Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use Listen Notes, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music or Audible, Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts. As well as Pandora, Spotify, Podbean and PlayerFM. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Today’s podcast is a continuation of the “Money is the true master” podcast that was done a while back. So let us begin.

Discussion

Selfishness could be considered the ultimate sin. Why would someone say selfishness is the ultimate sin? When you think on it, you will realize that it really is. From selfishness, there is theft. From selfishness, there is strife between people and nations. From selfishness, there is even murder and war.
Jesus I believe knew that selfishness was this bad as well. Why I say that is how he framed the statement “Do unto to others, as you would have others do unto you.” You see he framed the wording to come from a selfish person’s perspective. Why? Become he was talking mostly to the sinners. How YOU wish to be treated is how YOU should treat others and if YOU do so, YOU will receive it.
Just take for example an everyday event like going through the drive through window at a fast-food restaurant. I will give you two examples and you decide which is selfish and which is not.

Person A gets into line then places their car in park to save gas. Cars in from of them move up as other cars behind them pull in to get food. Person A parked lets three car lengths open before them and then decides to look up from their cellphone to see that the line has moved. They then slowly move up. They then place their order, taking several minutes to do so. Because they cannot seem to make up their mind what they wish to order. Then they finish and the line in front of them moves up to three car lengths again. They then again look up from their cellphone and slowly move up, stopping a full car length behind the person in front of them. When they finally arrive at the window, they get their food and then set there several minutes examining their food they ordered. They attempt to give back the food, but it is given right back since it is what they ordered. They then pull away from the window slowly. (This is an actual occurrence I witnessed)

Person B pulls in the line in the drive thru. The car in front of them moves up and so move up with them. The person in front of them gets to the point to order their food. Person B looks at the menu from where he/she sets and decides what they wish to order. The person in front moves forward and they move up and quickly order their food then proceeds to move up behind the person in front of them allowing the person now behind them to order their food. Person B keeps the line moving. When they get to the window, they have their method of payment ready and receive their food then pull away.

The selfish person’s actions can cause others about them to become angry. They do not care, for all that is important to them is themselves. When people only care for themselves then they are not thinking of God first and so are not truly Christian if they profess to be one. Actions speak louder than words.

Selfishness is the biggest plague upon society, as well as Christendom, today. From it stems all the sins that we are to abstain from. It is the clearest validation that we are living within the end times foretold within the Bible. Yet none wish to acknowledge its existence. Even I struggle with this one, and it is something I must constantly remind myself about. For I find myself stumbling back into this behavior. For it is the way we were raised. Without the full structure from the scriptures as it was originally supposed to be taught to all children. From generation to generation. Nevertheless for several centuries all they have been taught is to seek a legacy. To seek wealth. To please only the self.

As it applied to those in Laodicea when the letter was written to them in the book of Revelation. So, it applies to the world today, especially in the largest income countries.

Revelation 3:17 – You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

One of the biggest pieces of selfishness is the action of wishing to control how our lives proceed. Planning how we are to live our lives. How elegant we are seeking to live. This is selfishness. The Bible makes it clear that we are to relay upon the Lord for everything. From where and how we live to what we eat and how we are clothed.

Matthew 6:25 – “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:31-33 – “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

If we get to the point of having wealth and property this is what the Bible says:

1 John 3:17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

Think on the last part of that verse. Then look about you and ponder.

These words being said let us now look into what brings us to how we all should think. To start that journey, for it is a journey, we need to look at the young rich man that came to speak with Jesus Christ.

Matthew 19:16-30 Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” 25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” 27 Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?” 28 Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.

What we first notice is “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Again, we see the wording where the selfish person must note what they desire should be given unto others before the self.

Next is the word “perfect.” It actually translates to “complete.” So, it actually says, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions…” “Complete” means to be made whole. You can only become whole if you stop seeking after the self and seek after your ultimate reward that is not promised in this temporal plain of existence. But in the eternal that is to follow our testing here in this reality. At a one point in the Catholic Church men created a thing called “purgatory.” A place that once you leave this life you were to work off your sins in penance. The thing is a person could say we are living in purgatory right now. We are to decide for ourselves how we should dedicate our lives. Do we wish to live for what is seen as right or what is seen as wrong?

A quote that is used many times also looks into this selfishness. The quote is by Dostoyevsky from “The Brothers Karamazov” – “if there is no God, then everything is permitted.”

When people are selfish all they think upon is themselves. Not God nor the morality that was introduced within the Bible. This is what Jesus Himself said about how people think:

Matthew 15:18-19 – But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.

Without God in our lives there is no way that society can exist. All due to selfishness. This has been proven by the mere fact that of all the religions that have existed throughout the existence of humanity. Only two have lasted thousands of years. Not only that, the morals from the youngest of these two religions have formed the laws of all the nations that followed this belief. A key point of these two religions. They have the same God who gave the same morals to both religions. Within these morals are teachings aimed at not focusing on the self but on our fellow human beings.

Both the old testament or as from the first religion the Tanakh, and  the new testament, what is called the greatest of commandments, which was the name given them by Jesus Christ Himself shows they are greater than the ten commandments.

Matthew 22:36-40 – “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

“Equally important.” Let that sink in a moment.

Thinking of other as we would think of ourselves is of equal importance as loving God with all our hearts, minds, and souls. Let me restate that. Not being selfish is seen as equal to loving God. Yet millions seek after riches and luxury. Thinking only of themselves and their own wellbeing. Again, I will leave you the listener and reader to ponder upon this a moment.

Jesus taught us not to worry about where we are to be fed or clothed. Yet we know we cannot go without work at all in today’s society. So, this does not mean we are not to work. However, it does imply that we are not to seek after wealth, huge houses, and other luxuries. What it does indicate is that we are not to live in excess. Sure save some for retirement, however not a retirement in leisure and comfort, but enough to get our food and clothes. Anything beyond belongs to God and is for His use. (2 Corinthian 9:6-15)

I did not come to this realization until too late. I am in debt, which we are taught not to do in the Bible. However I did not learn this until later in live. So, it is my problem to solve this. My goal here is to help those listening or reading try and get their life on the right track within the teachings of the Gospel. Which means to live a simple life and once a person has enough to have a roof over their head, eat and clothe themselves. Amongst the non-expensive items that are needed within this world. Not wanted but needed. Then what is left is not for our use, but Gods use. As was made clear in 1 John three. So, I will close this week’s message with the amplified classic version of this verse.

1 John 3:17 – But if anyone has this world’s goods (resources for sustaining life) and sees his brother and fellow believer in need, yet closes his heart of compassion against him, how can the love of God live and remain in him?

God Bless