Demanding, yet uplifting

“Do nothing out of vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves”(1).

Throughout his prison sentence in Rome, the apostle Paul contented himself serving others, even though death would be for him an eternity in heaven. As Saul he had indulged in Hellenistic poetry and persecuted Christians out of selfish desire, so he has experienced both worldly and higher pleasures. According to John Stuart Mill, this would make Paul a fit judge to argue which is better for well-being. Though Mill used the Golden Rule as an argument for being selfless, striving for the greatest net happiness, this argument wasn’t strong enough to refute the “too-demanding” objection to Utilitarianism. Paul, while preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, told of his tribulations only briefly, but often boasted of the joy and peace that came from a generous heart.

Although Pauls’s principle of selflessness seemed more demanding than Mill’s or Singer’s, Paul’s joy through all adversity better refute the “too-demanding” objection.

“Yet as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved”(2).

Paul warned the greedy, taking a different approach than Singer, who said being generous to others up until marginal utility was the right thing to do. Paul wrote, “Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will reap generously”(3). In other words, he told people that they will have based on what they give, and that the amount is guided by the faith of the individual. This is only too demanding if one sows seeds of selfishness and ill will.

Paul’s passion for the salvation of strangers nearby, and in other lands in which the Gospel was never uttered lifted him above his dire circumstances. The lowly pleasures wouldn’t sustain his peace of mind, but would pass away quickly. He did no harm to accusers, even after being tortured and chained to a wall, where he stood in human excrement. To the amazement of his captors, he continued sharing the Gospel with his fellow prisoners and writing letters of support to his fellow believers. Paul claimed that he has not bore the grief of his surroundings, but has persisted in good spirit, through Christ who strengthens him. He not only wasn’t self-seeking in pleasure, but also took himself out of this temporary, immediate turmoil. He let God’s grace be sufficient, as he was told.

Neither Mill nor Singer contended that giving up your own happiness for the sake of others is the easiest thing to do. Paul never mentioned this either, but his joyous spirit and his words painted a simplistic remedy for the uneasiness of generosity, “for the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus"(4). He knew positive change must come from within him before he could help with outside circumstances. If much wasn’t demanded of Paul, then he wouldn’t have found this inner peace. If he could do it, so could I.


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(1) 2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV
(2) Philippians 4:13 NIV
(3) 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
(4) Ephesians 3:19 NIV