Milton has carefully marked, in his Satan,
the intense selfishness
which would rather reign in hell
than serve in heaven.
~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge
03-19-04 © gremlin, courtesy of iStockphoto
Coleridge speaks of John Milton’s classic, Paradise Lost. The angel who was a worship leader in heaven fell from his position because of selfish pride.
2013 was the year of the selfie, but humanity is (and has always been) selfish by nature – following Lucifer’s lead in Eden and ever since. Just as it was in Bethlehem, we see this throughout Christ’s life … and in those who claim to follow Him now.
- We see those closest to Jesus were selfish in the New Testament.
The Gospel writers portray the disciples as jockeying for positions in God’s kingdom. Everyone wanted to be first. It’s like they were warming up their singing voices by proclaiming: me, me, me.
- We see selfishness in Gethsemane.
None of the disciples could stay awake even though the Lord pleaded with them to intercede for Him. Even as He agonized to the point of sweating blood, none remained with Him in prayer.
When the soldiers arrested their Messiah, it was each man for himself. They ran as far away from their Savior as they could.
- We see selfishness in His Passion.
The high priests wanted Him dead so that He wouldn’t threaten their illegal activities. With Jesus out of the way, they’d remain little gods over their enterprise and over the religion they had feigned as the source of their righteousness.
And the formerly bold Peter had to eat his words of not denying the Messiah when he did just that for fearing a servant girl’s identification of him as a follower of Jesus.
- We see selfishness as Christ agonized on Calvary.
Just as the Bethlehemites turned a deaf ear to Mary’s screaming with birth pangs, the people in Jerusalem did the same to the Suffering Servant’s agony.
His anguish wasn’t silent or invisible. Everyone in the city that day heard and saw the brutal torture. But His followers remained mum.
- Many are still running from Christ.
At a time, when people have come under attack for their Christian worldviews, now is not a time for silence. For those who would rather live in subjection to anti-Christian rhetoric and pressures here are choosing to succumb to the one who’d rather reign in hell than serve in heaven.
- The selfless face fiery ordeals.
It’s time we wake up to realize Milton’s devil is alive and well on planet Earth. The true global warming’s coming from the fanning of hell’s flames all around us.
Those who take a stand will be tested by the fire. Take it from Peter who knew of what he wrote:
If he suffers as a Christian he has nothing to be ashamed of and may glorify God in Christ’s name.
1 Comment
This is not a popular teaching but it is a truthful one. Everything is not coming up roses when we decide to follow Jesus. Our lives can be made difficult by those who scorn him. However there is only one choice to be made and once we make it, there is no other road but the one that takes our full allegiance. He is all and we are only alive in Him. I was very young when that choice was made and have found nothing to equal the joy of belonging to Jesus! We become less as He becomes more day by day. We stumble but must always get back straight and move toward Him until He is all and we are fully In Him!