Partakers Bible Thought 26 August 2021 – The Christian and the Challenge of Self Interest

Partakers Bible Thought 26 August 2021

" 17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
(Mark 10:17-22)

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 2:3-4, 21)

In our culture, particularly in the west, selfish individualism or self interest is endemic and rife. “I can do what I want, when I want, because I am right and always right.” “Me, me, me”, people cry through their actions and attitudes! Where material possessions take precedence and the desire for more is ever evident throughout all aspects of life. The interest of others is placed at the bottom of the pile – people are placed below possessions.

These are twenty-first century gods and idols. The god of the twenty-first century is “self-interest” and humanity bows to this god quite willingly, because it offers no threat. At its very source is pride! Their actions and attitude proudly proclaims, “I am first, and everyone else is last”. As Christians, what should our reaction be to this aspect of our culture? as Christians living within this societal culture, how are we and the Church to respond?

Today we are looking together at the Christian and the challenge of Self Interest. It follows on from what we looked at yesterday when we looked at the sin of materialism and the worship of money, objects and people. We ask and answer questions such as: What is self-interest? How and why is self-interest sinful? What is the challenge of Self Interest to the Christian and to the Church? What steps can the Christian and the Church take to overcome this challenge? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more of the Christian and the challenge of self-interest!

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