SELFLESSNESS IS GODLINESS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY JULY 31, 2021.

SUBJECT: SELFLESSNESS IS GODLINESS! 

Memory verse: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6 vs 2.)

READ: Philippians 2 vs 3 - 11:

2:3: Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 

2:4: Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interest of others.

2:5: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

2:6: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

2:7: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

2:8: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

INTIMATION:

Being selfless is laying aside right. It is putting others first. Selflessness is having no regard to self, being altruistic—living and acting for the interest of others. Selflessness is inconveniencing yourself for the happiness, and benefit of others. Many people, including Christians, live only to make a good impression on others or to please themselves—the 'Me first' attitude. Living like Christ is principally a life built on love. Jesus gave us a new commandment in John 13 vs 34 - 35, He said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Living like Christ is living a life built on love. 

Selfishness is ambitious and conceit (arrogance, excessive pride, haughtiness) is seen among Christians, abounding in churches (the Body of Christ). Christians compete amongst themselves with the motive to undo the other; backbiting, gossiping, witch hunting, working against the interest of others, and so on. 

Always think of yourself the way Jesus thought of Himself. Though He is God, and equal with God in status, but didn't think so much of Himself that He had to cling to the advantages of that status, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men, to serve selflessly. He made the greatest sacrifice of dying for others' sins when He had no sin, paying the penalty of death for the whole world, which aught to be paid by all of us sinners (Romans 3 vs 23; 6 vs 23).

As humans born into this world, we’re all selfish by nature. We’re born with a sinful nature that daily bows before the deity called ‘self,’ and until we crucify the “Adamic nature,” we’ll continue to struggle with selfishness. A selfless Christian does not seek to be known, praised or rewarded for the good he does because he doesn’t glory in the flesh. All he or she wishes is for Christ to be seen and glorified in his or her attitude and actions which when faithfully executed, will draw all people to Christ.

Though it is difficult to lead a selfless lifestyle but we need to start from somewhere and let the Holy Spirt help us accomplish the rest. For instance, Christians should not struggle in traffic jam, in fuel queues, in difficult circumstances, to take the first turn. When you do such, where is selflessness? Let the love and mind of Christ be in you always! Christlike selflessness is the mark of a true Christian. It was for this reason that the apostle Paul, in his letter to the believers in Philippi, said, "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus." The entire Christian experience should be one of continued acts of selflessness, to 'deny self daily while following the Lord’ (Luke 9 vs 23).

We must act differently from the world around us if we are to actually show ourselves as children of the heavenly kingdom. Selflessness must be the watchword in our dealings with everybody—Christians and non Christians alike. Selflessness will make us willingly give up comforts so our neighbor can have little of what God has blessed us with. It will make us think twice before abusing a position of responsibility entrusted to us in the Church of God, public service or business. Selflessness will make church leaders promote the gospel more than they promote themselves and their denominations. It will make us allocate church resources more to places where it will benefit the church rather than projects which massage our ego and buttress our vanity. 

Let us not be moved by the promise of instant gratification of self to destroy the good work God has called us to do. We’ll be more effective carriers of the good news of the gospel if our individual lives become examples of selflessness.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the excellent spirit of selflessness, that the mind of Christ will be in me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!