“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.” Philippians 2:3-4 ESV
Reflection: can you be a Christian and not actively study the Bible?
Perhaps one of the most significant indications that someone has truly received Christ as their Savior, and is following Him as their Lord, is what Paul talks about in our focus verses today. It is about humility, selflessness and being more focused on others than self. This is not “natural” to us, to what the Bible calls “the flesh”. In our flesh, we are very focused on self; by promoting and lifting self, prideful and conceited, never showing weakness or fault, even being willing to step on others to lift self. But when someone receives Christ, they not only see and reject their selfish behavior, but allow an internal change to start taking place, in their heart. This change then starts showing up in changed external behaviors, in what the Bible calls “fruit of the Spirit”. It is from a desire to become more and more like Christ, as John the Baptist said about Jesus “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30 ESV. Notice that this is a decision, to give up self.
If we read again the focus verses for today, we can see that Paul’s direction to the believers in Philippi is impossible without Christ. Impossible for someone still living by the flesh. “Do nothing from selfish ambition”? Nothing? And then instead “in humility count others more significant than yourselves”? Seriously? Just think for a moment about what we did today, in our interaction with others. We all might find that we fall short, that some of our actions were selfish. But, the difference of someone who truly has Christ as Lord is being honest and humble to see and accept where we fell short, and the desire to be more like Christ. So do we participate in this transformation of our hearts? Short answer is yes.
Paul wrote to the Romans “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” Romans 6:6-8, 15-18 ESV
Notice Paul’s comment “obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed”, which means we must commit to learn who Christ is, how he lived, and what he taught. The transformation doesn’t just happen by itself. We are transformed daily by consuming the Word, by consuming Christ, who is the Word. Making him become part of us. John wrote later in his life, “Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:4-6 ESV
If you believe you can be and walk as a Christian without studying the Bible, you probably have been misguided by someone, perhaps a religious group. It is as silly as saying that you can fly a commercial jet aircraft just by putting on the pilot clothes. We all know that a pilot has to continually study and learn to fly the plane. To walk as a Christian, you need to continually study and learn what the instructions are. But thanks be to the Lord who has given us a “co-pilot”; the Holy Spirit who is helping us to walk.
Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? Have you also committed to make him Lord of your life? Then also commit to get to know him, and what he has called you to do.