Selfishness as a Declaration of Autonomy

In continuing to examine my own heart, I find that not only is laziness rooted in selfishness, but selfishness seems deeply rooted in the vice nourishing soil of autonomy. The word Autonomy comes from two Greek words: autos meaning, self; and nomos meaning, law. The autonomous person is a person whose will and  independence are not governed by any particular outside body or force. Autonomy then is the characteristic of being self-governed, or being a law unto ones self. When a person declares autonomy, they are declaring independence from any recognized authority. If we narrow the viewing lens and zoom in a bit, we can see that in many everyday ways, we can, in fact, be quite autonomous. I have no outside authority restricting my choice of restaurant for lunch, or whether I drink coffee or tea on my way to work. However, I do have an authority that says I can't drive 80 mph on the expressway during my commute. I am under the obligation to recognize the authority of the United States government and its officials with regard to the laws that Federal and State governments pass. However, at least in my state of Kentucky, I have no restrictions on the size of my soda container. So with regard to soda sizes, I am still autonomous.

    When we declare autonomy from God, either explicitly as the professing atheist would, or implicitly, lazily, unthinkingly as many Christians do, myself included, we are seeking, or acting as if we had, emancipation from God. Both neglect and outright contempt for the commands and precepts of God are rebellion against him. My selfishness must be seen in connection to its autonomous roots. The prophet Samuel said to Saul, “For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” God will remove the arrogant king who rebels against him, and he will cast you down as well. The king of Assyria boasted in his slaughter of Israelites and other nations who were under the judgment of God. 

The Assyrian king was merely a tool in the hands of God (Isa. 10:5-6). But the king in his arrogance declared himself autonomous; he said, “By the strength of my hand have I done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding” (Isa. 10:13a).  The Assyrian King boasted himself as the sole arbiter of wrath, motivated merely by his own lust for blood and power. God pronounces a curse upon him and declares, “When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes. See, God will continue his rule over you whether you recognize it or not, and he will bring punishment to bear for arrogance and autonomy. Crucial to the very definition of a Christian is the fact that we have turned from our rebellion against God, and have run to him as the rightful King, and only hope for our salvation from his just wrath on rebellion.