The Facade of Loving Yourself

Contrary to the Gospel

“People get fascinated with how they feel––and with how they feel about how they feel. In such a culture and in the throes of such fascination, the self exists to be explored, indulged, and expressed but not disciplined or restrained,” Cornelius Plantinga says. This foreign concept of “love yourself” is gripping the very hearts of Americans today. America has abandoned God who is the true fountain of living water. Instead, they choose to dig up these broken cisterns of self discovery, self exploration, and self acceptance that hold no water. Jeremiah 2:13 paints a vivid description of the state that America is in as they continue to prostitute themselves for the sake of transcendence when they give up on the true source of satisfaction and enjoyment in God. This “love yourself” culture is reinforcing people to be enslaved to themself. It is the essence of what is contrary to the Gospel. 

This “love yourself” culture is reinforcing people to be enslaved to themself. It is the essence of what is contrary to the Gospel. 

Accepted By The World

The most accepted concept in the world today is the idea of loving yourself. In a culture that is prioritizing self care and self love, it is inevitable to be bombarded with messages that encourage one to love themself. Specifically, song music lyrics have been fashioned in a way to spread awareness of this concept. From global Korean boy group bands like BTS to solo artist Lady Gaga, they are giving what the crowd wants to hear. They are seeking to provide an answer to the worlds brokenness by saying that it is only through loving yourself that you can finally be freed and happy. In one of her popular songs “Born This Way”, Lady Gaga sings these words: “I'm beautiful in my way 'cause God makes no mistakes I'm on the right track, baby, I was born this way. Don't hide yourself in regret, just love yourself, and you're set. I'm on the right track, baby, I was born this way”. Fans and listeners are identifying themselves to be victims as they throw pity parties while trying to fill this void they feel. As a result, they succumb to believing in this false idea that loving themself more will cure all their problems, sadness and brokenness. Maybe these songs that we listen to reflect what we actually believe to be true about ourselves despite how flawed it can be. 

Fans and listeners are identifying themselves to be victims as they throw pity parties while trying to fill this void they feel. As a result, they succumb to believing in this false idea that loving themself more will cure all their problems, sadness and brokenness.

Cultural Phenomena

BTS is a global Korean boy band that is sweeping America off its feet. Thousands of fans swoon over these seven Korean men and the music that they make. What is captivating fans from all over the world to fall in love with them? Many would agree that their visuals are beyond magnificent and that the beats of their songs are catchy. However, there must be something more that is drawing people from all different cultures, ages and backgrounds to unite as one fandom under BTS. That very thing that ties all these people together and speaks meaning in their lives are the messages conveyed throughout the lyrics of BTS’s songs especially with their Love Yourself album. According to the company Bighit that oversees the group, they explain the concept of “love yourself” as an attempt to explain that true love comes from one learning to love themself. Interviews on the BTS members have them promoting this concept and creating communities that mobilize the idea of self love. In their song “Love Yourself: Answer”, one of their verses says “loving myself might be harder than loving someone else. Let’s admit it. The standards you made are more strict for yourself… Now let’s forgive ourself. Our lives are long, trust yourself when in a maze.” People are resonating with this message as it gives them permission to only think about them self. Our culture is absorbed and obsessed with the self. These songs are more than just a mere music video with abstract scenes, handsome men and catchy tunes. It has become a truth for people to believe in. It is an idol that people worship and adore. It is the very thing people expect that will free them from the pains of the world, to quench their thirst of transcendence and to search for their purpose. Yet, Christians know fully well that the concept to love oneself is not freedom. It is the complete opposite of freedom but self enslavement. Self discovery, self acceptance and self forgiveness traps and imprison people. So what then is the real truth that will set people free?

The Deeper Issue

People yearn for purpose, transcendence, and fulfillment. Human beings are created to have fellowship with the Creator. They are created to worship God. The fall recorded in Genesis 3 is when sin enters the world. It corrupts harmony and shalom between creation and God. This disrupts creation’s ability to relate with the Lord. Everything is now tainted and polluted with sin including the human heart and desire. Instead of humanity worshiping the Lord, they choose to build themselves their own idols. Jeremiah 2:13 exposes these idols made by humans to be broken cisterns that hold no water. No matter how much they pursue these idols, their search for purpose, transcendence and fulfillment will never be quenched. It was never supposed to be apart from the only source that fulfills––the Lord. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Apart from Jesus Christ, nothing can live and thrive. He is the only one who can set sinners free. Sinners are slaves to sin when they do not abide and place their faith in Jesus. Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” People who do not have a regenerated heart from their saving faith placed in Jesus are children of wrath (Eph. 2:3). This reality indicates that everyone is a slave to sin until they are saved through their faith in Jesus. 

Repositioning Our Hearts

BTS fans who resonate with the lyrics of self love and self forgiveness from these korean pop songs are yearning for Jesus, but they don’t recognize it. Because of sin, it manifests itself to people creating their own idols to worship. BTS is one of the many idols that we may have in our lives because there are so many more out there. Any worship outside of the triune God is a refusal of Jesus. At the end of the day, we are just seeking out broken cisterns that hold no water. The idea of loving one self is enslavement that will never lead to true freedom but reaps deep emptiness. Being yoked to the slavery of sin needs to be freed through Jesus. Jesus says in John 8:34-36 that those who practice sin are enslaved to sin. This is exactly why Jesus came to earth to be born of a virgin, assume humanity, die, and resurrect again so that sinners may have a new life. Jesus has died and resurrected so that fans who listen to these songs and search for meaning and fulfillment in life may be freed from loving themself to destruction. Jesus has come to set humanity free. He has come to set you free.