But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. 2 Timothy 3:1-9 (ESV)
It’s been 12 days since I last posted to this site and I’ve been mulling several ideas over in my mind. I think these verses are part of a greater pondering which may result in a series of posts that have to deal with my most recent “soapbox”, that soapbox being “selfishness”.
As I have mentioned in a previous post, I have come to the decision that it is impossible for any human being to sin without that sin being rooted in selfishness. The verses above tell us where peoples affections will be focused. The Apostle Paul starts the list with “lovers of self”, and I believe this is intentional. From it, the rest of the list will find their roots.
Along time ago I spent time thinking about why I do good things to and for others. I had a rude awakening when I realized that most, if not all, of my good deeds were based in selfishness. Why did I help that person with their broken down car? Because “I” want to be known as a helpful person. Why did I sacrifice my desire to purchase a new iPad so my sons might have something they wanted? Because “I” wanted them to see me as not being selfish. Obviously both of these “good deeds” were helpful to the recipients, but if my motive for doing them put “me” as the focus, are they not selfish?
So how does what Paul writes to Timothy address this issue? I think by pointing to the foundation of the issue; that I love myself. When my “good deeds” are a result of loving God then it is not done in selfishness. This is where I hope to “peel back the onion” in this group of posts, by finding scripture that explains and defines selfishness. Then progress to the effects of selfishness on our own hearts and the lives of others and moving towards not only what is required to vanquish selfishness, but how to go about it, and the actions we can take to wean ourselves from our bent towards selfishness.