What Does The Bible Say About Selfishness?

It is the inherent nature of man to commit sin and consider seeking self-gratification first before yielding to the needs of others. It is important to him that he gets what he wants, no matter the consequences. Man’s psychology tells us this, and we tend to conform to what the world tells us about who we are. But do we have to? Do we believe what the world tells us about who we are?

 The Bible tells us that selfishness is to be avoided but that we should instead be mindful of others. Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Selfishness is an inherent curse that is embedded in the depths of the soul of man. Even at the beginning of time, Abel had been held as a victim of Cain’s selfishness. 2 Timothy 3:2-4 says that men will be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. When selfishness is deeply rooted in our hearts, it will consume our core, making us vulnerable to committing sin, and sin will lead us to lose our spirituality and connection with God. 

Among the visual manifestations is spiritual poverty. The Bible is trying to warn us not to be enslaved by selfishness because it will destroy us little by little until we have nothing but regret. Do not be fooled—self-regard comes in different personifications that have very pleasant sounds to them. It may emerge as power, wealth, or fame in the beginning and then cause resentment, anger, and jealousy later, when it can turn into despair and a lack of self-worth. 

The act of selfishness doesn’t guarantee you anything, not even happiness, yet it appears promising. It thwarts your perspective toward life, which results in your corrupt heart doing unjust actions to the person who truly cares for you. You will no longer feel at peace because you will start to nurture spiteful feelings for others, thinking they want to sabotage what you have worked for. Selfishness will leave you longing, like a hunger that can’t be satisfied or a thirst that won’t be quenched. Then, you will relentlessly search in vain to satisfy the void within you, only to find it futile in the end. Selfishness defies our moral judgment and is undesirable for most of us. However, our individuality makes it hard to address its effects completely. How we cope with selfishness varies by culture, generation, and socio-economic status.

Galatians 5:16 says, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” The Word, however, does not leave us wanting guidance for help about what to do in situations when we are faced with the temptation to sin. There is a clear path we have to follow to help us overcome this challenge. 1 Timothy is a reminder of this when it says we must command those who are rich in this present age to not be haughty or trust in uncertain riches but, rather, have faith in the living God, Who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good so that they are rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, and holding on to eternal life.

What is the root of selfishness?

The root of all selfishness is pride. Pride is something that is physically manifested because it is an internal process while its outward manifestation is selfishness. The more pride is in abundance in our hearts, the more selfish acts man commits. James 4:1-2 says, “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”

My fellow Christians, let us stand our ground and be firm in our faith, for when we let ourselves be corrupted, that brings forth death. James 1:15-16 says, “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.” Selfishness may come at a bigger price than we can ever pay. It will bring chaos and wreak havoc. James 3:14-16 says, “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”

This world we are living in today is not our final destination; this is not our home. The time will come when we will leave all of this behind, and there will be nothing left of it. And since we are just passing through, let us not be attached to this world, the things of this world, or all the pleasures the world can give. It has been written in 1 John 2:15-16, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

How do you deal with selfishness?                   

When we decided to make Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, we committed to following His ways and living in a Christ-like manner. We are reminded that we are different persons and no longer conform to the standards of the world; instead, we look up to Christ as our model and live a life pleasing in His eyes.

We deal with selfishness in a Christian manner, and the following are the steps we must take to avoid being dragged into selfishness and the pit of sin:

1. Acknowledge it and repent.
1 John 1:5-10 (NKJV) To be set free from selfishness, we first have to acknowledge that it is present in our lives and then repent of it.

2. Meditate on the Word of God. 
Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) The Word of God has enough power to break you free from any form of selfishness. You have to spend time in the Word and be consistent.

3. Call on the Holy Spirit. 
John 14:26 (NKJV) The Holy Spirit is your helper to assist you with any bad habit or character that is not from God. You have to humble yourself and call upon Him to help you.

 4. Remember the love of God.
Romans 8:28-39 (NKJV) Let nothing separate you from the Love of God. Not even selfishness has the power to separate you from God if you continue to trust in Him.

5. Pray continually. 
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV) Pray without ceasing. 

What are the signs of a selfish person? 

Selfishness is something that is not easy to disguise because it will eventually manifest itself. There will be warning signs to identify a selfish person; it becomes noticeable when people are self-centered and self-serving. It would be wise to identify them early on and avoid them. We must discern and elude them in their defiance and selfishness. Listed are signs that a person is selfish:

• They hoard. 
  Nothing will ever be enough for a selfish person because they will always want more.
  

  What Does the Bible Say About Selfishness?

• They ignore others’ rights.  
  They will always regard themselves as more important, better, and more entitled than others. That is the reason why they disregard others’ rights.

• They show heartless indifference. 
  It will be extremely difficult for a selfish man to empathize with others or consider others before themselves.

• They will betray. 
  Again, the selfish person will think first of what they can acquire and the benefit they will get out of a certain situation. To some extent, they even betray the ones they love to get what they want despite the cost of losing the relationship.

A selfish person is more concerned with gratification, the pleasure in their own wants, without regard to those they are hurting, regardless if others suffer because of their decision. The well-being of others will never be a priority for the selfish person. They will be able to influence others into yielding to what they want because it is easy for them to manipulate the situation, the person, and the circumstances to result in their favor.

Selfishness lurks in all emotional baggage stored in the hearts of men, creating a strong force that motivates them to satisfy their gratification with self-indulgence. This situation will leave them wretched and destroy their relationships with the people around them. Although there are reasons we believe selfishness is human nature, this flaw can be treated effectively with an appropriate conviction to be sensible. Moreover, seeing things through grace will open a generous path on which you can share your life—truly a blessing disguised in flaws. Usually, a selfish person’s driving force is fame, money, glory, and honor. Earthly possessions appeal to them so much that they would do anything to get more, and if that goal is achieved, they will still want more. The cycle goes on, and even if this person were to accomplish much, they would still want more. 

Philippians 2:4 is a reminder to us all to be concerned not just about ourselves. “Let each of you look out not only for his interest but also for the interests of others.” It would pay if we could listen and consider others besides ourselves because this is right and pleases God. Look to Christ as our model and live according to His purpose. Live your life in Him while you indulge in His mercy and goodness, let heavenly wisdom lead you through life, abide in abundance with His love, and embrace the miracles and wondrous works that He has done in your life.