Someone once said, “To conquer self is to conquer all!
I suspect whoever said that was familiar with Plato, who said,
“To conquer oneself is the best and noblest victory; to be vanquished by one’s own nature is the worst and most ignoble defeat.”
Paul’s Two Natures
The issue of controlling one’s nature was also on the Apostle Paul’s mind. Paul said his sinful nature was carnal, and in him, there was nothing good (Romans 7). Yet, Paul said, he delights in the law of God.
I get the sense that Paul saw these two natures as being at war with each other. The carnal nature was always attempting to overtake the Godly nature. As soon as Paul’s new spiritual nature tried to assert itself, the old carnal nature tried even harder to regain control of his life.
Biblical Examples of Self
It is easy to see why Paul characterized this carnal self versus Godly self as a battle. There were plenty of Bible characters who preceded him that displayed self-centered behaviors.
Cain
Cain’s jealousy of his brother, Abel, drove him to murder his brother (Genesis 4).
Ahab
Ahab coveted his neighbor’s vineyard. He was thrilled when his neighbor was killed, and he took possession of the vineyard (1 Kings 21).
David
David was so focused on his own pleasures he took Bathsheba, another man’s wife, slept with her and then arranged for her husband to be killed so he could marry her (2 Samuel 11).
James and John
James and John selfishly desired the power and prestige of sitting at Jesus’ left and right hand in Jesus’ kingdom (Matthew 20).
The Prodigal’s Older Brother
The parable of the Prodigal Son introduces us to the prodigal’s older brother (Luke 15). The older brother was jealous of his little brother and envious of the relationship between his father and little brother.
We’re No Different
The carnal, sinful nature manifested itself in the way each of these Bible characters behaved.
And we are no different today!
Think about it. Most problems that plague society like intolerance, divisiveness, immorality, drug abuse, and crimes against our fellow man reflect the carnal, sinful nature of man.
We have, as Plato said, lost the battle against our old nature and have suffered an ignoble defeat.
We are self-centered, self-willed, self-indulgent, and self-righteous.
Self-Centered
A self-centered person is self-absorbed. Life is all about them and their needs!
Self-Willed
A self-willed person is set in their own ways. They are obstinate, stubbornly clinging to their own will. They do not want to submit to others or God.
Self-Indulgent
The self-indulgent person gives in to their own passions and desires. They don’t worry about how their pursuit of pleasure might affect others.
Self-Righteous
The self-righteous person believes they are morally superior to others. They tend to be intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others.
Focus on Self
As a society, we have become so focused on ourselves; we have lost focus on God!
We have become a people obsessed with our individual “rights.” We have little to no regard for how our self-proclaimed rights impact others.
We are a society of self-centered, self-willed, self-indulgent, and self-righteous people who have been vanquished by our carnal nature.
We need, all of us, to focus on God and His will for our lives. We need to put away the old carnal self, and put on the new self, focused on God.
More Articles on Character
I’ve written many articles about character over the years. You can search for “character” to find them, or you can check out the links below for five of the most recent articles.
- #348: What Kind of Legacy Are You Leaving?
- #347: Leadership is Taking Responsibility for Lives, Not Numbers!
- #334: If You’re Not Rowing, You’re Drifting
- #332: What Is the Wrong Way to Achieve Greatness?
- #325: Do Hard Workers Make The Best Neighbors?
Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. Do you ever struggle with self-focused behavior? Are you ever self-centered, self-willed, self-indulgent, or self-righteous? If so, how can you replace the focus on self with a focus on God?
I’d love your help. This blog is read primarily because of people like you who share it with friends. Would you be kind enough to share it by pressing the share button?
Category: Personal Development | Character
