🤓 Drop the mic for the young man at the end asking the question about getting closer to God. Perfect responses to his question from both speakers. If only more adults in today’s age would truly seek God then they would know God in a more personal relationship. God wants to be our friend in every area of our life. But we have to take the initiative to know God more by reading the Bible daily and praying to Him only.❤🙏
First time I ever agreed to disagree with Alley lol. As I can understand what they are saying with the way the world perceives "self-love" these days the Bible alludes in many places to loving ourselves righteously. But, loving ourselves doesn't work without first loving God and obeying what He has taught us in regards to our mind, body, and soul. The carnal man sees self as self lust, the Spirit filled man sees it as self-denial, self-control, and self-respect which are aspects spawning from righteous biblical obedience. Basically, there is a righteous way to love yourself which is never independent of Loving God and neighbor first, and an unrighteous way to love (lust) yourself. The Bible does include principles that imply self-love or self-care, although it doesn't often state it explicitly in the modern sense. Here are some key verses and passages where this idea is suggested: Greatest Commandment - Love Your Neighbor as Yourself: Matthew 22:37-39: "Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" Mark 12:30-31: Similar to Matthew, Jesus emphasizes loving God and then loving one's neighbor as oneself. Leviticus 19:18: This Old Testament commandment is reiterated by Jesus: "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord." The phrase "as yourself" assumes a baseline of self-love or self-respect, suggesting that one should love others with the same care and concern they have for themselves. Respect for Our Bodies: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." This passage encourages believers to care for their bodies as they are considered temples of the Holy Spirit, implying the importance of self-care. Healthy Self-Perception: Romans 12:3: "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." This verse suggests a balanced view of oneself, avoiding both pride and undue self-deprecation, which aligns with a healthy form of self-respect. Self-Care in the Context of Service: Ephesians 5:28-29: "In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church." This passage connects the idea of caring for oneself with caring for one's spouse, assuming that self-care is natural and necessary. Self-Love Implied in the Golden Rule: Matthew 7:12: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." The Golden Rule presumes that people naturally desire good treatment for themselves, thus implying a level of self-love. While these verses do not command self-love explicitly, they imply that recognizing one's value and taking care of oneself is important in the context of loving others and living a godly life.
