THE TRAP OF SELF-DEPRECATION

The Identity Crisis of the Modern Believer

Well-meaning Christians often, albeit earnestly, employ a specific "vocabulary of lowliness." We hear phrases like: “I’m just a tool God uses,” “I am nothing and there’s nothing good about me,” “I’m only a messenger,” or “I’m just a sinner saved by grace.” These phrases have become a contemporary catechism—a rite of passage for participating in the local body of Christ.  While they reflect partial truths, they are rarely challenged. Instead, they are regarded as virtuous maxims and reflective of what God’s Word says about our condition even after we are regenerated and converted (“in Christ”).  It’s not uncommon to hear Isaiah 64:6 cited:  “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”

The Problem with the "Filthy Rag" Theology

The concern with this posture—aside from the fact that it misrepresents the condition of a person filled with the Holy Spirit—is that it leaves the believer feeling fundamentally incapable of pleasing God.

Often, Romans 3:10-11 is quoted in tandem: “There is no one righteous, not even one... there is no one who seeks God.”When a believer accepts this as their permanent identity, they remain a "sinner" who is only useful to God insofar as they abase themselves and successfully manage their sins (you know, don’t get caught getting drunk too often or having sex outside of marriage, but you’re ok not forgiving a fellow believer and harboring bitterness for years on end and even mistreating them). They are taught to assume no credit for good deeds—at least not on record or officially—yet assume all the blame when things go awry—whether that’s a failed project or a fellow believer "getting their panties in a wad" and demanding atonement under the guise of "true repentance.”

Hearing "The Rest of the Story”

If a person is in Christ yet maintains this anthropological view of themselves, they are living under the Law and the Old Covenant. Isaiah wrote his lamentation before Christ died, defeated the powers of darkness, resurrected, and ascended to intercede as our Great High Priest (effectively making us co-heirs and His brothers and sisters).

In the New Covenant, the vocabulary changes. God’s children are called:

• Born again and regenerated

• A new creation and the beloved

• Redeemed, forgiven, and chosen

• Ministers of reconciliation and royal ambassadors

• A royal priesthood and saints

These are the realities purchased by His blood. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:21: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” To claim we are still "filthy rags" is to inadvertently suggest that God’s sacrifice was insufficient to actually change us.

The Root of the Cycle: Fear and Control

Why does this "worm theology" persist?

Often, it is a cocktail of fear—fear of apostasy, fear of pride, and fear of losing control.

Earnest Christians frequently rely on spiritual authorities to tell them what to believe rather than practicing God’s presence themselves. Consequently, well-meaning pastors may bind the consciences of their flock because their own consciences are bound. These leaders often live in fear of being judged, losing their jobs, or depleting the "spiritual equity" they’ve worked so hard to attain.

Unless this cycle is broken, we continue to pass on these iniquities. As the band Creed famously sang, we end up "creating our own prison.”

Conclusion: From Performance to Presence

While self-deprecation is often seen as a "Baptist oath"—a perceived virtue that marks one as fit for ministry—it is actually the driving force of legalism. It creates a performance-based, transactional, and ultimately powerless way of living.

This performance catechism downplays the magnitude of the Gospel: that the Infinite Creator died for the finite human. Living under these rules puts us under the thumb of men and women who are themselves held captive. It is time we stop identifying as the "sinner" we were and start living as the "righteousness" He made us to be.

About Shawn Saunders, M.A., CFRE

Shawn earned two Master of Arts degrees from Shepherds Theological Seminary in 2010 and became a certified biblical counselor in 2008.   Prior to becoming a fundraising consultant in 2014, he helped start a residential recovery program that continues to rescue men from addiction for life and helps restore their families.  His life’s mission is to inspire and invite others into pursuing more so that they may realize their God-given potential.  He is the author of the book, The Asker, and currently serves as the Chairman of a Lynchburg nonprofit network called Unity in Our Community.