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Rating: 
Summary: ¿Just Say No¿ to Humanistic Self-Esteem Psychbabble!!!
Review: Having spent over 9 years in the field of secular psychiatry/psychology, I really appreciate Adams' writings; his focus in placing the Word of God on the level it SHOULD be placed... that of the ultimate authority.In this little book, Adams shows, from Scripture, how all our needs have been met in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ and THIS is where our identity ought to come from.
Rating: 
Summary: BIBLICAL VIEW OF SELF ESTEEM
Review: I GOT VERY LITTLE REDEEMING VALUE FROM THIS BOOK. HE CRITISIZED JAME DOBSON AND LARRY CRAB AMONG OTHERS. I HAPPEN TO BE FOND OF THESE AUTHORS. HE CRITISIZES THE 'SELF ESTEEM MOVEMENT' WITHOUT GIVING ANYTHING HE BELIEVES TO BE THE ANSWER.MOST BOOKS I READ HAVE SOMETHING TO HELP ME GROW IN THE LORD. THIS DID NOTHING FOR ME. WHAT WAS HIS POINT? WE ARE CREATED BY GOD. GOD DOES'NT MAKE TRASH.
Rating: 
Summary: Self-Esteem & the Bible Don't Mix
Review: In Jay Adams' book, "The Biblical View of Self-Esteem, Self-Love, & Self-Image," he gets to the point very quickly in the first few pages. He boldly asserts that Bible believing Christians have strange bedfellows when they support the teachings of self-esteem along side unbelievers. He notes that the spread of self-esteem is not only widely accepted and promoted in Christian circles, but parallels the strong emphasis found in everyday society to include liberals and those openly antagonistic toward believers. Pick up any magazine or tune into any talk show and eventually you'll find someone talking about self-esteem. Adams quotes two sources at the opposite end of the theological spectrum to prove his point:
"Self-esteem is... the single greatest need facing the human race today."--Robert Schuller. "If I could write a prescription for the women of the world, I would provide each one of them with a healthy does of self-esteem and personal worth.... I have no doubt that is their greatest need."--James Dobson
To be sure, Adams also notes Anthony Hoekema's criticism of the hymn "At the Cross" where it speaks of "such a worm as I." Hoekema says the hymn conveys an unflattering self-image. (Perhaps that's why it was later changed in some hymnals to "For such a sinner as I," or even "Such a one as I." This is clear evidence that love of self has not only permeated the gospel message but has lead to the editing of traditional hymns!). In any event, Adams insists the church can't stand idly by, but must confront this growing philosophy who Abraham Maslow is given credit as the founding father. Adams believes this self-esteem heresy was brought into the church by Christian psychologists and psychiatrists under the cliché, "all truth is God's truth." This self-love doctrine has already had a significant impact on the church and Christians who believe they can engage in accommodating the theory will compromise truth in the end.
For the next several chapters, Adams evaluates self-esteem in the light of the scriptures. He begins by dismantling Maslow's hierarchy needs starting with its basic premise; people are not motivated to meet higher needs until the lower needs are met. Does this mean that man cannot be held responsible for failing to love God or his neighbor because some lower need has not been satisfied? This is not found in the Bible Adams says. Even more foreign is the notion that before you can love your neighbor you must love yourself first. Adams soundly disproves that thinking with a clear exegesis of Matthew 22:26-40, i.e., "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." He also refutes the idea that man is of infinite worth and worthy of salvation. J.I. Packer's quote at end of one chapter sums it up best: "...modern Christians...spread a thin layer of Bible teaching over a thin mixture of popular psychology and common sense they offer, but their overall approach clearly, reflects the narcissism-the 'selfism' or 'meism' as it is sometimes called-that is the way of the world in the modern West."
Many folks say that criticism is cheep but it is harder to offer alternatives. Adams doesn't take the easy way out in closing his book, but instead offers a biblical alternative to the self-worth doctrine. He explains Jesus taught self-denial rather than self-affirmation was the proper way to approach God. In fact, 2 Timothy 3:2 says that people will be lovers of themselves in the last days. Adams peppers the final pages of his book with numerous biblical references that reinforces the concept of denying self, loosing ones life, and dieing to oneself.
How then does one garner an accurate self-image? Interesting that Adams titles this chapter "An accurate Self-Image," but the phrase "Self-Image" appears nowhere in the text of the chapter. The apparent reason is that Adams doesn't want us to use a phrase which had its origins in humanistic psychology. He wants us to instead use biblical language. He states that God does want us to evaluate ourselves however; the emphasis must be on doing it accurately. Quoting 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 measure of faith God has given you." Don't think more highly of ourselves, but instead evaluate ourselves soberly according to evidence. He also says that we must not compare ourselves with others and cites Galatians 6:4, "Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else."
