A TRUE AND FAITHFUL WITNESS
Are you committed to being a true and faithful witness to the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament Gospel?
Brief Review of "Self-Esteem: The New Reformation" by Robert
Schuller
"If only we could love ourselves enough to dare approach God, what
constructive dreams he would give us!... But we feel too unworthy. So one
layer of negative behavior is laid upon another until we emerge as rebellious
sinners. But our rebellion is a reaction, not our nature. By nature we are
fearful, not bad. Original sin is not a mean streak; it is a non-trusting
inclination. The core of original sin, then is LOT - Lack of Trust. Or, it could
be considered an innate inability to adequately value ourselves. Label it a
'negative self-image,' but do not say that the central core of the human soul
is wickedness. If this were so, then truly, the human being is totally
depraved. But positive Christianity does not hold to human depravity, but to
human inability. I am humanly unable to correct my negative self-image until I
encounter a life-changing experience with nonjudgmental love bestowed
upon me by a Person whom I admire so much that to be unconditionally
accepted by him is to be born again."
Self Esteem: The New Reformation by Robert H. Schuller, Word Books
Publisher, Waco, TX. copyright 1982, p. 66,67.
This is Christian Humanism in a nutshell. (For further reading, in case you
missed the meaning of what he says here he gives a follow-up golf-ball
illustration to confirm his point.) Notice the following false doctrines:
1. A proper approach to God is gained based on loving ourselves and then
daring to enter His presence.
Versus God's revealed reason for entry and accompanying attitude: Since
therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood
of Jesus,...let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies
washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22 NASB
2. Our outer nature of negative behavior (which is evidently based in low
self-worth) flows out of an inner nature of fear and non-trusting inclination.
This inner core of sin is thus redefined as the inability to value ourselves.
Versus God's view of the fallen human nature: The heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 KJV
And He was saying, That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles
the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts,
fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness,
as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these
evil things proceed from within and defile the man. Mark 7:20-23 NASB
3. Normally one would look at the cross of Jesus Christ and see that this is
the demonstration of redeeming love. Schuller actually insists that God's
love is non-judgmental love and so totally undermines the meaning of the
cross of Jesus Christ! (Notice: the new birth is unconditional acceptance as
well.) The Jesus of his version would actually have been stupid to go to the
cross! His version of Jesus could have just simply walked the earth and
taught us how to look at ourselves differently and then we would have
salvation. And, of course, his Jesus is not the real One.
Versus the real meaning of God's love and the nature of man and God: But
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood,
we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:8,9 NASB
So when Schuller has a smile on his face and says Jesus loves you and so
do I - do you really know what he actually means? If he would say Jesus
saves us from our sin do you immediately ask the question: What "Jesus"
and what "sin" does he mean. You should.
Copyright 2006 by David Sheldon, all rights reserved.
For More Articles Like This Go To: www.atrueandfaithfulwitness.com
Schuller
"If only we could love ourselves enough to dare approach God, what
constructive dreams he would give us!... But we feel too unworthy. So one
layer of negative behavior is laid upon another until we emerge as rebellious
sinners. But our rebellion is a reaction, not our nature. By nature we are
fearful, not bad. Original sin is not a mean streak; it is a non-trusting
inclination. The core of original sin, then is LOT - Lack of Trust. Or, it could
be considered an innate inability to adequately value ourselves. Label it a
'negative self-image,' but do not say that the central core of the human soul
is wickedness. If this were so, then truly, the human being is totally
depraved. But positive Christianity does not hold to human depravity, but to
human inability. I am humanly unable to correct my negative self-image until I
encounter a life-changing experience with nonjudgmental love bestowed
upon me by a Person whom I admire so much that to be unconditionally
accepted by him is to be born again."
Self Esteem: The New Reformation by Robert H. Schuller, Word Books
Publisher, Waco, TX. copyright 1982, p. 66,67.
This is Christian Humanism in a nutshell. (For further reading, in case you
missed the meaning of what he says here he gives a follow-up golf-ball
illustration to confirm his point.) Notice the following false doctrines:
1. A proper approach to God is gained based on loving ourselves and then
daring to enter His presence.
Versus God's revealed reason for entry and accompanying attitude: Since
therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood
of Jesus,...let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies
washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22 NASB
2. Our outer nature of negative behavior (which is evidently based in low
self-worth) flows out of an inner nature of fear and non-trusting inclination.
This inner core of sin is thus redefined as the inability to value ourselves.
Versus God's view of the fallen human nature: The heart is deceitful above
all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 KJV
And He was saying, That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles
the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts,
fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness,
as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these
evil things proceed from within and defile the man. Mark 7:20-23 NASB
3. Normally one would look at the cross of Jesus Christ and see that this is
the demonstration of redeeming love. Schuller actually insists that God's
love is non-judgmental love and so totally undermines the meaning of the
cross of Jesus Christ! (Notice: the new birth is unconditional acceptance as
well.) The Jesus of his version would actually have been stupid to go to the
cross! His version of Jesus could have just simply walked the earth and
taught us how to look at ourselves differently and then we would have
salvation. And, of course, his Jesus is not the real One.
Versus the real meaning of God's love and the nature of man and God: But
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood,
we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:8,9 NASB
So when Schuller has a smile on his face and says Jesus loves you and so
do I - do you really know what he actually means? If he would say Jesus
saves us from our sin do you immediately ask the question: What "Jesus"
and what "sin" does he mean. You should.
Copyright 2006 by David Sheldon, all rights reserved.
For More Articles Like This Go To: www.atrueandfaithfulwitness.com
HOME
Rick Warren
Forty Days: False Gospel
Forty Days: A Closer Look
Forty Days: Which Jesus?
PDL: God's Wisdom
PDL: Exalting the Fallen Creation
PDL: A Purpose-Shaped
Worldview
Antichrist
Will Antichrist Be Revealed
Before the Tribulation?
The Great Harlot
"Mystery" Babylon
"Emerging" Church
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell - Part 1
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell - Part 2
Church Growth Movement
Schuller, Hybels & Warren
Review of Schuller's "Self-Esteem"
False Apostles, False
Prophets, False Revival
River of Seducing Spirits
Spiritual Warfare Script
Deception of Spiritual Warfare
Flags & Banners...Spiritual Power
Tools?
Davidic Warfare/Worship?
Jesus of the "Signs" Now the
"Christ" of Apostolic Government
Mystical Christianity?
Tenney's Mystical Deity Chase
Richard Foster: Quaker Mystic?
Willard and "The Way of Jesus"
What Oswald Chambers
Might Have Thought About
Todays "Christianity"
Rick Warren
Forty Days: False Gospel
Forty Days: A Closer Look
Forty Days: Which Jesus?
PDL: God's Wisdom
PDL: Exalting the Fallen Creation
PDL: A Purpose-Shaped
Worldview
Antichrist
Will Antichrist Be Revealed
Before the Tribulation?
The Great Harlot
"Mystery" Babylon
"Emerging" Church
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell - Part 1
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell - Part 2
Church Growth Movement
Schuller, Hybels & Warren
Review of Schuller's "Self-Esteem"
False Apostles, False
Prophets, False Revival
River of Seducing Spirits
Spiritual Warfare Script
Deception of Spiritual Warfare
Flags & Banners...Spiritual Power
Tools?
Davidic Warfare/Worship?
Jesus of the "Signs" Now the
"Christ" of Apostolic Government
Mystical Christianity?
Tenney's Mystical Deity Chase
Richard Foster: Quaker Mystic?
Willard and "The Way of Jesus"
What Oswald Chambers
Might Have Thought About
Todays "Christianity"