Altruism is something in very short supply in the selfish world in which we live. It is telling that everyone knows what egoism is, yet very few people know what altruism is. Today it is fashionable to be an egoist — there is even a magazine by that name. The prince of this world has so inverted our concepts of good and evil that we take pride in what we ought to be ashamed of.
Altruism is the exact opposite of egoism. It consists of placing the interests of others above our own. In practice it can mean: self-denial — not making use of your rights for the sake of others; servanthood — not seeking your own benefit but the benefit of the people around you; restraint — not doing something that gives you pleasure because it would somehow harm another. Self-denial, servanthood, restraint — these are all things inherent to the cross and to what it represents: suffering for the sake of others.
Jesus Christ is one hundred percent an altruist. The footsteps He left for us to follow are footsteps of altruism. After we repent of our sins and turn to God, what is expected of us is to grow in Christlikeness — to become more and more like Christ. Altruism is a large part of Christlikeness. That is why the aim of this message is to inspire and motivate us to be not egoists but altruists.
I. Altruism in Action (1 Corinthians 9)
1. Altruism means not making use of our rights when doing so would hinder the progress of the gospel or trouble other people (1 Corinthians 9:1–18).
Even though a person has the knowledge and the freedom to do something, for the good of others the altruist will refrain. At one point in his ministry — while he was in Corinth during his second missionary journey — the Apostle Paul acted as an altruist. In the situation at Corinth, being an altruist meant that Paul refrained from his right to receive money for his highly skilled spiritual labor. And he did it solely so as not to hinder the progress of the gospel. This gesture of his was later misinterpreted by some of the Corinthians, who reasoned that since at the start he did not want money for his ministry, he must have thought he did not deserve it — and therefore, later, when the situation changed and the church grew, he still should not receive money from the church. But here is how the Apostle Paul answers such an accusation (1 Corinthians 9:1–18):
1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
The Apostle Paul was the founder of the church in Corinth. He was sent by Jesus Christ to be an apostle to the Gentiles; in that sense he was the apostle of the Corinthian church. As I said, however, some of them disputed his authority for the ridiculous reason that while he was among them he did not want to receive a salary for his ministry. The apostle answers them that he gave up his salary not because he had no right to it, but out of altruism. With a series of rhetorical questions he shows that he knows his rights very well.
3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
Further on, the Apostle Paul shows that he not only knows his rights but can argue for them very well. His first argument is that the support of a spiritual worker by the church is entirely natural.
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk?
When someone joins the army, they are immediately given clothing, issued a weapon, and provided food. No soldier serves at his own expense. Should Christ’s servants, then — the warriors of God’s army — serve at their own expense? Is there anyone who plants a vineyard, cultivates and prunes it, and when it bears large clusters of delicious grapes says, “Whoever wants to may eat of it”? And it is entirely natural for the shepherd, who grazes the flock all day and milks the sheep in the evening, to feed on the milk they give and to use their wool for his clothing.
The Apostle Paul’s second argument is that the support of the spiritual worker by the church is not only natural but is also God’s declared will in the Law of Moses.
8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.
His third argument is that spiritual labor is of far greater value than the material reward for it.
11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
Which is greater — the material or the spiritual, the temporary or the eternal? The eternal, of course. Having argued well enough for the right of the spiritual worker to receive a salary — and a good salary — the Apostle Paul applies this right to himself.
12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
In this verse the Apostle Paul says: “Yes, I have the right, more than anyone else, to receive a salary from your church, but I never claimed that right. Why? So as not to cause anyone to stumble — so that none of you would think I serve only for the money, and for that reason reject the gospel of Christ that I preach.” This is altruism: to have rights, to know them very well, to be free to claim them, and yet, for the sake of others, not to do so.
13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
This is something ordained by God.
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast.
The Apostle Paul’s boast is that in every way he furthers the gospel and in nothing hinders its acceptance by people. So the Apostle Paul knows his rights very well, but does not make use of them. Does this mean he feels cheated? Not in the least. He is so convinced of what he is doing that he regards this self-denial as a reward. This is altruism — not forced, but VOLUNTARY self-denial of something for the good of others and the advance of Christ’s cause.
16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Like Jeremiah, who shares that God’s word is in his bones like a fire that cannot be held back, so the Apostle Paul says that he feels an inner compulsion to preach the gospel — a compulsion stronger than himself that cannot be stopped.
17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.
The gospel is free, but preaching the gospel is not free. We can, however, partly make it free by denying ourselves what we deserve or what is ours for the benefit of others — for example, through our tithes and offerings.
So that no one thinks I am examining this chapter to hint that pastors should not receive a salary, I will also quote 2 Corinthians 11:7–10. There it says that although the gospel was free of charge to the Corinthians while Paul was among them, as a missionary he received support from other churches.
7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine.
Further on, in 2 Corinthians 12:13–19, the Apostle Paul apologizes to the Corinthians for having placed them, by not receiving a salary from them, on a lower footing than the other churches.
13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!
