The Bible clearly teaches that all of mankind came from the first man Adam, and his sin nature and distorted self-image were handed down to him. Adam is the federal head of the human race.

Romans 5:12 – “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.”

When a person is born again, the Bible teaches that he is a new creature in Christ. But, sadly, a believer can still view himself as he was before he became complete in Christ. His previous thinking patterns and damaged emotions before he was saved can still be served back up to his mind and affect the emotions.

James 1:18 – “… being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Think about this, a child sees himself only in the mirror of his parents’ evaluation of him or her. If he is told or treated in a way that causes him to see himself in a negative way, he will act out what the authority figure has projected onto him.

A man asked a group of 1,000 inmates, “How many of you had parents that told you that you would end up in prison one day?” Almost every one of the inmates raised their hands.

Adam had a God-given need for unconditional love and acceptance, completely met, before he sinned. Fallen man tries in vain to meet this need through relationships with his spouse, friends, family, etc. If a person is loved and accepted by loved ones and friends, then he feels secure. The problem is that fallen man can never respond to us with unconditional love and acceptance. There will always be rejection from people that will cause us to feel insecure.

Actor Peter Sellers once said he lacked a personality of his own. “As far as I’m aware, I’m nothing,” he once said. “I have no personality of my own whatsoever. I have no character to offer the public. I have nothing to project.” In spite of his professional image on the screen, he saw himself and felt as one without his own identity.

The most significant characteristic to build self-esteem in children is unconditional acceptance and love that is not given or withdrawn depending on behavior, but is constant. They need unconditional love like Christ gives us.

The reason a child of God can know for certain that He is loved, accepted, and secure by God is because the Bible tells us that we are placed in Christ forever. My friend, we have already won! This is not based on our personal performance, it is based on the perfect performance of Jesus Christ on the cross, rooted in love.

Ephesians 1:3-4 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,  just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love.”

What the Bible says about your true identity is right here in Ephesians 1. This is how God sees you now, and will see you this way for all eternity.

Proverbs 23:7 – “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”

So, what do we do as children of God who have negative thinking patterns and damaged emotions because we were once dead in trespasses and sin. My friend, you meditate on your true identity in Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to control you. Soon, your thinking patterns will change and your damaged emotions will heal, and that will affect your actions and feelings.

Amen and Amen!