Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5760 Human attitudes and behaviour  »  5785 ambition  »  5786 ambition, negative aspects of

In its negative sense, ambition is the pursuit of personal status and fortune, which is contrary to the purposes of God as expressed in Scripture.

Selfish ambition: a desire for personal aggrandisement

Mark 10:36-37 See also Genesis 11:4 the men of Babel; 2 Samuel 15:1-4 Absalom; 1 Kings 1:5 Adonijah; Isaiah 14:13-14 the king of Babylon; Ezekiel 28:2 the ruler of Tyre; Daniel 11:36-38; Micah 7:3; Habakkuk 2:4-5; Matthew 20:21; Luke 22:24; Philippians 1:17; 2 Thessalonians 2:4-7 the antichrist

Selfish ambition arises from fallen human nature

Galatians 5:19-21 See also Proverbs 6:18; Ephesians 2:3; 1 John 2:16

The results of selfish ambition

Humiliation by God

Matthew 23:12

The believer becomes spiritually unproductive

See also Mark 4:18-19; James 3:14-16

Warnings against selfish ambition

Philippians 2:3 See also Jeremiah 45:5 God's word to Baruch

See also

5541  society, negative
5869  greed
6133  coveting
8777  lust
8804  pride, examples
8827  selfishness
8848  worldliness