Selflessness

Notes from Sangjin's class

For Kid's Note, go HERE

Definition:  To pursue selflessness means placing the well-being of others before your own needs and desires.

In The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, Tim Keller describes the human ego with the following four conditions:

• empty - when we try to put something in the middle of what was meant for God, it is going to be too small
• painful - when we are hurt, snubbed, irritated 
• busy - always drawing attention to itself - busy trying to fill the emptiness
• fragile - anything that is inflated is in imminent danger of being deflated

We don't need to be trained on how to be self-centered.  
We do need to be saved and sanctified to be God-glorifying and selfless.

In 1 Corinthians 4:4, Paul does not care what the Corinthians think or even what he thinks. He only cares what God thinks. Paul has reached a point where he does not think of himself anymore. This is selflessness.

Here are two quotes to help you understand what selflessness is.
"A truly gospel-humble person is not a self-hating person or a self-loving person, but a self-forgetful person."  Keller
"You don't need to interpret everything in relation to yourself,"  Ortlund

The church is a God-designed place to live a selfless life.

• Be committed to your church.  R. Kent Hughes writes, "Your commitment [to the church] must go beyond attendance and membership.  You must readily give yourself to serving her with your talent, however humble the task my be.  Church is not simply for your benefit, but for what you can give to others through your commitment to it."
• Prayer for our church leadership.
• Prayer for one another using the church directory and the church app.

Points of application:

• We must look away from self and to Christ.
• We must re-live the Gospel each time we read/pray/meditate on the Scriptures.
• We must re-live the Gospel every time we are at church and gather with our brothers and sisters

Resources: 

• The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller - Christianbook.com  |  Audiobook on Hoopla
• Humility by Gavin Ortlund - Crossway  |  Audiobook on Hoopla  | Ebook on Hoopla

Additional Notes:

Verses to consider:

• Proverbs 18:1: 
• An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and, against all sound judgment, starts quarrels.
• Philippians 2:3 – 4:
  
  
• So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
  complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind.
  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
  Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.
  
  
  The contrast...
• Selfish ambition or conceit (selfish) - - humility (selflessness)
  Not only your own interest - - the interests of others.

Look at Book video teaching on Philippians 2:3 and 4 

You Are Never Too High to Serve (Philippians 2:3)  

True Humility Ends in Glory (Philippians 2:3 - 4)

 James 3:16:

• For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Some practical examples to consider

What does selflessness look like...

In my family?

In my church?  https://drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2017/10/how-are-you-planning-to-walk-into.html