As Joel Osteen writes yet one more “best seller” to be read by millions of “Christians” perhaps we should take a hard look at reality.

The reality is that most American church-goers need to grow in a sense of their unworthiness, not their supposed worthiness. They need to see what the old Puritan writers called “the exceeding sinfulness of sin.” Then perhaps we would see how much we need the Savior. Being forgiven much, we would love much.

The mark of biblical love is self-sacrifice, not self-esteem.