God wanted them, else He would not have sent His Son on such an expensive errand to redeem them. He has a use for them, and He is well pleased when they make the very highest demands upon Him, that they may glorify His name."
Desire of Ages p.668 E.G.W.
