Bible Questions and Answers

What is "selflessness" in scripture?

Selflessness is a matter of genuine love for others. As Jesus taught:

• Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
• Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
• John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

We are commanded to love:

• John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
• John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
• John 15:17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

The Apostles taught:

• Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
• Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;
• 1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart
• 1 John 3:11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
• 1 John 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
• 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
• 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
• 1 John 4:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
• 2 John 1:5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
• 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Genuine love is the essence of selflessness.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn