As we think through the ramifications that pride and self-centeredness have for the modern versions of Christianity, it is becoming even clearer that the modern professing Church has lost the very core of Christianity. The core of Christianity is indeed Christ and the cross, but if we water Christ and the cross down into a form of humanism we no longer have Christ and the cross. The Christ and the cross that are being taught today in many places are man-centered and are little more than a form of humanism. Christ came to deliver sinners from themselves and give them over to new hearts that love God. He does not leave them in their state of pride and self-centeredness and simply give them more rules and things to do that fill self with more pride.
“Eudemonism means that my desires and needs, whether temporal or spiritual, are the fundamental inspiration of my quest for acceptance with God. I seek God in pursuit of my own interests. Impelled, for instance, the fear of hell and hope of heaven, or by a yearning for present peace of heart and mind, I seek God no less for my own satisfaction than if I sought material advantages at His hands. In egocentric religion, fellowship with God depends ultimately on man’s achievement and is sought ultimately for man’s own ends. God is characteristically conceived in terms of the answer to human problems and needs.” (Let God Be God! An Interpretation of the Theology of Martin Luther)
The state of the heart of human beings is exceedingly deceitful. It takes the Word of God to set the truth before its eyes and it takes the Holy Spirit to open the eyes and allow them to see spiritual things. A person can be very involved in religious things and essentially be absorbed in the things of self. A person can be a minister and be absorbed with the things of self. A person can be a very orthodox minister and be absorbed with the things of self. A person can be a very nice, kind, and even caring person (outwardly) and still be primarily concerned about the things of self. In Philippians 2 we have Paul wanting to send the people a minister, but he had no one to send them. In verses 20-21 he tells them this: “For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.” Evidently Paul wanted to send them a minister or someone who would train them in the faith but the only ones he knew about were concerned with the interests of self rather than the interests of Christ. Would he have anyone to send today?
This is another way of saying that what inspired these men in the ministry were their own desires and perceived needs. Perhaps they wanted more respect and renown, a bigger and better package, or perhaps more authority in the church. But all that they were doing in seeking God was to use Him to seek their own interests. It may also be the case that these men were interested in building treasures in heaven. Now the Bible does teach us about building treasures in heaven, but one can have an unbiblical idea of those things too. It is no better to seek treasures in heaven for the wrong reasons and of the wrong kind than it is to seek to build earthly treasures. It is nothing but pride to seek self in heaven or on earth. It is entirely godless and it is to be full of pride to seek God only for the things of self or the advancement of self. It is idolatry to seek God for the desires and things of self. In the Old Testament we can see how the Israelites tried to use idols and false gods to protect them from their enemies and to get their crops to grow. That is plainly idolatry as they were using false gods to get what they wanted.
Can we say that it is less idolatrous to use the true God to get what we want? One might argue that we only have half the problem of the Israelites. They used false gods and sought the things of self. Now we have the true God as we seek the things of self. Some will even go so far as to say that God is glorified in giving us what we want and desire. That is entirely hideous in its deception. We are clearly told that we must deny self in order to follow Christ rather than to seek Christ in order to have self fulfilled and its desires met. The desires and so-called needs of self are wicked and sinful and yet we think God is glorified if He fulfills those wicked desires? If God does give us over to hardened hearts and allow those sinful desires for self to be fulfilled He is acting in judicial punishment. Yet we pack the church buildings by telling people that God will meet all their needs and will fulfill their desires. Orthodox people will tell others to believe the right things and believe God to give them what they need. But where is the power and life of the living God in the soul? Where is the utter denial of self and the interests of self so that God will fill the soul with Himself which is what is truly good? Ministers who are concerned with the interests of self will teach others in a way that makes it sound like God will fulfill their interests as well. A minister that is only concerned with self-interests is a very proud person and is a hireling rather than a true shepherd.
God Loves... Himself 
Leave a comment