Is It a Sin to Hate Myself?

Theology
1
Is It a Sin to Hate Myself?

Does self-hatred contradict what the Bible says about self-love and respect, or is acknowledging one’s flaws step toward spiritual growth. The discussion delves into theological interpretations and psychological implications, revealing a complex intersection of faith and self-perception. What insights or perspectives do you have on whether or not it is a sin to hate yourself? #FaithAndMentalHealth #ChristianMentalHealth #FaithOverFear #ChristianFaith #CrosswalkCom
Getty/Kseniya Ovchinnikova

Shame
Shame1920×1282 89.3 KB

I hate myself for sinning and for struggling with doubts. My negative self-talk can be all-consuming and is the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning. I hate that my mind is in this pattern. I know that I’m made in God’s image and should love myself because He loves me. Any advice for walking the line between hating my sin but not hating myself? Is it a sin to hate myself?

2

Everyone has doubts about God, Jesus, and all sorts of dogmas surrounding them. It shows that your faith is active, not dead. And God’s mercy and grace help when we are consumed with doubt. Be kind to yourself.
If your doubts are about something that Christians disagree on, relax and think it through. Bless you!

3 Likes
3

Hi,
It is absolutely a sin to hate yourself.

Luke 10:25-27 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. KJV

Tree steps to keep the Law:

  1. Love God.
  2. Love others.
  3. Love yourself.

If God’s loves you (which, by the way, He does) then not loving yourself is in direct opposition to Gid.
How can you love others properly if you don’t love yourself?
If you are a believer, then you are forgiven of your sins.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

See that word “all?”
So how many of your sins does that cover?
“All” is absolute amount.
Undoubtedly, you do not feel the joy of your salvation because yoo have failed to love yourself.
When you sin, pray and ask for forgiveness,
Turn from your sin.
You must do this.
God will not do it for you.
Restore your relationship with God.
Then, and only then, will you have joy in your heart.
Guard that joy with your life.
By hating yourself, you are keeping God’s joy from entering your heart.
That is what the hate is doing to you.
That hatred is a tool of satan to keep you down.
Don’t let him manipulate you into feeling you are not worthy.
Don’t believe the lie.
You are a new creature, in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

" . . . Old things are passed away . . . "
“. . . all things are become new.”

Treat yourself like you are.that new creature.
Love yourself.

Blessings

3 Likes
4

Give yourself a break. God loves your honest questions, your doubts and your human frailty. God loves YOU.

He’s a good, good Father.

Read Romans 7… and chillax.

3 Likes
5

Beautiful advice. “Be kind to yourself.”

2 Likes
6

I think you need to get help with the way your thoughts run.
Being constantly self critical is not helpful, sovtalk to so eone about getting help.

1 Like
7

This is motivation not to sin. That needs to be one of our goals, I believe.

1 Like
8

Yes.

You cannot be right with God until you learn how to love yourself and others in perfect balance.

The way you learn to love yourself is to get to know yourself and accept all your flaws. You have to be in relationship with yourself. Spend time alone. Make peace with the inner “demons” that trouble you, you cannot change the past. Only learn to choose better and practice what it means to love. It is not about feeling warm gushy feelings. It is self care, washing the dishes, feeding your soul.

You will never be happy in life until you learn to love, accept and keep yourself in grace. And do the same for others.

2 Likes
9

Resistance does not create a way through. Life cannot move forward if we are constantly in a battle. Are you sure the sin is actually a sin? Or does the sin mask a greater need? Accept that the sin is there and dig deeper. Find healthier ways to meet the need.

Sometimes we self sabotage because something vital important has been neglected or gone unaddressed. A wound, a fracture, a disruption. And the thing that blocks the path holds the key to discovering a greater sense of wholeness. Do not run, hate, or fight… Look at it. Learn what it is trying to tell you.

Sometimes when we rebel, it is because our boundaries have been disrespected. We must build up and protect our boundaries. And respect the boundaries of others.

Sometimes we embrace sin to hide from the truth, pleasure to distract from the hurt… Heal the wound, and the weight on the crutch will be lifted.

