I don't know about you, but I have noticed an increasing number of YouTube videos, articles, and overall buzz about narcissism. It is defined as a "personality style that can range from normal to abnormal, and is characterized by an excessive focus on oneself and one's own needs."1 A more severe form is classified medically as Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and is considered an actual mental health disorder.
A narcissist has many traits, including a sense of entitlement, a craving for admiration, a grandiose sense of self, and arrogant or haughty behavior, to name a few. But as I have studied this out for myself, it seems to be summed up in one word: Pride. This may be all over social media as a warning to all, but it is by no means new to God. It is no wonder that Solomon says in Proverbs 6:16-19, "These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations; feet that be swift in running to mischief; a false witness that speaketh lies; and he that soweth discord among brethren." These seven things cause God great disgust. First on the list is pride.
The First Narcissist
The first true narcissist was in heaven. It was Lucifer. We see him described in Ezekiel 28:12-17 in such detail as being "perfect in beauty," being "perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." Then the core issue is noted in verse 17, which says, "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness…" The ultimate grandiose description of Lucifer's narcissism is seen in Isaiah 14:12-14. It reads, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." Now, that is a vision of grandeur in the worst sense.
Another famous narcissist in the Bible was King Nebuchadnezzar. His sense of self was so inflated that he misinterpreted the prophetic illustration of the dream that Daniel was able to interpret from God. Instead of King Nebuchadnezzar being just the head of gold, he created a massive, entire golden image of himself, which all were required to bow down to and worship, or else face the fiery furnace of death. That description is an unbelievable response of selfishness. But Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. It is only the grace of God that restrains many of us from experiencing complete destruction due to our selfish nature.
In the book Christ's Object Lessons, we read, "There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins, it is the most hopeless, the most incurable."2
I've watched videos on the topic of narcissism, and I have discussed them with my close friend, who is a psychiatrist. They both say that there is no cure for it, and that most narcissists never change for the better. So, is there hope?
The Bible holds all of our answers. We know that "with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). God alone can change our hearts. This is the whole work of Jesus Christ and the power of the true gospel. Jesus came to "save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Jesus tells Nicodemus what He says to us all—that we must be "born again" (John 3:7). When we are in true relationship with Jesus Christ, we are a "new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Salvation is not a behavior modification; it is a supernatural transformation. It is 100% possible for a narcissist to change, but this will only come through Jesus Christ.
We are all narcissistic on some level. We are all selfish. We are all sinners. Like David, we can say that we were born in sin and shaped in iniquity (Psalm 51:5). But in the next verse, he says that we can be whiter than snow! God can change us!
Call to Action
In King Nebuchadnezzar's case, the Lord sent him into a field to live like a wild animal for seven years. God dealt with his heart, and he was able to proclaim, "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble (Daniel 4:37 ESV). We must be humble. That is the only cure for pride. James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." The Lord is very merciful, loving, and kind. He doesn't want us to be destroyed by selfishness and pride. He came to give us life, and that more abundantly (John 10:10).
Will you join me in a humble prayer today to overcome all pride?
All scripture, unless noted otherwise, is taken from the King James Version.
- AI
- Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons (Battle Creek, Michigan: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1900), 154.
