Self-Help Heresy

The Self-Help Gospel may go down as the most damaging heresy to emerge in the 20th and 21st centuries. 

The idea that you and I are able to fix our brokenness on our own solely through a series of steps, positive thinking, better intentions, or more effort is an anti-orthodox, anti-gospel, anti-Christian idea. 

John 15:5 is awfully clear: "apart from Me you can do nothing." The Gospel is clear that any meaningful improvement has to come as a result of God's work in us because of what Jesus has done (Romans 6:23, Philippians 2:13; Romans 12:1-2, etc...). Our self-help is nothing more than heinous idolatry that is equivalent to disgusting, filthy rags laid at the feet of God (Isaiah 64:6). 

Whatever our brokeness, we have to be completely dependent on God through Jesus' death on the cross to fix it. Anything else makes Jesus at best a "part Savior;" a reprehensible thought.


1 comments:

lisa said...

Well said.

As usual.