Exegetical Brief: Show Love to Your Neighbor

Abstract

Professor Brug examines the current usages of the Bible quote, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” in the positive self-image promotions. He exegetically works through the passages and concludes, “This passage then does not command or promote a positive self-image. It rather promotes God-like benevolence toward everyone in need. The Scriptures do give us grounds for a positive self-image, but it is not in this passage. It is rather in the biblical doctrines of creation, redemption, and sanctification, which teach us how God created mankind in his image, how he sent his Son to enable us to regain that image, and how the Holy Spirit is now renewing us in that image. A positive self-image does not flow from natural self-love but from being made and restored in the image of God.”