I think Selwyn’s study speaks for itself – as I said yesterday I think that throughout history philosophers have tried to define what is ‘self’. This is where I agree with Selwyn, any definition which does not involve our relationship with God, is deficient.
He says: ” … any attempt to deal with the self outside of God succeeds only in feeding the disease that it needs to cure – self-centredness. Self in our own hands is a problem. Self in God’s hands is a power.”
Those who don’t have a relationship with God are under Satan’s control. Satan negotiates with us through our ‘self”; he says, something like: “Whatever you want – people to manipulate, power or wealth, I can give to you.” It’s a deception – but our own self-interests wants recognition so that we can become ‘like God’ – we want to believe the lie. In doing so, we allow Satan to manage our affairs – and this self-centredness shows in our relationships.  I don’t think I’m making too much of the spiritual side of our life’s struggles – do you?