Is the self something to develop or overcome?

[Eftsoon]

Is the self something to conquer? Should we be aiming at a total merging of the self with God?
Is the self a modern invention which alienates us from God? Does God value selfhood? Will our self be preserved in Heaven?

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Our "self" or "ego" needs to be rightly aligned with the will of God. When that happens we discover who we are.

 

[Neogaia777]

Is the self something to conquer? Should we be aiming at a total merging of the self with God?
Is the self a modern invention which alienates us from God? Does God value selfhood? Will our ego be preserved in Heaven?

A self that is not selfish is fine, and is the main aim/goal, as it will be like God's self, etc...

Not sure what you mean by "ego" here, etc, as most oftentimes an ego is associated with pride, etc, which is part of the selfish self, etc...?

Our self is to become like God's self as in not being primarily all rooted in selfish pride, etc, but has a completely true and accurate evaluation/opinion of ones self only, etc, which will not be involved with personal pride in ones self, and ones self only, etc...

Is not haughty, does not brag about it's own self or personal accomplishments, etc, and has a "God opinion" of who they really and truly and accurately are only, etc, and/or/but makes themselves of no good reputation or repute always, etc, in spite of knowing that always, etc, not in and of themselves and themselves only anyway, but in God and God alone and only anyway, etc, regardless or irregardless (anyway), etc...

God Bless!

 

[Jeshu]

i believe by dying to our ego we find back our true self. Our big I is our untrue self, reared by the world, our flesh, and the devil, and needs to be done away with.

So yes salvation is about growing in self-hood, true self-hood however, were untrue self-hood is done away with.

i wrote a poem about the destruction of my big I when Jesus was revealed as King of my life, i like to share it with you.

In My last I

i heard and saw
for myself
what big I's
do best,
replying first
to Heaven's questions.

i heard and saw,
"Me!! Yes, I..!"
answering triumphantly,
ignoring the rest of me,
self-importance rising proudly,
“I.., I.., I..,
yes.., ME!”

i had heard and seen,
“Who is first?
Who deserves to be in Heaven?
Who earned the power, glory and honour over here?
Who is more important?
Who deserves the crown?
Who wants to live forever?”


i heard and saw
that there was
no room
for the rest
of myself,
nor anyone else,
either!


i heard and saw
merely a
swollen ego
boasting
arrogantly
I am
best!


i heard and saw
a marvellous Light
decent from Heaven,
screaming,
my big I lit-up
from hair to toe
aflame!


i heard and saw
in The End
a final tiny
flame flickering,
my big I
blazed out
for good!


i heard and saw
much better
after i had
that 'hiccup'
going up
tho'​

 

[AK1982]

"Self" is something to be:-

- aware of, examined continuously - 2 Corinthians 13:5
- submitted to God - James 4:7
- submitted to others - Ephesians 5:21
- not to be thought more highly - Romans 12:3
- humbled - 1 Peter 5:6
- loved - Matthew 22:39
- denied - Matthew 16:24-25
- crucified - Galatians 2:20
- renewed - Ephesians 4:22-24

https://www.biblestudytools.com/1-peter/5-6.html

 

[GallagherM]

What is the self something to conquer?

Soul - self, life, mind/will/emotion.
Kardia - heart - mind, character, intent, decision maker

Naturally in this life we live by the natural things of this world spiritually dead to anything spiritual. Because of this since childhood all people have either lied, stolen, hated, slandered, been envious of others.

It is our natural self without the spirit. Realizing our self and our natural capabilities ; coming to know the truth of Yahweh and the Lord Yeshua Christ Yahweh's Son the Son of God. We can become spiritually born again.

The spirit of Christ causes us to have love, joy, peace, forbearance, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and the like.

What should we be aiming at a total merging of the self with God?

To walk by the spirit in faith. To become the new creation that God desires for us to by the spirit.

What is the self a modern invention which alienates us from God?

There is none, we are naturally spiritually dead. To hear Gods truth is freeing the truth shall set you free. Jesus Christ is the truth, the way and the life.

What does God value selfhood?

God values for us to willingly love Him because He cares for us and desires to have a relationship with Him; and fellowship with His Son our Lord Jesus Christ. And to love others as He has shown us love.

What will our self be preserved in Heaven?

You can reap to the flesh here, or you can reap to the spirit which will be like that of making spiritual deposits in your heavenly treasury in the heavens by spiritual walk by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Father in heaven.

 

[angelsaroundme]

Those are very good questions to consider. I think by becoming Christlike we must fit a mold to a degree, having a multitude of common virtues, but how far does that go? How much difference is there with those perfected or does perfection require total uniformity?

I lean towards the idea that we will still be individuals. However, we will rarely disagree, because we will share in the same wisdom.

 

[Mark Quayle]

There is reference to the name in Heaven, God has for the individual, that only God and the individual will know. Yes, the individual members of the Bride of Christ are precious to God, as is the whole united body of members. “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except him who receives it.” Revelation 2:17.

I find it important to mention, that while we have all sorts of responsibilities to obey and grow in Christ and to become what we were meant to be, in the end, like salvation, it is the work of God to bring us to to union with him. We have no idea what we are doing, like puppies in a brain surgery class. I have to say, too, that he is doing it, and that by the most strange and unexpected ways.

This life is not about us, but about Christ. Our worth is measured by God's use for us, and his plans for us —not by our self-assessment. But yes, God uses us to bring it to pass. Therefore, choose well.

 

[Eftsoon]

There is reference to the name in Heaven, God has for the individual, that only God and the individual will know. Yes, the individual members of the Bride of Christ are precious to God, as is the whole united body of members. “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except him who receives it.” Revelation 2:17.

I find it important to mention, that while we have all sorts of responsibilities to obey and grow in Christ and to become what we were meant to be, in the end, like salvation, it is the work of God to bring us to to union with him. We have no idea what we are doing, like puppies in a brain surgery class. I have to say, too, that he is doing it, and that by the most strange and unexpected ways.

This life is not about us, but about Christ. Our worth is measured by God's use for us, and his plans for us —not by our self-assessment. But yes, God uses us to bring it to pass. Therefore, choose well.

Mmm yes. Naming in scripture refers to nature. I think that white stone name may refer to nature, telos - it reminds me of the idea of our logoi (which I mentioned in another thread). This is the active guiding and shaping principle at work in our lives. The WSN would be the revealing of this principle and its fulfillment. I think that the self that currently mediates our activity here below is probably an illusion/a construct. I'm treading on Durangodawood's toes there though. He has a a similar thread.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Is the self something to conquer? Should we be aiming at a total merging of the self with God?
Is the self a modern invention which alienates us from God? Does God value selfhood? Will our self be preserved in Heaven?

Those who are born again have a new identity, that becomes apparent as they grow in trust towards God. Initially, this new identity appears to be some sort of metaphor, since there no evidence of it since it is still infantile in the beginning.

The self in most cognitions is the identity formed from the flesh body, mind, and heart and the memories thereof. Since anything aligned with the flesh is hostile to God and cannot discern or see the things of God - this Self cannot merge with God. An attempt to merge this self with "god" tends to result in merging with the collective subconsciousness that includes everyone currently in a human body and maybe some pets too.

The latter would then result in reconciling flesh thoughts of the world god with the scripture that is against it. In general, this results in bouts of mental illness and also pitting scripture against scripture to reconcile what was experienced with incompatible phenomenon.

The born again self which has a mind and a heart (at the very least) according to scripture is already merged with God. It's kind of like in the garden when God asked the first humans "who told you that you were naked?" it could have also been asked by God, who told you that you weren't already like me? In a similar way, this new heart, mind of Christ, and new nature is already connected to God - sin simply obscures the awareness of it to those who have it.

 

[Mark Quayle]

Mmm yes. Naming in scripture refers to nature. I think that white stone name may refer to nature, telos - it reminds me of the idea of our logoi (which I mentioned in another thread). This is the active guiding and shaping principle at work in our lives. The WSN would be the revealing of this principle and its fulfillment. I think that the self that currently mediates our activity here below is probably an illusion/a construct. I'm treading on Durangodawood's toes there though. He has a a similar thread.

Brings to mind the notion that we are not even the complete beings, individuals, that we think we are. That will not be so until we see him as he is. We were not made for the final phase of 'mature human', but for God, to be one with him, and he as our very sustenance and essence.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Love your neighbor as you love yourself. It's not, like you love yourself, but as a verb.

The ego creates a false self, and this is what we must die to in order to become
the person God had in mind when he created you.

The first step is to live in the present. The ego dwells on the past and plans for the future. It is weakened in the present.