The heart is the battleground in each person for the rights to control a person. No human being has any ultimate free-will, but instead is always under the lordship of either Christ or the devil. The soul that lives for self is doing what Satan did and does and that is live for self. The soul that has been humbled and emptied of self is given over to the life of God in that soul. But we must never be deceived about the fact that no human is free in the ultimate sense of the word. Even those who are very religious can be the agents of the devil in the world as they walk around in their un-humbled hearts glorying in their religion and perhaps of their pseudo humility.
“Therefore it must be added that a religion of self, carried on under the banner of Christ-whether it contend for Scripture doctrines or for worldly glory and prosperity-has more of a diabolical nature than that of the Jewish Pharisees. The highest and last working of the mystery of iniquity is this living for self, Satan, and the world under cover of a lip-profession of denying self, of being crucified with Christ, of being led by His Spirit, of being set with Him in heavenly places. Those who boast of their heavenly position in Christ, while living to self, stand in the fullest opposition to the gospel though they contend loudly in words for all orthodox doctrines.” (William Law)
There is a religion of self that can be carried on under the banner of Christ. It is when a soul that has not truly been humbled (emptied of self) takes up religion for the benefit of self. It is possible to profess Christ for the sake of self. It is possible to be in the ministry for self-centered purposes and goals (Phil 2:21). “Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment” (Philippians 1:15-17).
It is possible for souls to be deceived into thinking that they are truly committed to Christ and all that they do is for self though they may even think they are doing it for the sake of Christ. Humility is not just something that mature Christians are to seek, but without it there is no Christ in the person. We are deluged with self-seeking in the professing Church and virtually all of it is said to be for Christ. It is a terrible thing for a heart to be so deluded that it thinks that its seeking of self is really a seeking of Christ. The great doctrines of the faith can be contended for and yet the souls contending for them can be doing nothing more than desiring and seeking honor for self. It is certainly possible for hearts that desire worldly types of glory to do it within the professing church. There are many musicians and preachers who seem to have attained something of a star status. It seems as if people are drawn to those people by their personalities and star status rather than drawn to the meek and humble Savior.
It is so sad to see so many Simons in our day like those found in Acts 8:
“Even Simon himself believed…and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed. 14… they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit…18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, ‘Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ 20 But Peter said to him, ‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.'”
Simon believed the basic teachings of the Gospel, but he had not been humbled. He was amazed at the miracles taking place, but he had not been humbled and broken. His self-centeredness and desire for worldly riches and the honor of men were intact. Peter’s description of him was accurate. It is not as though he lost his salvation, but he had never been truly humbled and broken and so he had never been truly converted. Indeed he saw the miracles and believed something, but the self was still ruling rather than Christ and so he saw it as a way to make money. A humbled soul does not live a religion of self but has been delivered from that. Those who only seek Christ for money may obtain their deepest desire for money. The Pharisees prayed in order to be seen by men and they received their deepest desire. So the non-humbled soul will seek self for the things of self while using the name of Christ. The need for true humility is glaringly obvious. Only the soul that is emptied of self can truly seek Christ.
God Loves... Himself 
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