“For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” (2 Corinthians 10:18)
People want approval and have a hard time finding it in the world of men. And so, the world’s remedy for this problem is that we should learn to “accept ourselves;” that we should say that if we’re not “good enough” for anyone else, we’re good enough for ourselves. But this is far from a gospel message.
Even as we are not approved in the sight of God because others commend us; neither are we approved by God because we commend ourselves. We may accept ourselves “the way we are;” but we are only accepted by God when we are in His Son. There is no condemnation when we are in Him; there is only commendation when we are outside of Him.
Beware of a humanistic “gospel.” Self-acceptance is not God acceptance.