Almost 150 suffixes attach to the prefix self and describe the selfish character of the self-life.
Some are self-love, self-will, self-assertion, self-serving, self-absorbed, self-possessed, self-conceit, self-advancement, self-righteousness, and self-satisfied. All describe selfishness and self-centeredness and how those characterized by these words live for self-gratification. But other descriptions also exist, such as self-discipline, self-restraint, and self-denial. We know these after self-examining, being self-abased, and seeing our true self-image.
According to John Hackett, the Presbyterians coined the word selfish in the 1640s. Selfishness is self-indulgence—when we are excessively concerned about our welfare without regard for others. Charles Finney says selfishness manifests when the will obeys the impulses of the sensibilities and prefers them to the claims of God and the good of the being as a whole.
We never discover self until we turn against it, leave it out of the picture, and serve God. When we choose to die to self, self projects itself and does all it can to get in our way, hindering our work for God. If we are not struggling against self to gain self-mastery, we have not discovered self, the danger of the self-life, or working against it by living in self-denial.
To be a disciple of Jesus Christ like Paul, we must discover self, turn against it, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. As we continue to obey Christ and deny self, we will conquer the self-life, and the characteristics of the self-life will disappear. In its place, the life of Christ, which is one of self-sacrifice, will triumph and manifest itself.
Self is our greatest enemy. Have you discovered this to be true? What steps can you take to put yourself aside to follow Christ and be like Him?
(photo courtesy of pixabay and Sarah Loetscher)
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James H. Cagle has been preaching and getting the Word out since 1982. He has pastored for twelve years. He now writes for twelve newspapers weekly. He has published three books and is working on several others. James spent four years in the Marine Corps and was honorably discharged in 1980 as a sergeant. He grew up in Bemiss, Georgia, and graduated from Lowndes High in 1975. He currently resides in Nashville, Georgia.