I’ve been reading a book [i] on the sovereignty of God. It’s repeatedly reminding me that God’s word is true and is given to us for our good as well as His glory. There is a clear message regarding the seriousness of God in His giving us the law and His response to us when we refuse, deny, or rebel against it.

In grace, it’s also clear that our God is patient with His people. He saves us while we are “yet sinners.” He is not surprised by our sin but is serious about the process of sanctification, giving us His Holy Spirit who will, among other things, convict us of our sin, often having to teach us that some of our behaviors are sin.

When asked about the “greatest” commandment, Jesus answers that it is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. He quickly adds that the second greatest command is like the first and that it is that we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:36-39).

There is a principle in this that can get lost and that is that man, in general, does love himself. Even if in seemingly wrong ways, our behaviors are usually what we do to make ourselves happy or protected, often disregarding the effect on others.

This principle gives the Apostle Paul reason to admonish the Philippians to be less concerned about themselves and to always consider others more important than themselves. He gives this command based in their faith in the Lord. Here is how he says it:

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:1-4). (ephasis mine). 

 In a time when it seems that everyone is working for their own advancement or their own wealth without considering others or their own sinful ways, where are we, the children of God? It may be difficult to see that people who fear man do so because they want a reputation of being easy to get along with or they want to avoid controversy so they compromise their convictions in order to live at peace with other people. They are not so concerned about peace with God. It is “selfish ambition” and “conceit” because that person does not love her neighbors by telling them the truth of God’s Word.

Selfish ambition and conceit can be evident at home, in not considering how our actions affect the family, in the church where the pastor and elders don’t teach sound doctrine because a wealthy member of the assembly may leave, and in every sphere we live in.

We see many professing Christians showing up for abortions and counting on God’s forgiveness for a deliberate sin. This may be the height of conceit, wherein they believe they will be exempted from God’s wrath against first degree murder – the one they commit for their convenience or reputation (Exodus 20:13).

How do any of these things consider others more important than ourselves?

Some of us have become so selfish in ambition and conceited in our view of ourselves that we miss the fact that the loving God we claim to point others toward, has a love so deep for us that He will not allow our sin to go unpunished.

 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (Galatians 5:13).

[i] The Sovereignty of God, A.W. Pink