Paul was concerned about the character and behavior of church leaders, so he warned Timothy to be wary of those who act out of an attitude of “self-love”. Narcissism has been identified as a personality disorder since the 19th century, but what does the Bible say about narcissism and narcissistic personalities? When children are young, parents can become God-like figures in their lives. As they grow, parents teach them to obey the loving authority of God. Someone with narcissistic traits doesn't want to respect anyone in authority and certainly doesn't want to hear wisdom.
They rebel against all authority, believing they are the ultimate authority over their own lives; they think they are gods. They lean toward the desires of the flesh instead of having self-control or living within the will of God for their lives. Interestingly, Dr. Näcke initially only referred to humans who treated their bodies as a sexual object in his writing on narcissism.
All other pathological features of self-absorption were added later. Inspired Walk is dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and providing a biblical defense for the Christian faith. Codependents (those who maintain relationships with narcissists, feeding their ego and giving them a “narcissistic supply”) often devote a lot of time and emotional energy trying to make their narcissist change, love, be kind and happy. Narcissists can learn what to say and what not to say in order to blend in with society.
Licensed professionals must meet at least five of the nine criteria to label a person with narcissistic personality disorder (or NPD). When you know the truth and are able to set boundaries and defend yourself, a narcissist will oppose you. In the end, it doesn't really matter if you're exact about whether someone is a narcissist. Like Satan, a narcissist without henchmen under his control to support his worth would be reduced to nothing, an unbearable situation for them.
So a narcissist could say that he knows that he is a wretch and that he needs a savior, but that doesn't mean that he feels it inside or shows it outside.
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