I am nothing with out God.

[arrepto veritate]

I believe this is the most damaging thing Christians have said. It negates a relationship with God or any other human being. A relationship is a two way street with man or God. How can one have a relationship if one believes they are nothing, worthless deserving of death? Believing you are nothing and worthless is what people believe when in a major depressive episode.

 

[angelsaroundme]

I think what you are indicating is some messages in the Bible, if emphasized too much, can lead to excessive humility or low self-worth. I agree with this. However, I'm not sure it was that much of an issue until recently. What I mean is that in the past a humble man would work hard, get a decent job, and that would make him "marriage material". A humble woman would generally have traits suited for being a wife and mother. Humility was likely to lead to a stable family environment which largely became the basis of self-worth and made you invested in the community.

These days women also work so the value of a man having a job is much lower. The current dating/marriage scene can require a lot of confidence to do well or even just to keep trying. Beyond that, you have increasingly low trust societies where forming meaningful friendships becomes a greater challenge. Someone with feelings of insufficient self-worth can have a difficult time in a colder or more competitive world.

In light of all this I do think churches should be more careful with how they talk about humility or humility related messages.

 

[Reasonable Christian]

I don't know any Christians who have said this specifically. I think you may have misunderstood. What the Bible says is that we are all sinners and deserve eternal separation from God because of that. However, Jesus died and rose again to redeem us from our sins, and if we believe that, we will live forever with him. Paul does say that the things of this world are worthless compared to knowing and following Jesus, but that is different from humans being worthless.

 

[Blade]

I believe this is the most damaging thing Christians have said. It negates a relationship with God or any other human being. A relationship is a two way street with man or God. How can one have a relationship if one believes they are nothing, worthless deserving of death? Believing you are nothing and worthless is what people believe when in a major depressive episode.

Hi no offense but maybe take this up with God? Did not God through Christ say "“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

It is a fact with out GOD I can do nothing but with Him I can do all things for greater is He that is in me than he that's in the world. See its also written no man will glory in His site. He alone gets all the glory this is why when we stand before Him having been given crowns ...we lay them all at His feet for we know we did nothing of our selfs.. it was ONLY because of Him. There is none righteous not one. Any GOOD anyone does comes from God not us. Those being evil know how to give good gifts.. anyway. All praise all glory to the king of kings lord of lords

 

[Mark Quayle]

I don't know any Christians who have said this specifically. I think you may have misunderstood. What the Bible says is that we are all sinners and deserve eternal separation from God because of that. However, Jesus died and rose again to redeem us from our sins, and if we believe that, we will live forever with him. Paul does say that the things of this world are worthless compared to knowing and following Jesus, but that is different from humans being worthless.

I have said it, repeated it, and will do so again and again. HOW, I ask, is a created being, anything in and of himself???

 

[Reasonable Christian]

I have said it, repeated it, and will do so again and again. HOW, I ask, is a created being, anything in and of himself???

I agree that life is meaningless in an ultimate sense without God. I also agree that humans’ ultimate worth comes from being made in His image. That said, in my experience, it isn’t helpful to tell non-Christians that we are “nothing“ without God. Better to just share the gospel.

 

[arrepto veritate]

You all make some very interesting points. This very well could have been a humility overboard like Angelsaroundme said. Blade your are right John 15:4-5 do say that "we can do nothing" it does not say you are nothing.

 

[Mark Quayle]

I agree that life is meaningless in an ultimate sense without God. I also agree that humans’ ultimate worth comes from being made in His image. That said, in my experience, it isn’t helpful to tell non-Christians that we are “nothing“ without God. Better to just share the gospel.

Whatever is true is good. However, you have a point, in that there is such a thing as tact.

 

[Mark Quayle]

I don't know any Christians who have said this specifically. I think you may have misunderstood. What the Bible says is that we are all sinners and deserve eternal separation from God because of that. However, Jesus died and rose again to redeem us from our sins, and if we believe that, we will live forever with him. Paul does say that the things of this world are worthless compared to knowing and following Jesus, but that is different from humans being worthless.

It is a bit of a false equation to say that {without him we are nothing} = {human beings are worthless}.

 

[NBB]

I have said this before.
I think it means appreciation for the spirit he gave us.
It can mean that without the spirit of God in us, we would feel worse than ruined and nothing.

 

[Mark Quayle]

I have said this before.
I think it means appreciation for the spirit he gave us.
It can mean that without the spirit of God in us, we would feel worse than ruined and nothing.

Not meaning to disagree with you, but to expand on my point: We are worth only what God is going to use us for, and what he assesses us to be. Nothing more, and nothing less.