Abortion and Selfish Ambition

[This is a shortened, edited, and updated version of a sermon preached January 23, 2000. You can read the sermon in its entirety here.]

Thursday January 22 marks the 47th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that prohibited states from putting almost any restrictions on abortion. Since then, tens of millions of unborn babies have been aborted in this country, very rarely less than 7-8 weeks after conception. At 7-8 weeks, the baby’s heart is beating; his hands and feet are formed; she swims through the amniotic fluid.

Twenty years ago our friend Michele gave birth to baby Sean, only six months into her pregnancy. Sean weighed 28 oz; here is his picture. Today, by God’s grace, Sean lives. Yet thousands of babies as old and developed as Sean have been aborted in this country, legally, many by a procedure too gruesome for me even to describe.

Indeed, today a large percentage of all babies conceived in the US are aborted, while millions of couples wait years for a baby to adopt.

Why does this happen? Why do mothers kill their own babies? Why do fathers agree to do away with the bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh? Even among those who identify themselves as Christians, why do some favor no limits on abortion, or even have abortions themselves?

The fundamental problem is that we give the wrong answer to the question: Where does one find fulfillment and satisfaction?

Getting this answer right is of central importance, above and beyond the abortion debate. You may give the “right” answer to abortion questions, but still get this answer wrong. If you believe that you will only find fulfillment and satisfaction by success in this world – by accomplishment, by relationships, by pleasures – then in the end you can rationalize almost any action.

Dear friends, the only source of true fulfillment is God Himself. If we are satisfied with God, if we seek Him first, if we truly delight in Him, then we have all good things.

On the other hand, a heart not satisfied with God, not delighting in Him, a heart which is dead set on trying to get what the world has to offer, frequently will not let anything stand in its way. When our hearts are set on fulfilling our worldly desires, we end up destroying what God has given us for true fulfillment – like the children He has given us.

So where is your heart?

We will first examine a question specific to the abortion debate: Is an unborn baby human? Then we’ll return to James and investigate the central problem, which he identifies as selfish ambition resulting in death. But James also presents the solution to this problem: Humbling oneself, resulting in exaltation.

Is an Unborn Baby Human?

What does Scripture say about unborn babies? Are they human? Let’s consider three biblical reasons for answering “yes” to the question, along with biblical support for our actively defending the unborn.

First, the Bible uses the same word to refer to babies before and after birth. Genesis 25:22, referring to Isaac’s wife Rebekah when she is pregnant with Jacob and Esau: “The children struggled together within her.” The word “children” is the normal Hebrew word. Similarly, Luke 1 records what happens when Mary, who is pregnant with Jesus, visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is in the 6th month of her pregnancy with John the Baptist: “When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb.” The word “babe” translates the same word used in the next chapter to refer to Jesus after his birth: the angel says to the shepherds, “You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

Second, God chooses and works on unborn babies. In Psalm 139:13 David writes, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” David’s essence, what makes him David, was put together by God not at birth, but prior to birth, in the womb. Furthermore, the angel says to Zechariah concerning his son, John the Baptist: “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine or liquor; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother’ s womb” (Luke 1:15). Can a non-human be filled with the Holy Spirit?

Third, Adam’s original sin and humanness are passed on at conception. David writes in Psalm 51:5: “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” David is not saying that his mother was particularly sinful. He is saying that from the moment of conception, he was in sin. In Romans 5 Paul states that sin entered the human race through Adam and is passed down to all his descendants. Therefore at the moment of conception, that new creature is both sinful and human, created in the image of God.

So the Bible teaches that unborn babies are human. But does it matter? Do we need to be concerned with these babies, particularly before they are viable outside their mother’s womb?

God is especially concerned with the weak and powerless. Psalm 82:3-4 reads: “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Who is weaker and more needy than that little one who will die if separated from his mother?

If the unborn baby is a weak, needy human, and if God is especially concerned with the weak and needy, then abortion is a terrible, common sin.

Let us now turn our attention to the central cause of such sin.

The Problem: Selfish Ambition

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. James 3:13

James asks each one of us: “Do you think you are truly wise and intelligent?” What is the evidence for wisdom or intelligence?

