There's an epidemic in the "Christian" media today of so-called Bible teachers espousing the psychological heresy that Christ died for the worthy rather than the depraved. This "teaching" goes something like this: "The death of Christ on the cross is God's price tag on the human soul; it means we really are somebodies, that we are of great value to God. After all, why would God pay such a great price if we're not worth it?"

We have covered some of the most popular of these psychologizers -- Josh McDowell, Gary Ezzo, Chuck Swindoll, and David Hocking -- in previous issues of this year's BDM Letter.  But Charles Stanley on a taped television messaged that aired 9/13/92 on CBN, has taken this heresy (some would say blasphemy) to the extreme:

"God says, 'Do you want to know how much you're worth? ... Here's how much you're worth. [Stanley stretches out his arms like Jesus on the cross.] I died for you. You're worth so much, I was willing to die for you. That's how much you're worth [applause]. It makes no difference what anybody else thinks. I died for you. That's how worthy I think you are.' God looked down and said, 'Is he/she [you and me] worth dying for? -- and My answer is "yes," (hallelujah), "yes."'

"That's the reason you and I are saved. We were worth dying for ... Just remember this every time you look at the cross ... God is shouting 'You are worth dying for!' ... It is God, with all His absolute knowledge who said, 'You and I are worth dying for.' ... I know I'm worth saving because God said it and God demonstrated it!"

This teaching makes an utter mockery of the doctrines of grace and redemption! The Bible teaches that Christ didn't die for somebodies but for sinners. The price He paid on the cross does not establish my personal worth, but instead was required to meet the claims of divine justice. In fact, the greater the price the costlier my sin, not the greater my worth!

That the sinless Son of God had to die upon the cross to redeem me is not anything that should make me feel good about myself, but instead humbled and ashamed, for it was my sins that nailed Him there. How could that fact possibly build up my self-esteem? "The old rugged cross" has been robbed of both its shame and its glory. Stanley is encouraging us to view the cross from the selfish perspective of what it did for us and what we get out of it.

Why is it that sinful man always tries to salvage something for self? Is Dr. Stanley really going to stand before our Lord at the Béma Seat and say, "Lord, you purchased for yourself one glorious bargain; sorry you had to die for me, but I was worth it!"? Is this the gospel? The gospel of self-love/self-esteem, yes, but not the Biblical gospel of humility before Christ.

Charles Stanley's humanistic concepts are diametrically opposed to Scripture. This false gospel of self, though often cloaked in pseudo-Biblical garb, is leading multitudes away from the true gospel and true Christian life. Stanley seeks to steal for himself and his followers the glory due only God, and thus, he has gone way beyond heresy. This is blasphemy.

[Portions of the above article were excerpted from pp. 182-183 of Beyond Seduction.]