Jerry, Note, that the righteousness I have is not my own, it is Christ's. Anything good I have as a new creation has nothing to do with me, but all is given to Jesus. BTW, I did address salvation in the post and I do believe as a new creation that I am still unworthy and that it is all about God. DrD Jerry wrote: > Derick, > > I have a totally different perspective ..... > > Some of what you say I agree with but other parts of your post just > speak to me of the old life that Christ redeemed me from. > > You said, " ... Yes, but that is not because I am worthy or worth > loving. I love myself because of who God is. I am made in God's image > and I was bought by God. I am merely a filthy wretched worm. And so > are you... and I love you too, not because of how good you are but > how great God is." > > Because I believe that it is important to respect what God has done in > the work of the new creation, I feel that it is wrong to speak > disparagingly of what God has done in my life. You will never hear me > call myself filthy, wretched, or a worm. In my understanding, that > would dishonor the Christ who loved me and changed my life by His > mighty power. > > You will often hear me say, " I am a new creature in Christ. I am a > born -again man. I am cleansed and forgiven of every sin. I am wise, > righteous, sanctified, redeemed (see my previous post for references.) > I am dead to sin and alive to God and I walk in the newness of life. > I am what I am not because of my goodness, but because of the loving > grace of God." > > No, we are not worthy because of our merit, but Christ chose to love > us because of His great heart of love. He loved us when we were > sinners and demonstrated that love by dying for us. Therefore, you > will NEVER hear me claim to be "unworthy." I believe that does spite > to the Spirit of Grace. > > Christ has given to me the "Gift" of His righteousness and that gives > me the privilege to enter His presence without the condemnation and > guilt of sin. > > And another wonderful part of these truths is that I am not alone, ... > every born-again person is blessed the same as me. > > Jerry > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Derick Dickens" > <Derick@...> > To: <pastorsforum@...> > Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 4:51 PM > Subject: Re: [PastorsForum] the ABc's of RW > > >> Psychology and Biblical Theology: >> >> I am not a fan of psychology. Yes, I now Dr. Dobson and others who >> support it but to be honest, the premise of modern psychology is >> antithetical to Biblical Counseling. I do support Nouthetic Counseling >> which believe that our major problem is that we are sinners. Granted, >> there are legitimate physical issues that need addressing from a medical >> standpoint, but besides those issues, psychology assumes that there are >> other barriers that are in our way and that that Bible is helpful but >> not sufficient in meeting the problems we have today. >> >> Nouthetic believes the reason we have problems is because we are >> sinners. In this counseling, we take a stand clearly that there are not >> only right and wrong, but the only way to improve is to have the Word of >> God bear on the life of people. Dr. Powlison has a decent article on >> the difference here: >> >> http://sites.silaspartners.com/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID314526|CHID598014|CIID1941418,00.html >> >> >> As for self esteem, the problem is not necessarily says but what is >> meant by what is said and more importantly what is left out. Self >> esteem believes that we are worthy and worth individuals who deserve to >> have self worth. They believe that we find our true esteem and worth by >> looking inside of us. Yes, we are to love ourselves and we are worth >> something... but the question is not asked "Why?" I reject self esteem >> because of the "why" which, in my opinion, perverts the love and self >> worth as a result. >> >> Why am I worth anything? First, I do not have worth in and of myself. >> God said in His Word I am a sinner who deserves hell. My righteousness >> is as filthy rags. >> >> Secondly, I am worth something because of God alone. I am made in >> "God's image", again, it is God who is the focus of my worth not me. >> >> Thirdly, I am worth something because I was bought with a price, by >> God. My worth is focused entirely upon the work of Christ alone. >> >> Thus, to tell us how good we are based upon some "good inside of us" and >> that we love ourselves other reasons is ludicrous. My worth is not what >> I should study. The worthiness of God should be the focus of our >> attention. Only when we truly love God and see God as the only one >> worthy, will we see that the talents we have belong to God and that our >> worth is not in ourself but in God. >> >> Now, I am not saying that we refrain from encouraging people when they >> do a good job (which is positive). But we should also remember that our >> worth and esteem rests in who God is and not who we are. If we truly >> believe God is all powerful and can accomplish all His Holy Will then it >> does not matter how talented we are, we can rest assure that God can >> accomplish anything with such as I. Who needs to think of themself as >> being good and able... when we think of God as good and able. >> >> Thus, do I love myself. Yes, but that is not because I am worthy or >> worth loving. I love myself because of who God is. I am made in God's >> image and I was bought by God. I am merely a filthy wretched worm. And >> so are you... and I love you too, not because of how good you are but >> how great God is. >> >> DrD >> >> > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > >> >> To subscribe, send a message to: pastorsforum-join@... >> >> To unsubscribe, send a message to: >> pastorsforum-unsubscribe@... > > To subscribe, send a message to: pastorsforum-join@... > > To unsubscribe, send a message to: pastorsforum-unsubscribe@... > >