James says the evidence includes “his deeds [done] in gentleness of wisdom.” The word translated as “gentleness” here is translated “meek” in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” This refers to our yielding to God, our willingness to say, “God, you are the wise one. I submit to you, acknowledging that your ways are far above mine.” So I would paraphrase “deeds in the gentleness of wisdom” as “actions characterized by wise yielding to God.”

Now James contrasts such a person with the false wisdom of the world:

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. James 3:14

The person in verse 14, instead of yielding to God, has “bitter jealousy” and “selfish ambition.” The wise person has a focus on God and his goodness; this person is focused on self, on what he does not have.

The word translated “selfish ambition” is unusual, appearing in earlier literature only in Aristotle, where it refers to the way a politician will try to make himself look good — frequently through deceitful means — to attract more support. Like such a politician, the unwise man is trying his best to arrange matters so that he gets what he wants; the unwise man tries to get others to admire him, even if he is unworthy of their admiration.

But isn’t this the advice that we hear so often today? In books and on the internet, we read how to present ourselves in the best light so that we can advance in our careers; on the racks in the supermarket, we read headlines telling us to buy the magazine so that we can know the secrets of making a 40 year old look like a 20 year old, so that we can find life by catching that attractive, elusive member of the opposite sex. In effect, all this advice is instructing us in the best way to fulfill our selfish ambition.

What is the source of such “wisdom?”

15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.

Clearly, this is not the godly wisdom we read of in verse 13. Instead it is “earthly, natural, demonic.” In English translation it appears that there is a contradiction between the last two words. But James’ contrast is not between “natural” and “supernatural.” Instead, he contrasts the wisdom from God with the natural, pseudo-wisdom of our sinful selves.  These natural, sinful desires can cause us problems on their own — but Satan also works through these desires, tempting us away from God.

What is the result of selfish ambition?

The Result of Selfish Ambition: Death

What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. James 4:1-2

James says the result of this selfish ambition is murder, death. Certainly James is not talking exclusively about literally killing another person; for example, if I am filled with selfish ambition, and my wife gets in the way — then I kill the marriage.

But just as certainly, this verse is fulfilled literally in abortion: If my baby girl gets in the way of my selfish ambition — kill the baby before she’s born.

Abortion and other forms of killing result from our selfish ambition, our exalting pleasures and fulfillment in this life above the true fulfillment that only God can give.

For in the end, all forms of sin constitute a rejection of God. Indeed, James goes on to say that this rejection of God is the equivalent not only of murder but also of adultery:

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4

James uses the word “adulteresses” here. Does this mean that all of us men are off the hook? No. God’s people are the bride of Christ. So if God’s people look for pleasure and fulfillment away from any source other than God himself, that is adultery. Hostility. Becoming God’s enemy. We, Christ’s bride, are adulteresses.

Therefore, selfish ambition leads us to become murderers and adulteresses. We have rejected God. Will he reject us? Will he divorce us? James has just said we have made ourselves into God’s enemy; is there no hope?

The Solution: Humbling Oneself

Consider this paraphrase of James 4:1-10:

(1) Why is it that you war and battle each other? Is not the source the strong desires for what you do not have, these desires that battle inside you? (2) You want something badly and don’t have it, so you kill; you passionately want something others have, and can’t obtain it, so you battle and war with each other.

Fools! God is the source of everything good. You don’t have, because you haven’t asked Him! (3) Or, you’ve asked Him, but you’re trying to use God as a genie to provide ephemeral pleasures for yourself.

(4) Do you not realize that you are the bride of Christ? If you then love the world, you are nothing but an adulteress! You are acting in hatred toward your true husband, making yourself His enemy! (5) Did God write this in the Scriptures for no reason? “I have made my Spirit to live in you, and thus I have a deep, jealous desire that you be mine alone.”

