Topical Bible: Ambition: Connected With: Cruelty

◄ Ambition: Connected With: Cruelty ►

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Ambition, in its essence, is the strong desire to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. While ambition can be a positive force driving individuals to fulfill their God-given potential, it can also lead to negative outcomes when it becomes self-centered or disconnected from moral and ethical considerations. In the Bible, ambition is often depicted as a double-edged sword, capable of leading to both great achievements and great cruelty.

The connection between ambition and cruelty is evident in several biblical narratives where individuals, driven by personal ambition, resort to ruthless actions to achieve their goals. One of the most striking examples is found in the account of King Saul and David. Saul's ambition to maintain his throne and power led him to pursue David relentlessly, despite David's loyalty and innocence. Saul's jealousy and fear of losing his kingdom resulted in numerous attempts on David's life, showcasing how unchecked ambition can lead to cruelty and violence (1 Samuel 18-26).

Another example is the account of Abimelech, the son of Gideon, who sought to establish himself as king over Shechem. In his ambition for power, Abimelech committed heinous acts, including the murder of his seventy brothers, to eliminate any threats to his rule. His actions are a stark reminder of how ambition, when driven by selfish desires, can lead to extreme cruelty and bloodshed (Judges 9:1-5).

The New Testament also provides insight into the destructive nature of ambition when it is not aligned with God's will. The Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus' time were often driven by ambition for power and influence. Their desire to maintain their status led them to plot against Jesus, ultimately resulting in His crucifixion. Their ambition blinded them to the truth and led to acts of cruelty against the Son of God (Matthew 27:1-2, Mark 15:10).

James, the brother of Jesus, warns against selfish ambition in his epistle, highlighting its potential to cause disorder and evil practices. He writes, "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice" (James 3:16). This verse underscores the biblical perspective that ambition, when rooted in selfishness and disconnected from godly principles, can lead to destructive and cruel behavior.

In contrast, the Bible encourages believers to pursue godly ambition, which is characterized by humility, service, and a desire to glorify God rather than oneself. The Apostle Paul exemplifies this in his ministry, as he ambitiously spread the Gospel while enduring hardships and persecution, always prioritizing the well-being of others and the advancement of God's kingdom (Philippians 1:12-18).

Thus, while ambition itself is not inherently wrong, the Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that caution against the potential for cruelty when ambition is driven by selfish desires and disconnected from a heart aligned with God's will.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Habakkuk 2:12
Woe to him that builds a town with blood, and establishes a city by iniquity!
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Pride of Prosperity
... Thus pride, ambition, prodigality, and indulgence bore fruit in cruelty and exaction. ...
as to countenance licentious, revolting rites connected with the ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 3 pride of prosperity.htm

The Sun Rising Upon a Dark World
... little repute, that had they not been connected with His ... and opulence, for the monuments
of ambition and arts, but habitations of cruelty, infatuation, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon viii the sun rising.htm

Womanhood of the Byzantine Decadence
... and rage, he ordered Martha, though connected by birth ... regent, and was subjected
to great cruelty and privations ... Theodora on the altar of his ambition gave her ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/xv womanhood of the byzantine.htm

The Historical and Spiritual Causes of the Death of Christ
... c) Closely connected with this ... part of the Pharisees, love of gain and political
ambition on the ... and revealed in their true horror, and cruelty, and selfishness ...
/.../beibitz/gloria crucis/ii the historical and spiritual.htm

The History of Simon Magus.
... word." Upon these passages thus connected, the following ... long and uninterrupted course
of cruelty and blood ... calculated to foster vanity, ambition, and enthusiasm ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture x the history of.htm

The Roman Conflagration and the Neronian Persecution.
... of Peter and Paul is connected by ecclesiastical ... Troy, and to gratify his ambition
to rebuild Rome ... new entertainment for his diabolical cruelty, Nero wickedly ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 37 the roman conflagration.htm

Accession of Cyrus to the Throne.
... and he endeavored to stimulate his rising ambition to the ... It was more or less connected
with the government ... he had first gratified the despotic cruelty of his ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter v accession of cyrus.htm

Other Self-Asserting Augustae --Verina, Ariadne, Sophia, Martina ...
... movement with which Irene's name is so intimately connected. ... power of the mother,
in whom ambition had stifled ... mankind, but dread of her cruelty prevented any ...
/.../women of early christianity/xii other self-asserting augustaeverina ariadne.htm

The Birth of Cyrus.
... to be, in some mysterious way, connected with his ... prompted by his selfishness and
ambition, which had ... been perpetrated, to remorse for his unnatural cruelty. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter ii the birth of.htm

The End
... It was ingenuity of cruelty to let him see for ... their life and prosperity are inseparably
connected with faithful ... The ferocity and ambition of a grim and bloody ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the end.htm