Perhaps this was one of the Corinthians’ accusations against the apostle. Don’t unbelievers say even today that with our tithes we only “line the pastor’s pockets”? But the Apostle Paul did not want such things said about him, and so while he was in Corinth he did not take a salary from the church.
17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit? 19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.
In other words, his behavior in Corinth is the exception, not the normal practice. If a church is brand new, it is normal for the missionaries who founded it to receive salaries from other churches. But when time passes and the church grows both spiritually and numerically, it must learn to be self-supporting and to cover its own costs — both for the support of its minister and everyone else — and to set aside funds for missions as well. This is a mark of Christian maturity.
So far we have spoken of altruism with respect to money. But in fact the application of altruism is by no means only in the financial sphere. The Apostle Paul simply used the example of his not taking a salary in Corinth, despite his right to receive it, in order to explain to the Corinthians what right Christian behavior is in cases where they have the freedom and knowledge to do something, but there is a risk that their actions may badly affect those around them. In such cases, says the Apostle Paul, we must be not egoists but altruists.
2. Altruism means enslaving ourselves to all and abstaining from everything, if this is necessary for the good of others.
The Apostle Paul gives his refusal to make use of his right to receive a salary for his spiritual work in Corinth as an example of altruism and of conduct in the Spirit of Christ, but altruism does not relate only to money. Further on, in 1 Corinthians 9:19–27, from what the Apostle Paul says we can understand that altruism also means enslaving yourself to others and restraining yourself in many things, if this is necessary for the good of others.
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.
The Apostle Paul accommodated himself to everyone. Remember that when, at the end of his third missionary journey, he came to Jerusalem, James asked him to pay for the shaving of the heads of those Jewish Christians who had taken a vow, and in this way to demonstrate that he “lives in obedience to the law.” And Paul did it (Acts 21:20–26).
22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
This is altruism in action.
23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
This means to give everything we have!
25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
In practice, altruism can very often be expressed precisely in the giving up of certain things for the benefit of others.
II. Altruism with Joy (Philippians 2)
Besides 1 Corinthians 9, another chapter in the New Testament that speaks of altruism — and not only of altruism, but of altruism with joy — is Philippians 2. There, in verses 3–4, the Apostle Paul, and through him the Holy Spirit, clearly and categorically commands us to be altruists:
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Toward the church in Philippi the Apostle Paul has no serious complaints, as he did toward the churches in Galatia or Corinth, where the problems were truly serious. From the letter to the Philippians it appears that the church there is mature, and the Apostle Paul has no serious reproaches for it. Even so, there was evidently a certain amount of egoism in Philippi, which was surely a cause of misunderstandings and quarrels among the believers. What can change such a situation and help a church become truly perfect is altruism. To persuade them to be altruists, further on in the chapter the Apostle Paul gives four examples of altruism — Jesus Christ, himself, Timothy, and Epaphroditus.
1. The Altruism of Christ (Philippians 2:5–11)
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
A superficial interpretation would say that the spirit that was in Jesus Christ is the Holy Spirit. But from the context of the verse it is clear that the spirit spoken of in this sentence is in fact the spirit of altruism. Jesus Christ had within Himself a spirit of altruism, and if we are His disciples, then we too should have the same spirit. This means that our way of thinking should be altruistic. Otherwise we would hardly achieve anything for God’s kingdom. What did Jesus give up in order to redeem us? The form of God, equality with God, and everything.
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!
The cross is the highest expression of altruism. Jesus Christ gave His life so that we might have life. That is why altruism is not some remote or extreme doctrine. It is the heart of Christianity, because it is motivated by love and is in fact love put into practice. In the following verses we see how highly God values altruism.
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
2. The Altruism of the Apostle Paul (Philippians 2:17)
Further in the chapter, besides Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul gives himself as an example of altruism. Although he is in prison for preaching the gospel, he does not regret it. On the contrary, he accepts his suffering for the sake of others with joy.
17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
The Apostle Paul looks upon Jesus Christ as a sacrifice — the sacrifice that alone can serve for the forgiveness of sins. But in addition, he looks upon his own sufferings for the gospel as a “drink offering upon the sacrifice” — a ceremonial pouring out of wine. In this way he does not dispute the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice, but defines his own sacrifice as made in the same spirit of self-denial. In Colossians 1:24 he says:
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
3. The Altruism of Timothy (Philippians 2:19–21)
Next, the Apostle Paul gives as an example of altruism his young co-worker Timothy. Timothy’s altruism is expressed in a genuine care for others and for what belongs to Jesus Christ.
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare.
It seems that among the people around Paul, no one else had the same altruistic spirit as Christ’s and the apostle’s, except Timothy. Evidently, even in apostolic times altruism was quite scarce.
21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
From experience we can say that, sadly, this continues to be exactly so.
4. The Altruism of Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25–30)
At the end of the chapter the Apostle Paul mentions Epaphroditus as an example of altruism. It is astonishing that he is anxious not for himself but lest what is happening to him should in some way grieve or sadden others (Philippians 2:25–30).
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.
