Selfishness
44 passages listed in Nave’s Topical Bible and Torrey’s New Topical Textbook. Verse text: Berean Standard Bible; links open in your translation.
28 sections
- All Men Addicted To
- Cain
- Characteristic of the Last Days
- Contrary to the Law of God
- Especially Forbidden to Saints
- Exhibited in Being Lovers of Ourselves
- Exhibited in Living to Ourselves
- Exhibited in Neglect of the Poor
- Exhibited in Performing Duty for Reward
- Exhibited in Pleasing Ourselves
- Exhibited in Seeking After Gain
- Exhibited in Seeking Our Own
- Exhibited in Seeking Undue Precedence
- Exhibited in Serving God for Reward
- General Scriptures Concerning
- God Hates
- Haman
- Inconsistent with Christian Love
- Inconsistent with Communion of Saints
- James and John
- Jews
- Ministers should be Devoid of
- Multitude
- Nabal
- Priests
- Saints Falsely Accused of
- The Example of Christ Condemns
- The Love of Christ should Constrain Us to Avoid
All Men Addicted To
- Ephesians 2:3 All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.
- Philippians 2:21 For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
Cain
- Genesis 4:9 And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Characteristic of the Last Days
- 2 Timothy 3:1–2 But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. …
Contrary to the Law of God
- Leviticus 19:18 Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
- Matthew 22:39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
- James 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
Especially Forbidden to Saints
- 1 Corinthians 10:24 No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
- Philippians 2:4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Exhibited in Being Lovers of Ourselves
- 2 Timothy 3:2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
Exhibited in Living to Ourselves
- 2 Corinthians 5:15 And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.
Exhibited in Neglect of the Poor
- 1 John 3:17 If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
Exhibited in Performing Duty for Reward
- Micah 3:11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
Exhibited in Pleasing Ourselves
- Romans 15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
Exhibited in Seeking After Gain
- Isaiah 56:11 Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain:
Exhibited in Seeking Our Own
- 1 Corinthians 10:33 as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
- Philippians 2:21 For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
Exhibited in Seeking Undue Precedence
- Matthew 20:21 “What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”
Exhibited in Serving God for Reward
- Malachi 1:10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.
General Scriptures Concerning
- Genesis 4:9 And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
- Numbers 32:6 But Moses asked the Gadites and Reubenites, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here?
- Psalm 38:11 My beloved and friends shun my disease, and my kinsmen stand at a distance.
- Proverbs 11:26 The people will curse the hoarder of grain, but blessing will crown the one who sells it.
- Proverbs 18:17 The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.
- Proverbs 24:11–12 Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter. …
- Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not be in need, but he who hides his eyes will receive many curses.
- Ezekiel 34:18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink the clear waters? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?
- Micah 3:11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
- Haggai 1:4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”
- Haggai 1:9–10 You expected much, but behold, it amounted to little. And what you brought home, I blew away. Why? declares the LORD of Hosts. Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house. …
- Zechariah 7:6 And when you were eating and drinking, were you not doing so simply for yourselves?
- Malachi 1:10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.
- Matthew 19:21–22 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” …
- Luke 6:32–34 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. …
- Romans 14:15 If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
- Romans 15:1–3 We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves. …
- 1 Corinthians 10:24 No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
- 2 Corinthians 5:15 And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.
- Galatians 6:2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
- Philippians 2:4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
- Philippians 2:20–21 I have nobody else like him who will genuinely care for your needs. …
- 2 Timothy 3:2–4 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, …
- James 2:15–16 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. …
- 1 John 3:17 If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
God Hates
- Malachi 1:10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.
Haman
- Esther 6:6 Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king be delighted to honor more than me?”
Inconsistent with Christian Love
- 1 Corinthians 13:5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.
Inconsistent with Communion of Saints
- Romans 12:4–5 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, …
- 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ. …
James and John
- Mark 10:37 They answered, “Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the other at Your left in Your glory.”
Jews
- Zechariah 7:6 And when you were eating and drinking, were you not doing so simply for yourselves?
Ministers should be Devoid of
- 1 Corinthians 9:19–23 Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. …
- 1 Corinthians 10:33 as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
Multitude
- John 6:26 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
Nabal
- 1 Samuel 25:3 His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.
- 1 Samuel 25:11 Why should I take my bread and water and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give them to these men whose origin I do not know?”
Priests
- Isaiah 56:11 Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain:
Saints Falsely Accused of
- Job 1:9–11 Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? …
The Example of Christ Condemns
- John 4:34 Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.
- Romans 15:3 For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.”
- 2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
The Love of Christ should Constrain Us to Avoid
- 2 Corinthians 5:14–15 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died. …
Related topics
UnselfishnessTact in Preaching
Topics: Nave’s Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey’s New Topical Textbook (1897), public domain, via the Berean Bible topical index.