Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of biblical teachings, the concept of "oneself" is intricately linked to the understanding of identity, self-awareness, and the moral and spiritual responsibilities of an individual. The Bible provides guidance on how one should view oneself in relation to God, others, and the broader community of believers.
Identity and Self-PerceptionThe Bible emphasizes that human beings are created in the image of God (imago Dei), which is foundational to understanding oneself.
Genesis 1:27 states, "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." This divine image bestows inherent dignity and worth upon every individual, shaping how one should perceive oneself.
Self-Examination and HumilityScripture encourages believers to engage in self-examination and to maintain a humble view of oneself. In
2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul exhorts, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves." This call to introspection is not merely for self-awareness but for spiritual growth and alignment with God's will. Humility is further emphasized in
Philippians 2:3, which instructs, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves."
Self-Denial and DiscipleshipThe teachings of Jesus highlight the importance of self-denial in the life of a disciple. In
Matthew 16:24, Jesus declares, "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me." This call to self-denial is a central tenet of Christian discipleship, where personal desires and ambitions are subordinated to the will of God.
Love for Oneself and OthersThe Bible acknowledges the natural inclination to care for oneself, which is evident in the command to love one's neighbor as oneself. In
Matthew 22:39, Jesus states, "And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" This implies a balanced self-love that is neither narcissistic nor self-deprecating but is rooted in the recognition of one's value as God's creation.
Self-Control and DisciplineSelf-control is a fruit of the Spirit and a vital aspect of Christian living.
Galatians 5:22-23 lists self-control among the fruits of the Spirit, indicating its importance in the believer's life. The Apostle Paul also speaks of disciplining oneself in
1 Corinthians 9:27, "No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."
Self-Worth and God's LoveUnderstanding one's worth in the eyes of God is crucial for a healthy self-concept.
Romans 5:8 affirms, "But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This sacrificial love underscores the immense value God places on each individual, providing a foundation for self-worth that is independent of worldly achievements or status.
ConclusionThe biblical perspective on oneself is a balanced view that acknowledges the inherent worth and dignity of each person as created in God's image, while also calling for humility, self-denial, and love for others. Through self-examination, discipline, and an understanding of God's love, believers are encouraged to live lives that reflect their identity in Christ and their commitment to His teachings.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
pron.) A reflexive form of the indefinite pronoun one. Commonly written as two words, one's self.
Greek
626. apologeomai -- to give an account ofoneself, hence to defend...... to give an account of
oneself, hence to defend
oneself. Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: apologeomai Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ol-og-eh'-om-ahee) Short
...554. apekduomai -- to strip off fromoneself
... to strip off fromoneself. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: apekduomai Phonetic
Spelling: (ap-ek-doo'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I strip, divest, renounce...
1463. egkomboomai -- to put ononeself (as a garment)
... to put ononeself (as a garment). Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: egkomboomai
Phonetic Spelling: (eng-kom-bo'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I clothe myself...
4980. scholazo -- to be at leisure, hence to devoteoneself to
... to be at leisure, hence to devoteoneself to. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:
scholazo Phonetic Spelling: (skhol-ad'-zo) Short Definition: I have leisure...
498. antitasso -- to range in battle against, to setoneself...
... to range in battle against, to setoneself against. Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: antitasso Phonetic Spelling: (an-tee-tas'-som-ahee) Short Definition...
475. antidiatithemi -- to oppose, setoneself in opposition
... to oppose, setoneself in opposition. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:
antidiatithemi Phonetic Spelling: (an-tee-dee-at-eeth'-em-ahee) Short Definition:...
4364. prospoieo -- to attach to, take tooneself, hence to pretend
... to attach to, take tooneself, hence to pretend. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration:
prospoieo Phonetic Spelling: (pros-poy-eh'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I...
3912. paraphroneo -- to be besideoneself, to be deranged
... to be besideoneself, to be deranged. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: paraphroneo
Phonetic Spelling: (par-af-ron-eh'-o) Short Definition: I am out of my...
4506. rhuomai -- to draw tooneself, ie deliver
... to draw tooneself, ie deliver. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: rhuomai Phonetic
Spelling: (rhoo'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I rescue Definition: I rescue...
519. apagcho -- to strangle, hangoneself
... to strangle, hangoneself. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: apagcho Phonetic
Spelling: (ap-ang'-khom-ahee) Short Definition: I choke, strangle Definition...
Strong's Hebrew
5844a. atah -- to wraponeself, enwrap, enveloponeself... 5844, 5844a. atah. 5844b . to wrap
oneself, enwrap, envelop
oneself.
Transliteration: atah Short Definition: cover. Word Origin a prim.
...5162. nacham -- to be sorry, consoleoneself
... 5161, 5162. nacham. 5163 . to be sorry, consoleoneself. Transliteration: nacham
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-kham') Short Definition: comfort. Word Origin a prim...
5456. sagad -- to prostrateoneself (in worship)
... 5455, 5456. sagad. 5457 . to prostrateoneself (in worship). Transliteration:
sagad Phonetic Spelling: (saw-gad') Short Definition: down. Word Origin a prim...
7257. rabats -- stretchoneself out, lie down, lie stretched out
... 7256, 7257. rabats. 7258 . stretchoneself out, lie down, lie stretched out.
Transliteration: rabats Phonetic Spelling: (raw-bats') Short Definition: down....
