What does the Bible say about self love?
The topic of "self-love" is complex biblical teaching, both warning against the allure of pride and the despair of self-hatred. While the Bible tells us to not hate ourselves, we should not glorify ourselves or seek glory in our personal attributes or achievements.
Your "self" in the ultimate sense is your soul, your spiritual being as a creation in the image of God. Let us remember the words of Christ, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26). Therefore, loving yourself, in a righteous manner, means loving God by humbling ourselves and loving our neighbor as disciples of Christ, living for salvation.
"In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body." ~ Ephesians 5:28-30
Discover important Bible verses about self-love in this collection of scripture quotes. May these scriptures provide revelation and insight into the topic of "self-love."
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28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church- 30 for we are members of his body.
7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
28 Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.
11 Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
10 For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