(6) But do not despair; God’s grace is greater than all our sin. Therefore he also says in the Scripture, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (7) Therefore, be humble! Submit yourself to God as to a military commander, who has the good of the entire army at heart. Do not give in to Satan’s temptations, but resist him — and by God’s grace he will flee from you. (8) Approach God yourself, and he will come to you. Cleanse yourself from outward sins; make your inner thoughts and desires pure, devoted to God, instead of divided between God and the world. (9) Mourn for your sin, and for the sin around you; replace your carefree silliness of enjoying worldly pleasures with gloom and mourning for all that’s wrong. (10) In sum, come into God’s presence, falling on your face, acknowledging that you deserve nothing from Him, that you have spurned the one who loves you — and your husband, the source of all true joy, will pick you up, honor you, and give you the true joy and pleasure of knowing Him.

James’ final command, to humble ourselves, sums up all the commands. He tells us: Replace your selfish ambition, your desire to put yourself to the forefront, with true humility, acknowledging and accepting your place in God’s plan. Only in that way is there hope.

The Result of Humbling Oneself: Exaltation

The irony of all this is stated in verse 10: When we truly humble ourselves, when we acknowledge that we are nothing before God, when we quit trying to make ourselves look better than we really are, then God lifts us up! He exalts us! God tells us that we will find our true selves by abandoning the world’s ways of exalting ourselves. When we humble ourselves, we become what God intends us to be; we find all true fulfillment, all true glory, all true happiness, all true joy. For joy and peace are found only in a relationship with our Creator.

Conclusion

John Piper puts it this way:

The root cause of abortion is the failure to be satisfied in God as our supreme love. And, for all the great legal work that needs to be done to protect human life, the greatest work that needs to be done is to spread a passion – a satisfaction – for the supremacy of God in all things. That’s our calling

Do you find your satisfaction in God? Or in the possessions and relationships of this world?

How often do you give in to the temptations of this world, and seek fulfillment through exaltation of self, killing and destroying all that gets in your way?

What about abortion itself? As we have seen:

  • Aborting a baby is a terrible sin.
  • Encouraging another to have an abortion is a terrible sin.
  • Planning to have an abortion should you or your girlfriend become pregnant is a terrible sin.

How many of us have committed one of those terrible sins?

How many of us have committed other terrible sins, of seeking after earthly treasures, loving this world, pursuing ephemeral pleasures?

My friends: I am a terrible sinner. But the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus died on the cross for terrible sinners such as you and me!

So humble yourself! And He will exalt you!

I encourage you: Take a piece of paper, and on that paper write two words: “Condemned” and “Forgiven.” Look at those two words; consider the implications of each one. Then circle the one that is true for you. For there are only two choices. One is true. The other is not.

If you circle “condemned,” then I praise God. You’ve taken the first step toward forgiveness. Humble yourself in God’s presence. Trust Jesus as the One who paid the penalty for your sins. You need no longer be condemned.

If you circle “forgiven,” if you are forgiven in Christ, then there is no longer any reason for guilt, no matter what you have done, no matter what terrible sin you have committed.

Have you mourned for your sin? Have you wept over it? Do you want to be clean, in your actions and in your heart? Do you long to be rid of this sin that ensnares you? Do you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord? Will you be satisfied in him?

Psalm 51 tells us: A broken and contrite heart he will not despise. Know it! Delight in Him! Be satisfied in Christ alone!

 

God’s Power – For What?

Why do you need God’s power? When you pray that others might be empowered by God, what outcome do you have in mind? The completion of some great task? Effective witness of the Gospel to thousands?

Surely there are times when we should pray for such outcomes. But consider the Apostle Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1. He makes a number of requests for that church, yet especially asks that they might be “strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father” (Colossians 1:11-12a).

Paul himself is under arrest when he writes (Colossians 4:18). The natural reaction to such circumstances would be to chafe at these bonds, to be annoyed at the limitations on his freedom and ministry – even to be bitter and angry towards God for this experience of suffering.

But he rejects this natural reaction. He endures to the end. He rejoices always in the Lord. He gives thanks in all circumstances.  He does all this by the power of God working in him.

Having fought this battle against temptation in his own life through dependence on God’s power, he prays that the Colossians might do the same. Let’s walk through this part of his prayer:

  • He prays that they would be strengthened not just with a bit of power, but with “all power.” This fight is so important – and the adversary tempting Christians to despair, to anger, to frustration, is so powerful – that we need great power, all power to resist.
  • To accentuate the extent of the power, Paul asks that we be strengthened with power “according to His glorious might.” That is, in accord with the great power of God Himself. That is the mightiest power possible!
  • He prays that God might strengthen us with this power so that we would live out “all endurance.” He asks that we be able to bear up under whatever trials, sufferings, or setbacks we might experience.
  • Furthermore, he prays that we might be strengthened to all “patience” or “longsuffering.” Confident in God’s sovereign control, we know that He is working all things together for His good and wise purposes. Even in the valley of the shadow of death we wait patiently, eagerly anticipating God’s turning to the good what evil men and malevolent spiritual forces mean for harm.
  • In addition, he prays that we would exhibit joy as we endure patiently. We are not gritting our teeth, saying, “I can get through this, I can get through this!” By His power, we like the Apostle rejoice in the Lord always, in all circumstances.
  • Finally, he prays that we might maintain an attitude of thankfulness. Whatever our circumstances, we are always recipients of undeserved gifts. Every breath we breath, every calorie we consume, every minute we live is a gift of God. By His power we can continue to recognize those gifts even in the midst of horrible suffering.

So, pray this way for one another. Pray for strength according to God’s mighty power, so that we might have all endurance and patience with joy, always with an attitude of thanksgiving. God is pleased to answer such prayers – so that we, individually and corporately, might be conformed more and more to the image of His suffering yet conquering Son, to the glory and praise of the Father.

Do Our Actions Please God?

How can you please God?

Can you please Him by working on His behalf?

We often think: If we would just witness more (or more effectively); if we would just give more to the church, or attend services more regularly, or pray more, or help the poor more diligently then God would be pleased with us.

Is that right?

Consider what Jesus said to His disciples after interacting with the Samaritan woman, telling her He was the longed-for Messiah: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34).

Jesus has quoted Deuteronomy previously, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus loves the word of His Father. He delights to do His will. He finds sustenance and satisfaction and fulfillment in accomplishing the Father’s plan. So, in this particular case, He found joy and sustenance from seeing this woman whose life was a wreck come to saving faith as He shared the Good News of the coming of the promised Christ.

So Jesus found joy in following God. Surely we too should find joy in following Him.

But what about the flip side of that truth? Does our activity, our accomplishment, our obedience please God?

We have to be careful here. Scripture makes some subtle but vital distinctions in this area. Consider, for example, Psalm 147:10-11:

His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.

We never impress God. However strong we may be, however great our accomplishments might appear, God doesn’t jump up and down, saying, “Awesome! I’m so happy you did that! Do it again! Show me what you can do!”

Instead, what gives God pleasure? He rejoices in our dependence on Him, in our acknowledgment of His power and authority, in our trusting in His love for us and commitment to us.

Furthermore, consider 1 Thessalonians 4:3: “This is the will of God, your sanctification.” That is, God’s will is for you to be made holy. For you to be set apart for Him. For you to be like Him, like Christ.

So putting these biblical thoughts together: We, like Jesus, delight to do God’s will and to accomplish His work. But God’s work and God’s will include not only actions on our part, but also our becoming like Jesus: Having patience, love, kindness, devotion, endurance, gentleness, piety, and self-control. So He desires us to become like Jesus – and for us to help others to become like Jesus. That never happens through our own strength, through our own will-power, through “the strength of a horse” or “the legs of a man.” No. That only happens as we devour His Word, as we depend on His grace, as we submit to His wisdom, as we rejoice in His love. Activity in and of itself does not honor Him. Becoming Christlike and acting Christlike honor Him.

So, no, in and of itself working on God’s behalf does not please Him. He takes no delight in my puny strength, my puny abilities, my puny accomplishments.

But God takes great joy in our fulfilling His purposes for us – as we become more like Jesus inside and outside, in thoughts and attitudes as well as in words and deeds.

So by all means witness – out of the overflow of your joy in Christ. Give generously – knowing all you have is a grant from God to be used for His glory. Worship corporately – in spirit and in truth. Help the poor – with the compassion of Christ for the glory of Christ. Become like Jesus – and act like Him. This is how you can please God.