Epaphroditus was from Philippi and was sent by the church there to bring money to Paul during his first house arrest in Rome, spoken of at the end of the book of Acts.
26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
Notice Epaphroditus’s astonishing attitude. He does not grieve that he himself is ill, but that his brothers and sisters in Philippi have heard that he was ill. He is troubled that his condition will cause anxiety in their hearts.
27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
For the Apostle Paul, Epaphroditus’s illness also represented “sorrow upon sorrow.” With these words the Apostle Paul truly demonstrates 1 Corinthians 12:26:
26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
In verse 28 of Philippians chapter 2 he continues:
28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety.
From this verse it appears that the Apostle Paul suffered not only because of Epaphroditus’s illness, but also because the Philippians were suffering over the news of Epaphroditus’s sickness. This is what relationships in the body of Christ should be like — not shutting ourselves up in our small, selfish world, but truly suffering and rejoicing together with the people around us.
29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
III. Altruism in Practice
Altruism finds its application in the principle of not causing others to stumble. This means taking into account the convictions of others when it comes to things that are indifferent to God, even if our own position on the matter is different. When speaking of eating food sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 8:1–13, the Apostle Paul says:
1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. 3 But whoever loves God is known by God.
Our knowledge is limited in any case, and what is important to God is not our knowledge but our love! What is more valuable than knowledge and freedom in God’s kingdom is love. And this is so because very often knowledge and freedom feed our egoism, while only love is what motivates us to be altruists.
In Corinth the following problem existed. In the pagan temples and shrines, sacrifices were offered to the respective deities, and the meat of these sacrifices was offered as food to the visitors. In practice, worship of the given god was expressed by eating at his table. Some of the Corinthian believers continued to go and eat in the temples, claiming that since there is no God but the God of Israel, they received the food in the temples not as a sacrifice but simply as food. The Apostle Paul agrees with them up to a point, but warns them that their behavior may serve to draw in other brothers who do not share the same convictions, and after they have eaten, their conscience may condemn them for having committed idolatry. Therefore, according to the Apostle Paul, the right, Christian behavior is that they — even though they have the knowledge and freedom to eat this food — should act altruistically and deny themselves it for the sake of others.
4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
It is possible that this paragraph is the quotation regarding the eating of food sacrificed to idols from the Corinthians’ letter to the Apostle Paul, in which they consult him on certain questions. Up to this point the Apostle Paul agrees with the Corinthians — although further on, in 1 Corinthians 10:19–20, he explains that even though the gods represented by idols do not exist, behind the idols in the spiritual world stand demons who are servants of Satan. That is why later he will categorically forbid the eating and drinking of food sacrificed to idols in pagan temples, since by its very nature it is “fellowship with demons.” For now, however, the Apostle Paul treats the question in principle and motivates the “knowing and free” Corinthians to stop eating food sacrificed to idols in the temples of the pagan deities — not out of fear of God, but out of the altruism that is expressed in the principle of not causing others to stumble. “Yes,” says the Apostle Paul, “you have knowledge,”
7 But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.
Questions of food are matters indifferent to God.
8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
These words are probably also part of the Corinthians’ letter to Paul, with which he partly agrees as well. Indeed, the question of food is a matter indifferent to God; but when it concerns the conscience of some newly-converted pagan with an unrenewed mind, it can all too easily become a moral absolute. Yes, questions of food are matters indifferent to God. Our attitude toward food, however, is important, because it touches our conscience and our heart.
9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
Finally, the Apostle Paul says what right Christian behavior should be — behavior motivated not by knowledge, freedom, and egoism, but by love and altruism.
13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
This is the principle of not causing others to stumble — to deny yourself something for the sake of others, even though you have the freedom to do it. Clearly, keeping this Christian rule requires altruism. The Apostle Paul repeats this principle again at the end of chapter 10 (verses 23–24 and 32–33), and in 11:1, which is part of the apostle’s thought from the end of chapter 10, he says that practicing it is in fact an imitation of Christ.
23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say — but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything” — but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
We should seek not what is permissible, but what is beneficial and edifying for others and for the church.
32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God — 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
Not the Jews — do not eat food sacrificed to idols; this was forbidden already at the first church council in Jerusalem (Acts 15:29; 21:25). Not the Greeks — because they know that you ought not to eat food sacrificed to idols, and if you eat, they will feel guilty for having led you to do something not permitted for you (1 Corinthians 10:28–29). Nor the church of God — lest some of the newly converted be emboldened and eat food sacrificed to idols without having the freedom to do so.
1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
This last verse clearly puts an equals sign between altruism and Christlikeness. The Apostle Paul learned altruism from Christ. If we learn altruism from the Apostle Paul, we will in fact become imitators of Christ. And as Christians, is this not exactly what we want?
Conclusion
What would it be like if we were more altruistic in the church? There would be more people saved and born again. There would be less sin in the church. There would be fewer people caused to stumble and embittered. This would lead to greater unity among the members of the church. More people would open their homes to welcome guests. More people would carry out their ministry with joy — and so on. Therefore, let us be not egoists, but more and more altruists! Amen!