A Mere 30-Point Disputation on the Difference Between Christian and Worldly Ambition

 Dr. MA Petillo

O wherefore do the nations rage,
And kings and rulers strive in vain,
Against the Lord of earth and heav'n
To overthrow Messiah's reign?
Their strength is weakness in the sight
Of him who sits enthroned above;
He speaks, and judgments fall on them
Who tempt his wrath and scorn his love.
By God's decree his Son receives
The nations for his heritage;
The conqu'ring Christ supreme shall reign
As King of kings, from age to age.
Be wise, ye rulers of the earth,
And serve the Lord with godly fear;
With rev'rent joy confess the Son
While yet in mercy he is near.
Delay not, lest his anger rise,
And ye should perish in your way;
Lo, all that put their trust in him
Are blest indeed, and blest for aye.  (TH, 227).

1.  The sense of Christian ambition is a standpoint of humility.

2.  The chief understanding of Christian ambition is to honor Jesus.

3.  Arrogance is opposed to God-honoring Christian ambition.

4.  Self-importance is contrary to Bible-honoring divine truth concerning Christian ambition.

5.  Idolatry is the opposite of Christian ambition.

6.  The best gift is the God's predestinarian gift of Christian ambition, because He uses it to glorify Himself alone.

7.  The spiritual goals of Christian ambition is honoring the Word.

8.  Christian ambition is to honor the God-appointed gospel.

9.  Christian ambition should have approval of a holy God.

10.  Christian ambition does not boast of man's abilities.  Rather it is focused on the exaltation of God's glory alone.

11.  Christian ambition refutes those who contradict through the written Scriptures, but is not divided by strife.

12.  Christian ambition refutes those of sinful preeminence through the infallible Scriptures, but there is a true balance and place of the ruling eldership.

13.  Christian ambition is not a Pharisaical spirit.

14.  Christian ambition is not at war with sound leadership of the local church in the written Word preached.

15.  Christian ambition is not selfish ambition.  Are you calling yourself into Christian ministry?  Or has God really called you to publicly defend His divine and written Word?

16.  Worldly ambition is not Christian ambition, and Christian ambition is not worldly ambition.

17.  Worldly ambition is concerned with satanic pride, but Christian ambition is centered on glorifying and exalting Jesus Christ in all things for His glory.

18.  Worldly jealousy is not Christian ambition.  It is not wrong to see someone God has brought to some sort of ministry, and seek to be like them.  But watch out!  No one is the standard except God and His written Word.

19.  Worldly ambition is cosmic treason, but Christian ambition is honoring the God-centered gospel.

20.   Worldly ambition are the builders of Babel.  Have you sought to reach a holy God on your own?   Have you not read that God must be first and foremost in Christian living?

21.  Worldly ambition was seen in Korah's rebellion.  Are you rebelling against a holy God?  Have you rebelled against the writings of Moses that predicted the divine Messiah in Jesus Christ?

22.  Worldly ambition is seen in Abimelech, Absalom, Adonijah and Haman.  Do you place worldly ambition over a holy God?

23.  Christian ambition is seeking to arrive at the author's intended meaning of the written Word not their preconceived notions.

24.  Christian ambition is not for unbiblical tradition, but everything that conforms to the plain simplicity of the written Word.

25.  Christian ambition is not opposed to the plurality of the ruling eldership, but submits to them in the sense of properly handling the written Scriptures.  They may handle the written Word, but no one is above the written Word.

26.  It is better to have Christian ambition than worldly ambition.

27.  It is better to love Jesus than to love a false god.

28.  It is better to serve Jesus with godly humility than to rise above Him through idolatrous sin.

29.  God makes men to differ but man is the author of sin.

30.  We are called to love our neighbor or enemies, and a holy Triune God, because this is the godly living in the holy command of Jesus Christ in the written Word.

Jesus, I my cross have taken,
All to leave, and follow thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken,
Thou from hence my all shalt be:
Perish ev'ry fond ambition,
All I've sought, or hoped, or known;
Yet how rich is my condition,
God and heav'n are still my own.
Man may trouble and distress me,
'Twill but drive me to thy breast;
Life with trials hard may press me,
Heav'n will bring me sweeter rest:
O 'tis not in grief to harm me
While thy love is left to me;
O 'twere not in joy to charm me,
Were that joy unmixed with thee.
Take, my soul, thy full salvation,
Rise o'er sin and fear and care;
Joy to find in ev'ry station
Something still to do or bear;
Think what spirit dwells within thee,
What a Father's smile is thine,
What a Saviour died to win thee:
Child of heav'n, shouldst thou repine?
Haste then on from grace to glory,
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer;
Heav'n's eternal day's before thee,
God's own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission;
Swift shall pass thy pilgrim days;
Hope soon change to glad fruition,
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.  (TH, 593).

"The way to godly living is surprisingly simple: We are to walk with God in His appointed way (Micah 6:8), diligently using the means of grace and the spiritual disciplines, and waiting upon the Holy Spirit for blessing.  Note that godly living involves both discipline and grace.  This emphasis upon duty and grace is fundamental to Reformed, experiential thinking on godly living." (Joel R. Beeke, Feed My Sheep, ed. Don Kistler, Soli Deo Gloria Ministries, 2002, p. 115).