This short presentation looks at some of the Bible's teachings about ambition, including a case study of the ruthless ambition of Doeg the Edomite.

1. To be [ambitious],
or not to be?
By Kevin G. Smith

2. Ambition in popular perspective
SALVADOR AND DONALD
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

3. Ambition in Popular Perspective
“Women who seek to
be equal with men
lack ambition.”
Marilyn Monroe
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

4. Ambition in Popular Perspective
“Intelligence without
ambition is a bird
without wings.”
Salvador Dalí
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

5. Ambition in Popular Perspective
“ Get going. Move forward.
Aim High. Plan a takeoff.
Don't just sit on the runway
and hope someone will come
along and push the airplane.
It simply won't happen.
Change your attitude and
gain some altitude. Believe
me, you'll love it up here.”
Donald Trump
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

6. Ambition in Popular Perspective
“Politeness. Now there's a poor man's virtue if ever
there was one. What's so admirable about
inoffensiveness, I should like to know. After all, it's
easily achieved. One needs no particular talent to be
polite. On the contrary, being nice is what's left when
you've failed at everything else. People with ambition
don't give a damn what other people think about
them.”
Diane Setterfield, The Thirteenth Tale
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

7. Ambition in Popular Perspective
We have just seen the philosophy of the world.
Get ahead at all costs, regardless of what you
have to do and who you have to do in.
Sadly, this outlook on life is quite prevalent
amongst followers of Jesus Christ, even though
Jesus both modelled and taught an opposite
world and life view.
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

8. Ambition in practice
DOEG AND DAVID
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

9. Ambition in Practice
Doeg David
Doeg was ambitious David was ambitious
for status, determined for
to get significance, determine
power, glory, and d to do the will of God.
fame.
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

10. Psalm 52
• To the Chief Musician.
• A Contemplation of David.
• When Doeg the Edomite went and told
Saul, and said to him, “David has gone to the
house of Ahimelech.”
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

11. Psalm 52
1. His ambition was Verse 1
rooted in wrong Why do you boast in
values. evil, O mighty man?
The goodness of God
endures continually.
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

12. Psalm 52
2. His ambition was Verses 2-4
realised through Your tongue devises
deceptive actions. destruction, like a sharp
razor, working deceitfully.
You love evil more than
good, lying rather than
speaking righteousness. You
love all devouring
words, you deceitful tongue.
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

13. Psalm 52
3. His ambition Verses 5-7
resulted in short- God shall likewise destroy you
forever; He shall take you away, and
term success and pluck you out of your dwelling
long-term suffering. place, and uproot you from the land
of the living. The righteous also shall
see and fear, and shall laugh at
him, saying, “Here is the man who
did not make God his strength, but
trusted in the abundance of his
riches, and strengthened himself in
his wickedness.”
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

14. Psalm 52
4. His ambition Verses 8-9
reflected that his But I am like a green olive tree
heart was not in the house of God; I trust in
the mercy of God forever and
surrendered to ever. I will praise You
God’s will. forever, because You have
done it; and in the presence of
Your saints I will wait on Your
name, for it is good.
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

15. Ambition in Practice
Doeg David
Doeg sought to realise David refused to take
his ambitions by his the kingdom by force.
own ruthless schemes. He trusted God to
God brought his plans promote him in due
to nought. season. God later
defended his kingdom.
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

16. Ambition in proper perspective
PAUL AND JAMES
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

17. Ambition in Proper Perspective
The Lord Jesus Christ never spoke directly about
ambition, but he did say things like:
• The greatest among you shall be your servant.
• The Son of man did not come to be served but to
serve.
• The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.
• Father, not my will but yours be done.
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

18. Paul
Selfish Ambition Godly Ambition
• a work of the flesh (Gal. • ambition to preach Christ in
5:20; cf. 2 Cor. 12:20, NET). all places (Rom. 15:20, NIV)
• preach Christ out of selfish • ambition to please Christ at
ambition (Phil. 1:17). all times (2 Cor. 5:9, NET)
• “Do nothing out of selfish • ambition to live a godly life
ambition or vain conceit” (1 Thess. 4:11, NIV)
(Phil. 2:3, NIV). • ambition to be a servant
• wrath and anger awaits leader (1 Tim. 3:1)
them (Rom. 2:8, NET)
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

19. James
James 3:13-18, NIV: “Who is wise and understanding among
you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the
humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy
and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or
deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from
heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you
have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and
every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is
first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full
of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who
sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

20. James
James makes some really piercing statements
about “selfish ambition”:
• Selfish ambition is worldly “wisdom”:
earthly, unspiritual, demonic!
• Selfish ambition is a root cause of disorder
and every evil practice.
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

21. IN CONCLUSION
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

22. Conclusion
Selfish Ambition
God’s Word roundly condemns
selfish ambition. It is never the
will or way of God, produces
all kinds of evil, ruins the
blessing of God, results in
fleeting success, but ultimately
leads to the discipline or
judgement of God.
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

23. Conclusion
Godly Ambition
Godly ambition makes life’s
chief aim to know
Christ, become like him, and
serve him faithfully.
Godly ambition aspires to
significance for the glory of
God, and allows God to
promote the righteous.
To be [ambitious], or not to be?

24. THE END
To be [ambitious], or not to be?