8280. sarah -- to persist, exertoneself, persevere
... sarah. 8281 . to persist, exertoneself, persevere. Transliteration: sarah Phonetic
Spelling: (saw-raw') Short Definition: contended. Word Origin a prim....
5330. netsach -- to distinguishoneself
... 5329, 5330. netsach. 5331 . to distinguishoneself. Transliteration: netsach
Phonetic Spelling: (nets-akh') Short Definition: distinguishing....
3320. yatsab -- to set or stationoneself, take one's stand
... yatsab. 3321 . to set or stationoneself, take one's stand. Transliteration: yatsab
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-tsab') Short Definition: stand. Word Origin a prim...
5710b. adah -- to ornament or deckoneself
... 5710a, 5710b. adah. 5711 . to ornament or deckoneself. Transliteration:
adah Short Definition: adorned. Word Origin a prim. root...
3187. yachas -- to enrolloneself or be enrolled by genealogy
... 3186, 3187. yachas. 3188 . to enrolloneself or be enrolled by genealogy.
Transliteration: yachas Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-khas') Short Definition: genealogy...
6209. arar -- to striponeself
... 6208, 6209. arar. 6210 . to striponeself. Transliteration: arar Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-rar') Short Definition: razed. Word Origin a prim....
Library
Whether it is Lawful to KillOneself?
... OF MURDER (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether it is lawful to killoneself?... I answer that,
It is altogether unlawful to killoneself, for three reasons....
Whether one Ought to SufferOneself to be Reviled?
... OF REVILING (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether one ought to sufferoneself to be reviled?
Objection 1: It would seem that one ought not to sufferoneself to be reviled....
July the Fourth EmptyingOneself
... JULY The Fourth EMPTYINGONESELF. "He emptied Himself." "Philippians
2:1-11. In Mr. Silvester Horne's garden a very suggestive...
Of Thinking Humbly ofOneself
... THE FIRST BOOK. ADMONITIONS PROFITABLE FOR THE SPIRITUAL LIFE CHAPTER II
Of thinking humbly ofoneself. There is naturally in every...
Whether one Ought, by Humility, to SubjectOneself to all Men?
... OF HUMILITY (SIX ARTICLES) Whether one ought, by humility, to subjectoneself to
all men?... Therefore, by humility, one ought not to subjectoneself to man....
Letter xxii. --To Bear withOneself.
... SIXTH BOOK: ON THE CONTINUATION OF TRIALS, AND FEAR OF THE ANGER OF GOD. Letter
XXII."To Bear WithOneself. To Sister Marie-Th??r??se de Viom??nil....
Letter xxxiii. --Patience withOneself.
... SECOND BOOK: ON THE EXERCISE OF THE VIRTUE OF ABANDONMENT Letter XXXIII."Patience
withOneself. To the same person. On bearing with herself. My dear Sister,....
Letter xii. --Rules to FreeOneself from These Fears.
... SIXTH BOOK: ON THE CONTINUATION OF TRIALS, AND FEAR OF THE ANGER OF GOD.
Letter XII."Rules to FreeOneself from these Fears. It...
Whether Sin is Fittingly Divided into Sin against God, against...
... OF THE DISTINCTION OF SINS (NINE ARTICLES) Whether sin is fittingly divided into
sin against God, againstoneself, and against one's neighbor?...
Whether Servile Fear Remains when Charity is Present
... 3. Again, servile fear is caused by love ofoneself, in as much as punishment
diminishes the good ofoneself. Now love to God expels love ofoneself....
Thesaurus
Oneself (10 Occurrences)...Oneself (10 Occurrences).
... Philippians 2:6 To whom, though himself in the form of
God, it did not seem that to take for
oneself was to be like God; (BBE).
...Lovingkindness (176 Occurrences)
... The word is derived from chacadh, meaning, perhaps, "to bend or bowoneself," "to
inclineoneself"; hence, "to be gracious or merciful." the English Revised...
Boast (86 Occurrences)
... bost (halal, "to praise"; kauchaomai, "to vauntoneself," used both in a good and
a bad sense): To praise God: "In God have we made our boast all the day long...
Advice (52 Occurrences)
... In 2 Chronicles 25:17 (from ya`ac, "to give or take counsel") the meaning seems
to be "to consult withoneself"; compare also Judges 19:30 the King James...
Advise (10 Occurrences)
... In 2 Chronicles 25:17 (from ya`ac, "to give or take counsel") the meaning seems
to be "to consult withoneself"; compare also Judges 19:30 the King James...
Advisement (1 Occurrence)
... In 2 Chronicles 25:17 (from ya`ac, "to give or take counsel") the meaning seems
to be "to consult withoneself"; compare also Judges 19:30 the King James...
Self (28 Occurrences)
... 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the
fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keeponeself unstained by...
One's (59 Occurrences)
... 33 and To love Him with all one's heart, with all one's understanding, and with
all one's strength, and to love one's fellow man no less thanoneself, is far...
Seem (115 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Philippians 2:6 To whom, though himself in the form of God, it did
not seem that to take foroneself was to be like God; (BBE)....
Onesimus (2 Occurrences)
Resources
What does the Bible say about egotism / egoism? What is an egoist / egotist? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about being self-centered? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is Lectio Divina? | GotQuestions.orgOneself: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
