Should a Christian Follow Self-Help Teachings?

With all the self-help guff out there these days, it can be difficult to know what is Christian and what is bluster. As always, the answer is found in scripture.

Titus Chapter 3 is an excellent place to turn to in your search for understanding. Verses 1 and 2 advise us on how to live properly toward others. Verse 3 reveals our former state as being 'foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.'

And then Titus Chapter 3 really hits home, unveiling a truth that is in direct opposition to the sham teachings of self-help gurus. It tells us that 'the kindness of God our Savior appeared' and that we were saved not by works we had done, but by Him, through 'the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.' It goes on to reiterate this point, driving home a truth that today's sham artists would not have you know: that though we need saving, we cannot save ourselves, and that we are saved only by His grace.

It also warns that this salvation we have received by grace is to be maintained by us, that we do this (by His grace) by 'being careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.' Verse 8 uses terminology that is eerily similar to modern self-help and motivational charlatans: 'This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who believe in God should be careful to maintain good works . . . '

SHAM artists advise us to affirm things, to use mantra's and repetition, but the purpose of their affirmations is to bring about our desires, which is precisely what Titus 3 warns us against.

In some ways the self-help and motivational industry is a twisted skewed re-imagining of scripture, but in most ways it teaches exactly the opposite of God's Word. We are not called to serve our fleshly desires, but to serve and glorify God. It is only by learning to deny the flesh (which is the opposite of the self-help industry) that we can fulfill God's purpose for our lives.

Self confidence is good and all, but far more important is to: 'seek ye first the kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you' (Matthew 6:33). 'Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth' (Colossians 3:2).
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