Adams' book makes for easy reading and understandable reasoning. He challenges many presuppositions and the counselor will find it very helpful with the numerous scriptural references and case study analysis. As Adams says, hopefully the reader will come away with an understanding that "satisfaction..., comes not when one pursues it, but unexpectedly and always as a by-product of faithful fruitful Christian living."
Rating:
Summary: Self-Esteem & the Bible Don't Mix
Review: In Jay Adams' book, "The Biblical View of Self-Esteem, Self-Love, & Self-Image," he gets to the point very quickly in the first few pages. He boldly asserts that Bible believing Christians have strange bedfellows when they support the teachings of self-esteem along side unbelievers. He notes that the spread of self-esteem is not only widely accepted and promoted in Christian circles, but parallels the strong emphasis found in everyday society to include liberals and those openly antagonistic toward believers. Pick up any magazine or tune into any talk show and eventually you'll find someone talking about self-esteem. Adams quotes two sources at the opposite end of the theological spectrum to prove his point:
"Self-esteem is... the single greatest need facing the human race today."--Robert Schuller. "If I could write a prescription for the women of the world, I would provide each one of them with a healthy does of self-esteem and personal worth.... I have no doubt that is their greatest need."--James Dobson
To be sure, Adams also notes Anthony Hoekema's criticism of the hymn "At the Cross" where it speaks of "such a worm as I." Hoekema says the hymn conveys an unflattering self-image. (Perhaps that's why it was later changed in some hymnals to "For such a sinner as I," or even "Such a one as I." This is clear evidence that love of self has not only permeated the gospel message but has lead to the editing of traditional hymns!). In any event, Adams insists the church can't stand idly by, but must confront this growing philosophy who Abraham Maslow is given credit as the founding father. Adams believes this self-esteem heresy was brought into the church by Christian psychologists and psychiatrists under the cliché, "all truth is God's truth." This self-love doctrine has already had a significant impact on the church and Christians who believe they can engage in accommodating the theory will compromise truth in the end.
For the next several chapters, Adams evaluates self-esteem in the light of the scriptures. He begins by dismantling Maslow's hierarchy needs starting with its basic premise; people are not motivated to meet higher needs until the lower needs are met. Does this mean that man cannot be held responsible for failing to love God or his neighbor because some lower need has not been satisfied? This is not found in the Bible Adams says. Even more foreign is the notion that before you can love your neighbor you must love yourself first. Adams soundly disproves that thinking with a clear exegesis of Matthew 22:26-40, i.e., "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." He also refutes the idea that man is of infinite worth and worthy of salvation. J.I. Packer's quote at end of one chapter sums it up best: "...modern Christians...spread a thin layer of Bible teaching over a thin mixture of popular psychology and common sense they offer, but their overall approach clearly, reflects the narcissism-the 'selfism' or 'meism' as it is sometimes called-that is the way of the world in the modern West."
Many folks say that criticism is cheep but it is harder to offer alternatives. Adams doesn't take the easy way out in closing his book, but instead offers a biblical alternative to the self-worth doctrine. He explains Jesus taught self-denial rather than self-affirmation was the proper way to approach God. In fact, 2 Timothy 3:2 says that people will be lovers of themselves in the last days. Adams peppers the final pages of his book with numerous biblical references that reinforces the concept of denying self, loosing ones life, and dieing to oneself.
How then does one garner an accurate self-image? Interesting that Adams titles this chapter "An accurate Self-Image," but the phrase "Self-Image" appears nowhere in the text of the chapter. The apparent reason is that Adams doesn't want us to use a phrase which had its origins in humanistic psychology. He wants us to instead use biblical language. He states that God does want us to evaluate ourselves however; the emphasis must be on doing it accurately. Quoting 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 measure of faith God has given you." Don't think more highly of ourselves, but instead evaluate ourselves soberly according to evidence. He also says that we must not compare ourselves with others and cites Galatians 6:4, "Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else."
Adams' book makes for easy reading and understandable reasoning. He challenges many presuppositions and the counselor will find it very helpful with the numerous scriptural references and case study analysis. As Adams says, hopefully the reader will come away with an understanding that "satisfaction..., comes not when one pursues it, but unexpectedly and always as a by-product of faithful fruitful Christian living."
Rating:
Summary: Very good presentation of issues.
Review: This book gives a very good presentation of the implications of an unbiblical self view. It addresses most of the major issues and provides excellent endnotes that are useful for further study. This is a must read for anyone wanting to honestly determine what the Bible says about this issue.
Rating:
Summary: A credible response to "self-" centered counseling
Review: This is a very good book on the invasion of psychology into the church of Christ, and how it perverts the Gospel. The only negative on this book is it leaves room for the Biblical Counseling model that is fashioned after psychological counseling instead of returning to strictly Biblical methods of improvement and support within a church.
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