2011 07 03
Selfishness, Self-Interest and Christ
Reverend Anthony R. Locke
July 3rd, 2011 www.FirstPresTucker.org
at the First Presbyterian Church of Tucker
Independence Day 2011
Philippians 3:7-21 English Standard Version
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.
16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.[1]
We have liberty as Americans. We have the right to own property, freedom of expression and freedom of determination. No one forces us into a labor camp. The government does not limit our earnings potential or determines how we pursue our happiness.
We are only limited by our talents and gifts, our ingenuity and intelligence, and our work ethic. The outcome of our work and efforts are not equally pre-determined by centralized government social engineering. No one is being held back pursuing happiness.
We have the freedom to pursue our own self-interest. If it interests you – then go for it. If you think it will make you happy— then have at it. If you think pursuing a certain career or hobby will benefit your life then you have the freedom to try and make that happen.
Our country doesn’t hold you back, and our country won’t guarantee your success.
We live in a land of equal opportunity, not equal outcomes.
And God encourages this sort of free and open pursuit of our greatest happiness. God is most glorified when we are most blessed. Our Founders call these freedoms inalienable rights because they are bestowed up on us by our Creator. God gives us the desires of our heart. When pursuing our dreams we discover the beauty of His creation, we often find our calling in life, and if our pursuits are informed by faith, then we discover the glory of God.
This is the argument of Proverbs. If we had true wisdom, if we really understood the needs of our own soul, and if we truly understood happiness, then we would encourage ourselves and our neighbor to flee the destruction of sin and seek a life of fellowship with God.
This is the chief-end to which we were all created. This is our greatest self-interest. This is the true path to self-actualization. Full humanity was modeled by Jesus when He was filled with joy and contentment in the midst of great adversity and sorrow. Our path can be the same.
By faith we know that our greatest self-interest is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
We have reached our most wise pursuit of happiness when we are living daily in sweet fellowship with our Creator and doing good works toward our neighbor.
Self-interest turns our heart and mind to consider that our soul might be in danger of hell fire.
And there is a difference between self-interest and selfishness.
It is in my self-interest to get a job and earn an income so that I can support my family. I can do that from a heart of greed and selfishness, or as an act of Godly stewardship and duty.
Capitalism does not produce greedy people. Sin produces greedy people. Sure, many people pursue economic advantage motivated by greed, but that reflects poorly on the sinner, not the economic system.
Communism empowers the greed of the leadership. Socialism empowers the greed of the poor to steal from the rich. Marxism tries to replace self-interest with community-interest which ruins productivity. Only Capitalism leverages the God given desire to freely pursue one’s dreams within a moral framework.
Sadly, our culture is moving toward the values of Socialism, but Socialism is just government approved stealing.
If it is a sin to steal from our neighbor to satisfy our needs, then it should be a sin to ask our government to steal from our neighbor to meet our needs. A compassionate government has no money to give in social programs that they did not require at gun point from the taxpayer.
In 1776 Adam Smith wrote “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.”
It is greed to expect that someone who works hard for their own family, should put food on my table just because I need it. Expecting or demanding that someone else be benevolent on my behalf is just a new form of tyranny.
It is greedy and sinful, therefore, to expect that a doctor who went to school, studied hard, paid high college tuition, passed the exams, passed the board certification programs, borrowed 100’s of thousands of dollars to open a hospital or private office, should be his own benevolence treat my medical needs.
We live in a period of social greed unparalleled within American history. We don’t even recognize it.
No one owes you anything except the freedom to pursue what you think will make you happy.
True economic justice is when everyone is accountable for their own productivity, their own needs and their own pursuit of happiness.
Ever since we broke from the dictates of the Crown of England we have celebrated these freedoms.
We do not have to wait for a King to provide for us. We are free to pursue our dreams as God gives us breath.
So how much of this transfers into the Christian life? Is the fuel of Capitalism, self-interest, also the fuel that advances the Kingdom of Heaven?
This is where we turn to our passage.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Paul offers us a different perspective. In the Kingdom, our life is defined by what we surrender for the cause of Christ.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
By the life and death of Jesus a new economy is established. The values are not the same. The focus is not earthly, but heavenly. We aren’t trying to increase our own comfort, but our fellowship with Jesus. 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death
The pursuit of happiness gets redefined. Joy and self-satisfaction are pursued trying to amass private property, but in the sacrifice of our earthly advantage for Jesus sake.
We have arrived at the pinnacle of our life goals when we are found to be in Christ – not having a righteousness of their own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith
This is making it in the heavenly economy: clothed in the work of Jesus, expecting to enter heaven by His righteousness, placing faith in Christ and not ourselves. That’s making it.
And this new reality is the opposite of Capitalism. We actually trust in the benevolence of Jesus to put spiritual food on our dinner plates every night. Jesus frees us from the chains of spiritual poverty. Jesus works freedom from the self-destructive misery of sin and elevates us into heaven itself.
Self-interest might be the fuel of capitalism, but the glory of Christ is the new fuel of Christ’s Kingdom.
We must live every day for the advantage of Jesus, and not ourselves. This isn’t easy.
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
Capitalism tends to make the disadvantaged feel alone. In the new creation, no one is ever alone. You are loved with an everlasting love. The heavenly Father sent your Elder Brother with the riches of the family to set you free and prepare you for eternal happiness.
You are part of a family now. Family dynamics are very different from economic systems. We are not independently trying to make it through life. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
What is the goal? that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Verse 15 says that if you are spiritually mature then you need to discipline your mind to think this way. We must transform our mind away from self-interest and live for Christ’s interest.
Living for Christ’s advantage in this world actually serves our self-interest. Your greatest happiness will forever be defined by verses 8-11. This spiritual passion will displace selfishness and self-interest as the new fuel for a new economy.
Restated, working to glorify Christ is the energy of the people of God.
Paul didn’t fully live by these principles, but he worked hard to attain to it. We should imitate Paul as he imitated Christ who also abandoned His heavenly advantage that He might pursue our advantage. Jesus considered the glory of heaven rubbish that he might gain us. That’s love.
To live any other way is to become an enemy of the Cross. If you are not living for Jesus, then you are living for the world. You have chosen sides. The battle lines are drawn. To the victors go the spoils and Jesus has already conquered sin and death. Don’t live for – rubbish [verse 8]
Verse 19. When we seek earthly things we makes ourselves slaves to our appetites. And our appetite for flashy cars, impressive homes, beauty, money and power dishonor God and bring guilt and shame to our soul. This is what happens when we set our mind on earthly things.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Jesus is coming again! He has the power to transform our body to be just like His. No more pain, no sorrow, no tears and no regrets.
Our only regret will be living for ourselves. To be truly happy, we must live for Jesus.
Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.