Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling (AACC Library)
1. How would you describe a “healthy sense of self”?
Mark McMinn (1996) suggests that a healthy sense of self is one who has “an accurate understanding and acceptance of themselves,” which leads to “greater emotional or spiritual health” (p. 45). I would certainly agree with McMinn’s assertions. However, except for a brief reference to imago Dei, he stops short of detailing a biblical understanding of a healthy self.
A Christian’s sense of self pertains to what objectively occurs at regeneration. First, a new birth occurs when the Holy Spirit enters the believer’s spirit (Erickson, 2007; Romans 8:16). Once the new birth occurs, the union with Christ is complete and a new entity exists (Erickson, 2007). Now the believer is “in” Christ and Christ is “in” the believer (2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 1:27). Accordingly, the believer receives the gift of Christ’s righteousness (Romans 5:17). Erickson (2007) clarifies this monumental assertion by stating, “that the believer is righteous is not a fiction…it is a correct evaluation of a new legal entity” (p. 965). Thus, an accurate understanding of self is one who is righteous, which naturally leads to self-acceptance (Romans 8:1). Finally, once self-acceptance occurs, the emotional and spiritual health, including the fruit of the Spirit that McMinn refers to, results from Christ’s inhabitation, thus ridding the believer of the need to find acceptance externally.
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- Erickson, M. J. (2007). Christian theology. (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
- McMinn, M. R. (1996). Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House.
