The pop Christian world has been overly concerned about making people feel good at the exclusion of the rest of the gospel message. There are books, seminars, conferences, churches, preachers, and sermons that all focus on making people feel good in the name of God.
I have an aversion to such pseudo-gospel pop psychology preaching. I think it is dangerous and leads people away from the necessary understanding and response to the complete gospel.
But, contained within the true Gospel of Christ is the truth of significance and value.
Significance and value are not merit based, but it is intrinsic. I am a sinner, God does not value that. But, I am also His creation. You and I are created by God and IN HIS IMAGE. That means that we have an intrinsic value to God. That is one of the reasons He desires to redeem us from our sin.
There is more evidence of significance and value. The cross of Christ. The cross of Christ is God’s wrath being poured out on Jesus because of my sin. I deserved that wrath. Jesus took our punishment. In addition to that, and because of that, the cross is a statement of incredibly profound love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.” “This is how we know what love is: Christ laid down His life for us.”
Love is value and significance. Therefore, the cross of Christ is proof of value and significance.
God values me and sees me as significant. But, this is not like the self esteem packet that was sent home for my 5th grade daughter from her school(for real). The value and significance that God places on me is not so I can puff out my chest. It is not some type of psycho-therapeutic “I am a great person” message. It is greater than that! The worldly self esteem drives a person to a high mountain so they can shout to the world, “I am great, look at me.” The significance that God sees in me drives me to a high mountain so I can shout, “God is great, look at Him.”
It is humbling, motivating, inspiring, comforting, and convicting to understand from the true gospel that God places significance and value in me and you.
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