1 Like
10

Read the Bible, for example, Psalm 51; and then do a long pattern of lamenting prayers telling God your sins, especially your hatred of yourself, and seeking his gift of peace described in Philippians 4:6-7, until he gives it to you. Be patient; it can take many prayers. I know from my experiences.

Php 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

11

Who are we really?

I see nothing wrong with hating the sin you do.

But does that mean you hate yourself?

Do you bathe, brush your teeth, :sleeping_face: sleep?

…

12

@Corlove13, the Bible says that we are both God’s new creations and adopted children of God, if we have trusted in Jesus to deliver us from God’s judgment against our sins and to help us overcome those sins. That’s the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection, which we can claim in prayer to the Father. He will do it gradually by using our persistent prayers over a lifetime. He has done that for me, but he has a ways to go, even though I’m almost 83. That spiritual process gives us hope for our final perfection in our resurrected bodies, when Jesus returns.

If you have trusted in Jesus, you will continue to hate and confess your sins, but you can receive growing hope for God’s transforming power in your life and for perfection beyond the grave.

13

I think what you experience is condemnation. If you have confessed your known sins and anything the Holy Spirit made you aware of and stopped doing what you feel is wrong, you are right with God. All your sins were forgiven when Jesus died on the cross. Satan, however, is called the accuser of the believers, and he will tell you, “Look what you have done! You should hate yourself for being such a filthy sinner, and then cause you to get involved in negative speech.” He wants to steal your joy, but the fruit of the Holy Spirit in you are joy, peace, etc. (Galatians 5:22). What you need to know, is that Jesus Christ overcame Satan and that we are more than conquerors. Jesus has already won the war and we only need to collect the victory and the spoils of war, our benefits, the fruit of the Holy Spirit, the power and victory Jesus promised, hope, love etc. But we need to KNOW it, for if we don’t know it , we won’t collect it and it will be stolen from us. You need to learn to do spiritual warfare, i.e. resisting the lies Satan tells you and confessing the promises from the Bible that tells you about who you are in Christ such as being more than a conqueror. Whenever you feel like negative self-talk, do the contrary - confess the promises from the Bible. The Bible says “life and death is in the power of the tongue”. Keep speaking the promises over and over until faith, hope and joy is created in you. I have much more to tell you, so lets keep this conversation going if you wish to. Henry

1 Like
14

Paul does not use modern “self-love” or “self-hate” categories, but in his letters he repeatedly addresses how the believer should view themselves in light of Christ’s work, contrasting self-centeredness (philautia, love of self) with Christ-centered humility, and also warning against a false self-loathing that denies God’s grace.

Romans 12:3 — “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think (hyperphronein) of himself more highly than he ought to think (phronein), but to think (phronein) soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

Paul commands neither excessive self-love nor self-hate, but a sound, faith-based humility.

Galatians 2:20 — “I have been crucified (synestaurōmai) with Christ; it is no longer I who live (zō), but Christ lives (zē) in me; and the life which I now live (zō) in the flesh I live (zō) by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

This is the most radical statement against self as the controlling center, without lapsing into despising oneself as worthless, since the self is now defined in union with Christ.

Philippians 2:3–4 — “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition (eritheia) or conceit (kenodoxia), but in lowliness of mind (tapeinophrosynē) let each esteem (hēgeisthai) others better than himself. Let each of you look out (skopein) not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Paul assumes self-care is natural (“your own interests”), but calls it to be secondary to others’ needs.

Ephesians 5:28–29 — “So husbands ought to love (agapān) their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves (agapān) his wife loves (agapān) himself. For no one ever hated (misein) his own flesh, but nourishes (ektrephei) and cherishes (thalpei) it, just as the Lord does the church.”

Here Paul affirms a natural, God-given self-concern, not as selfish indulgence, but as the model for loving others.

1 Corinthians 15:9–10 — Paul confesses, “For I am (eimi) the least of the apostles, who am not worthy (hikanos) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am (eimi) what I am (eimi), and His grace toward me was not in vain.”

This blends humility with a healthy acceptance of identity in grace, avoiding both pride and self-hate.

J.