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Selfishness.

From: The New Topical Textbook

By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 1 min. read • grade level: 12

Contrary to the law of God. Lev. 19:18¹⁸Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18). Matt. 22:39³⁹And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Matthew 22:39). James 2:8⁸If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well: (James 2:8).

The example of Christ condemns. John 4:34³⁴Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34). Rom. 15:3³For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. (Romans 15:3). 2 Cor. 8:9⁹For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9).

God hates. Mal. 1:10¹⁰Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. (Malachi 1:10).

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Being lovers of ourselves. 2 Tim. 3:2²For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (2 Timothy 3:2).

Pleasing ourselves. Rom. 15:1¹We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. (Romans 15:1).

Seeking our own. 1 Cor. 10:33³³Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:33). Phi. 2:21.

Seeking after gain. Isa. 56:11¹¹Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. (Isaiah 56:11).

seeking undue precedence. Matt. 20:21²¹And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. (Matthew 20:21).

Living to ourselves. 2 Cor. 5:15¹⁵And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:15).

Neglect of the poor. 1 John 3:17¹⁷But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? (1 John 3:17).

Serving God for reward. Mal. 1:10¹⁰Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. (Malachi 1:10).

Performing duty for reward. Mic. 3:11¹¹The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us. (Micah 3:11).

Inconsistent with Christian love. 1 Cor. 13:5⁵Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; (1 Corinthians 13:5).

Inconsistent with the communion of saints. Rom. 12:4, 5⁴For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: ⁵So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (Romans 12:4‑5), with 1 Cor. 12:12-27¹²For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴For the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? ¹⁸But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. ¹⁹And if they were all one member, where were the body? ²⁰But now are they many members, yet but one body. ²¹And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. ²²Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: ²³And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. ²⁴For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: ²⁵That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. ²⁶And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. ²⁷Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1 Corinthians 12:12‑27).

Especially forbidden to saints. 1 Cm 10:24. Phi. 2:4.

The love of Christ should constrain us to avoid. 2 Cor. 5:14, 15¹⁴For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: ¹⁵And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:14‑15).

Ministers should be devoid of. 1 Cor. 9:19-23¹⁹For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. ²⁰And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; ²¹To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. ²²To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. ²³And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. (1 Corinthians 9:19‑23). 1 Cor. 10:33³³Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:33).

All men addicted to. Eph. 2:3³Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:3). Phi. 2:21.

Saints falsely accused of. Job 1:9-11⁹Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? ¹⁰Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. ¹¹But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. (Job 1:9‑11).

Characteristic of the last days. 2 Tim. 3:1, 2¹This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. ²For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (2 Timothy 3:1‑2).

Exemplified. Cain, Gen. 4:9⁹And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? (Genesis 4:9). Nabal, 1 Sam. 25:3, 11³Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. (1 Samuel 25:3)
¹¹Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be? (1 Samuel 25:11). Haman, Esther 6:6⁶So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself? (Esther 6:6). Priests, Isa. 56:11¹¹Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. (Isaiah 56:11). Jews, Zech. 7:6⁶And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? (Zechariah 7:6). James and John, Mark 10:37. Multitude, John 6:26²⁶Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. (John 6:26).

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The New Topical Textbook

• Scorning and Mocking.

• Scorpion, the.

• Scriptures, the.

• Sealing of the Holy Ghost.

• Second Coming of Christ, the.

• Seeking God.

• Self-Delusion.

• Self-Denial.

• Self-Examination.

• Self-Righteousness.

• Self-Will and Stubbornness.

• Selfishness.

• Sidonians, the.

• Simeon, the Tribe of.

• Simplicity.