Self-Will Shows Itself in Various Forms.
The self-life is a curse that motivates us to do good things from our own desires and ambitions, rather than from a desire to please and obey God.
F.B. Meyer addresses the various manifestations of self-will, emphasizing how the flesh can lead to sinful behaviors and misguided aspirations. He warns against the folly of trying to achieve spiritual perfection through human effort rather than relying on the Spirit. Meyer highlights the dangers of intellectualism that neglects submission to God's will and cautions against planning and scheming from a self-centered perspective. He encourages believers to examine their motivations and recognize the pervasive influence of the self-life in their actions. Ultimately, Meyer calls for a deeper awareness of how self-will can undermine genuine faith and obedience.
Text
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like." There you have the passion of the self--life in lust. "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" There you have the aspirations of the self--life, trying to perfect itself. There was a school of perfection in Galatia, and they sought to perfect themselves in their own energy; and there have been schools of perfection since then which have tried to be good in the energy of the self--life.
"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God." There you have some intellectualism prying into the things of God, but not submitting to the will of God and the teaching of God. "When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea, yea, and nay, nay?"
There you have the self life planning, scheming, and arranging for itself, and the Apostle says: " I am not going to plan after the flesh."
We see then that we are always in danger of doing good things from the self pivot. That is our curse. I hear of a man who has consecrated himself to God, and I say to myself: "I will do the same." I hear of a man who has attracted crowds by some special lantern, or by some new machinery, and I say: " I too will do the same." I learn of a school which is teaching a certain line of doctrine, and because I think it will pay, and get me prestige and popularity, I adopt it. But not until I begin to notice the working of my own life, shall I have any conception how perpetually the self-life is underlying all.
Sermon Outline
- The Self-Life in Lust points: - Characterized by works of the flesh
- The Aspirations of the Self-Life points: - Trying to perfect itself - Foolish to think we can be made perfect by the flesh
- Intellectualism and the Self-Life points: - Prying into things of God without submitting to God's will
- The Self-Life Planning and Scheming points: - Planning after the flesh, not according to God's will
- The Danger of the Self-Life points: - Always in danger of doing good things from the self-pivot
Key Quotes
“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” — F.B. Meyer
“Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” — F.B. Meyer
“I am not going to plan after the flesh.” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- Be aware of the working of your own life and submit to God's will.
- Examine your motivations and desires to ensure you are not doing good things from the self-pivot.
- Seek to please and obey God in all that you do.