A Study About Elders - Not Selfwilled | Words Of Truth
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"That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth..." (Proverbs 22:21).

A Study About Elders
Not Selfwilled


I. Introduction:

A. As Jesus was faced with death He showed the desire of obedience above the fear of suffering and physical death (Luke 22:39-46; cf. Hebrews 5:5-10).

  1. The mentality of Christ was to do the Father’s will (John 4:34, John 6:38, John 17:1-4, and John 19:28-30).
  2. He kept our Father’s commandments (John 15:10).
B. Our Lord’s humble obedience is our example to follow (Philippians 2:3-11).

  1. If we think as He thought and live as He lived in this world, whose will shall we be concerned with (Hebrews 10:7-9)?
  2. How should we think of ourselves as servants in the kingdom (Luke 17:7-10)?

II. Body: Not Selfwilled (Titus 1:7).

A. The word translated “selfwilled” means: “self-pleasing, i.e. arrogant: — self-willed” (Strong’s # 829).

  1. This term appears one other time in the New Testament (II Peter 2:10).
  2. Self-will is the very thing we have to surrender that we may properly serve our Lord (II Corinthians 5:14-17).
B. Saints cannot be self-pleasing (Romans 14:7-9 and I Corinthians 6:20).

  1. Our mindset should be first on pleasing our Lord (Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 10:1-3, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 1:20-21, Colossians 3:16-17, I Thessalonians 4:1-2, and Titus 2:10-14).
  2. Then our minds should be on serving our brethren (John 13:1-17, Romans 15:1-3, Galatians 5:13, Ephesians 5:22, and I Peter 5:5-6).
  3. The will of others ought to supersede our own will in areas wherein we are free to choose such (I Corinthians 10:23-33; cf. Acts 5:29 and Galatians 1:10).
C. Saints cannot be arrogant [“having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities” (New Oxford American Dictionary)] (Proverbs 8:13 and Romans 12:3).

  1. Think about how God looks upon those whom elevate themselves (Isaiah 2:11-12, Luke 14:7-11, and Luke 18:9-14).
  2. To exaggerate one’s importance or come to that conclusion any way is wrong (Proverbs 27:1-2 and II Corinthians 10:7-18).
  3. It takes a humble mind to repent of one’s sins and faithfully serve God (II Chronicles 7:14, Proverbs 22:4, and James 4:6-10).

III. Conclusion: Let this mind be in you: “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (Psalms 40:8).