The question of whether God is selfish is an important one that many people wrestle with. At first glance, it may seem like God only cares about Himself and His own interests. However, a closer look at what the Bible says about God’s character and actions reveals that He is not actually selfish.
The most fundamental thing to understand about God is that He is love (1 John 4:8). This means that His very nature and essence is to give of Himself to others. Love by definition is other-centered, not self-centered. God’s motivation for everything He does flows out of His loving nature, not selfishness.
Throughout the Bible, we see God sacrificially giving of Himself for the sake of His creation. The pinnacle of this self-giving love is when God the Son, Jesus Christ, came to earth and died for the salvation of humanity. As Romans 5:8 says, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus gave up the glories of heaven to come to earth, take on human flesh, and suffer and die in our place on the cross. This is the ultimate demonstration that God is not selfish, but loving and self-sacrificial.
God does not need anything from us, yet He relentlessly pursues relationship with us. Hecreated us in order to share the joy and love that have eternally existed within the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). God invites us into this divine fellowship, even though He gains nothing from it. As Paul says in Acts 17:25, the Lord “himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” Everything good that we have comes from the hand of our gracious, giving God.
Not only did God create us, He actively sustains our lives daily. As Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father” (Matthew 10:29). God cares for even the smallest details of His creation. This shows that He is not indifferent or selfish, but attentive and caring.
Some people point to God’s commands and restrictions in the Bible as evidence that He is selfish or controlling. However, God knows what is best for us since He designed humanity. His “rules” are given for our flourishing, not to limit our fulfillment. As Deuteronomy 10:13 says, “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Obeying God leads to blessing, not bondage.
At times God does things we do not understand, such as allowing suffering in the world or postponing final justice. However, we can trust that the all-knowing, all-good God has purposes we cannot fully comprehend in this finite life. As Isaiah 55:8-9 declares, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We do not have God’s perspective, so we must trust Him in faith.
While God does demand worship and honor that is due Him as the Creator of all, this is not unreasonable for the eternal, all-powerful ruler of the universe. And God actually shares His honor and glory with those who follow Him. Jesus promised His disciples, “The glory that you have given me I have given to them” (John 17:22). God is amazingly generous, even sharing His glory with the weak and undeserving.
Some people think God is selfish because they want Him to operate according to their own expectations. However, we must remember that God says, “My ways are not your ways.” Just because God does not do everything we want does not mean He is selfish. As the potter, God has the right over the clay (humanity) to do as He purposes, even if the clay objects. As Romans 9:20-21 asks, “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, ‘Why have you made me like this?’ Has the potter no right over the clay?”
While God’s sovereignty can be hard to understand at times, we can still trust His unconditionally loving character. The Bible makes it clear that God always acts for His glory and the maximum joy of His people. God’s glory and our joy are not at odds, because God glorifies Himself by lovingly blessing His creation.
Some individuals view God as selfish because He requires people to worship Him alone as the one true God. However, this exclusivity stems from the fact that there is only one Creator and Savior – the Lord. God says, “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols” (Isaiah 42:8). God deserves exclusive worship because there are no other “gods” – only worthless and fake idols (Isaiah 44:9-20).
While some belief systems see human existence as negative and aim to escape it, the Bible teaches that the material world is good and that our bodies and desires are not inherently bad. The problem is not existence itself, but the corruption of sin. God’s plan is to redeem and renew creation, not abandon it. He promises eternal life in tangible resurrected bodies in a renewed universe, not mere ethereal spirit existence. God’s goal is our joyful existence, not denying all desires.
Ultimately, the question of whether God is selfish hinges on if we trust the Bible’s revelation of His true nature and purposes. The Scriptures clearly present God as holy, loving, generous, and good. Are we willing to lay aside our assumptions and take God at His word? Will we trust the one who knows all and sees all – the only wise and almighty God?
The truth is we owe our very lives to God’s sustaining power. As Paul proclaimed in Athens, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Our entire existence is a gift from our Maker. We have no grounds to accuse the all-giving Giver of selfishness. As Jesus said, “No one is good – except God alone” (Luke 18:19). May we acknowledge with humility that we are not in a position to judge the motives of the eternal King of Kings.
The question “Is God selfish?” ultimately reveals more about us than about God. Our suspicion and distrust expose our own hearts more than God’s. May we instead approach God with faith in His divine revelation, recognizing that His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. As Isaiah records, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts'” (Isaiah 55:8-9).