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Selfishness
(2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Yearly Theme: “Faithfulness Is…”
Series Title: ““Respectable” Sins”
May 4th, 2025

Something to think about:

“There are a great many actions which, in and of themselves, are neither right nor wrong. They are made right when we act in love. They become wrong if we act in selfishness.

“It's like playing the piano. There are no right or wrong notes. There are only right or wrong notes in the context of a musical score. We may not like the notes G or F, or we may be very favorable to middle C, but the note is only wrong in the context of what song or piece is being played. Likewise, many choices become right or wrong based on the motivation behind them.”[1]

As we start a new series today, we must keep this in mind. Over the next two months, we will be exploring what many theologians call “Respectable Sins.” Respectable Sins are those sins that don’t seem quite as bad as others. For instance, most of us can agree that murder is a BIG sin, and completely wrong, or that sexual immorality is really bad, but what about greed or anger; what about jealousy, worry, or judging?

We are more willing to give a pass for what we call small sins, compared to the sins we categorize as completely and utterly wrong. Sadly, we place sin on a sliding scale. Those sins that are past a certain point on the scale need real repentance and reconciliation, but those under a certain point on the scale we usually give a pass to. But what about through GOD’s eyes? Does He have a sliding scale of right and wrong? Does He measure our really good deeds from our really bad sins on a sliding scale? No. As a matter of fact, we read in Paul’s letter to the Romans that “All have sinned and fallen short of GOD’s glory.”[2] As a result of this, we are all in need of His saving grace through faith in Christ Jesus.

As we kick off our series today, we do so by looking at our first respectable sin: selfishness. In order to do that, we will explore Paul’s instructions to Timothy in his second letter to him:


[1] Unknown Source.
[2] Romans 3:23.

Key Point: “Selfishness is the root of all sinful behavior.”

Biblical scholar and author Aida Spencer writes,

“The first two and the last word of the series (philautos, philarguros, philēdonos) all begin with philos, a friendship type of love. But, having such objects of love does not develop friendship with God, faith and love in Christ Jesus (1:13), salvation, living, reigning, and enduring with Christ Jesus (2:10–12), enduring with the truth (2:18, 25), and escaping the devil’s trap (2:26). The first love is love of self. The second love is love of money (silver), a visible deity.4 The final love summarizes one aspect of all these negative qualities: pleasure is loved more than God (philotheos; loving pleasure, 3:4).5 Timothy and the church could never join Paul in suffering for the gospel if love of self, money, or pleasure superseded their love for Christ Jesus.[1]

Let’s take a closer look at each of these:


4 See 1 Tim 6:10 (Spencer 2013).
5 See Titus 3:3.
[1] Spencer, Aída Besançon. 2014. 2 Timothy and Titus: A New Covenant Commentary. Edited by Michael F. Bird and Craig Keener. New Covenant Commentary Series. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.

Something to take home:

“Many years ago, Chinese farmers theorized that they could eat their big potatoes and keep the small potatoes for seed. Consequently, they ate the big potatoes and planted the small potatoes. As a result of this practice for many years, the Chinese farmers made the startling discovery: nature had reduced all their potatoes to the size of marbles.

“A new understanding of the law of life came to these farmers. They learned through bitter experience that they could not have the best things of life for themselves and use the leftovers for seed. The law of life decreed that the harvest would reflect the planting.

“In another sense, planting small potatoes is still a common practice. We take the big things of life for ourselves and plant the leftovers. We expect that by some crazy twist of spiritual laws, our selfishness will be rewarded with unselfishness. But we cannot eat the big potatoes and have them, too!
What size potatoes have you been planting?”[1]

Have you fallen into the trap of selfishly loving yourself to the detriment or neglect of GOD or others? Have you found yourself caught in excessively desiring money, wealth, or possessions? What about pleasure? Have you ever desired pleasure more than GOD?

Remember, if selfishness is the root of all sinful behavior, then we must start there in order to make the necessary course corrections in our life to maintain the priority of the most important relationships and loves in our life: GOD and others, before ourselves.

Key Point: “Selfishness is the root of all sinful behavior.”


[1] Unknown Source.

Read 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

Define the word “selfishness.”

Paul writes that in the last days... “people will love only themselves.”What does it look like when a person only loves his/herself?

If someone only loves his/herself, how do they handle money or other possessions?

Why do you suppose a selfish person is boastful and proud?Why do you suppose lovers of self “scoff at God”?

Paul mentions that selfish people are also disobedient to their parents and are ungrateful.Since he wasn’t just talking to the children in the church at Ephesus when he wrote to Timothy, explain how an adult can be disobedient to their parents.

Paul also says that this type of person considers “nothing sacred.”Describe what he means by this.

Selfish people are unloving, unforgiving, slander others, and have no self-control.Have you ever experienced a person like this?What was your experience like?

Paul writes that lovers of self “act religious, but reject the power that can make them godly.”Why would a selfish person reject the power of God that can make them godly?

Why do you suppose Paul says to stay away from people like this?

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