Man, oh man … I am SOOOOOOO SELFISH! Yuck! But I honestly don’t know how to not be …. I was taught to be selfish and I know no other way. 
Philippians 2 says:
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Selfishness – what does it mean? Mirriam-Webster’s Dictionary says:
Main Entry: self·ish
Pronunciation: ’sel-fish
Function: adjective
1 : concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one’s own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others
2 : arising from concern with one’s own welfare or advantage in disregard of others (a selfish act)
3 : being an actively replicating repetitive sequence of nucleic acid that serves no known function (selfish DNA); also : being genetic material solely concerned with its own replication (selfish genes)
- self·ish·ly adverb
- self·ish·ness noun
Okay, I must say that that last definition is cracking me up, and may very well be accurate about me also … “serves NO KNOWN FUNCTION” – within the body of Christ that is accurate!
Romans 2:8 says
but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
Um – OUCH! Do you see how he lumped selfish ambition with not pbeying the truth, unrighteousness, wrath and indignation???
And check out James 3:
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.
15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, (X)demonic.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
I might be feeling a bit humbled right about now. Let’s look and see what the Greek words are for “selfish ambition” …
Hmmmmm …. “selfish” — the Greek word is Eritheia and it means:
1. electioneering or intriguing for office
a. apparently, in the NT a courting distinction, a desire to put one’s self forward, a partisan and fractious spirit which does not disdain low arts
b. partisanship, fractiousness
This word is found before NT times only in Aristotle where it denotesa self-seeking pursuit of political office by unfair means. (A&G)Paul exhorts to be one in the mind of Christ not putting self forward or being selfish
“ambition” — the Greek word is … what? the same word! So there are not 2 words there, but one … eritheia. The same word is used in Philippians 2:3 when Paul exhorts us to do nothing out of selfishness.
But what about Philippians 2:3? What about “empty conceit”? Let’s look at that …
The Greek used for “empty conceit” is, again, one word and not 2 – it’s Kenodoxia, which means:
1. vain glory, groundless, self esteem, empty pride
2. a vain opinion, error
Ick … I’m starting to get an ugly picture here of a dirty, greasy politician only out for political gain and vain glory, thinking only of himself and caring not who is destroyed along the way …
Okay … let’s look at one more thing and then I’m done (by the way – this is what the Lord told me to do this morning – look at Philippians 2:3 and pick it apart … now I know why!)
Romans 12:3 says:
For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
So, “think more highly” is also one Greek word — Huperphroneo, which means to think more highly of one’s self than is proper. But, when you break it down it’s a combination of “Hooper”, which means
1. in behalf of, for the sake of
2. over, beyond, more than
3. more, beyond, over
and “Phroneo”, which means
1. to have understanding, be wise
2. to feel, to think
a. to have an opinion of one’s self, think of one’s self, to be modest, not let one’s opinion (though just) of himself exceed the bounds of modesty
b. to think or judge what one’s opinion is
c. to be of the same mind i.e. agreed together, cherish the same views, be harmonious
3. to direct one’s mind to a thing, to seek, to strive for
a. to seek one’s interest or advantage
b. to be of one’s party, side with him (in public affairs)
Hmmmm … so, basically, “Huperphroneo” means HYPER THINKING …. Paul is telling us not to be hyper thinkers about ourselves.
All this is very interesting …
Well, that word study was certainly fruitful this morning. I know it was long, and if you have gotten this far thanks for “listening” and I hope you got something out of it … I know I sure did! I know that I am a Hyper Thinker about myself and I know that I do not want to be a dirty politician only out for political gain and vain glory at the expense of everyone else! No thank you!
Thank you, Lord, for directing my steps this morning to do this word study and pick apart these verses … thanks for gently showing me the truth about selfishness!
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