Growing up, I heard a lot about God’s love when I went to church. While I heard that God loved and forgave me through Jesus, I didn’t hear that He valued me, had a positive view of me as His image bearer (Genesis 1:27), and deeply cared about me.
This poured gasoline on the fire of worthlessness and shame I was already facing from the abuse I had experienced growing up from my parents and friends. It led me deeper into cycles of depression and numbing my pain through viewing porn and overeating.
Throughout my years of ministering to others, I’ve seen many Christians believe lies about themselves. Worse, many think the lies they believe are biblical. This deeply matters because our behavior follows our beliefs. The way we view ourselves affects the way we treat ourselves. And how we think of ourselves directly impacts our view of God who created us in His image.
Three lies in particular have risen to the surface in today’s culture
Lie #1:We’re worthless and wretches
The truth is, every human being is made in God’s image, possessing inherent value and dignity. You likely know the hymn Amazing Grace, by John Newton. It’s arguably the most popular Christian hymn in history and has been sung by Christians globally for hundreds of years. While the hymn contains so much beautiful truth, I’d argue that its reference to “a wretch like me” can be misapplied in an unbiblical way.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a wretch as a despicable or vile person. This is not a biblical understanding of our identity in Christ. God calls us “children of light” (1Thess 5:5), His handiwork (Eph 2:10), and His special possession (1 Pet 2:9-12). While Christians can and do pursue despicable and vile acts at times, God is the one who defines our identity. If we are made in God’s image and co-heirs with Christ, what does referring to ourselves as despicable or vile say about the God who made us?
“Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.” – Psalm 8:5 (NLT)
Lie #2:We’re still sinners
Truth is while we still sin, that is not our identity. Christians are almost always referred to as saints in the New Testament. We are not sinners who saint, we are saints who sin. Take the example of a butterfly. While at one point it was a caterpillar, it no longer is. Just as we don’t refer to a butterfly as a converted caterpillar, why would we refer to ourselves as converted sinners when we are saints?
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” –2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Lie #3: We’re only loved and valuable because of Jesus’ death on the cross
The truth is that God loved and valued us so much that Jesus went to the cross to redeem us. Jesus didn’t die on the cross for trash; He died for those He loved, wanted, and deeply cared for. Notice, He didn’t die for the fallen angels who rebelled against Him. He didn’t die for plants, animals, or insects. He died for those made in His image, who were created as the pinnacle of creation. Those who were made to be His representatives to all of the earth, to rule and reign on his behalf, who were created by Him as “very good” (Genesis 1:31).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (NIV)
No matter the source of the lies we believe about ourselves as Christians, we can start to see ourselves the way God sees us. So begin by diving into the Bible and studying what it says about your God-given value, identity as a saint, and how loved you are. Then, begin noticing the lies and negative thoughts you have about yourself daily and redirect them to God’s truth about yourself.
