Definition: The term "self-willed" refers to an individual who is obstinately adhering to their own desires, opinions, or plans, often in defiance of divine guidance or communal wisdom. In a biblical context, being self-willed is generally viewed as a negative trait, associated with pride and rebellion against God's will.

Biblical References:

1. Titus 1:7 : "As an overseer of God’s household, he must be blameless—not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money." In this passage, the Apostle Paul outlines the qualifications for church leaders, emphasizing that they must not be self-willed. This highlights the importance of humility and submission to God's will in leadership roles within the church.

2. 2 Peter 2:10 : "Such punishment is specially reserved for those who indulge the corrupt desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and self-willed, these men are unafraid to slander glorious beings." Here, Peter warns against false teachers and those who live according to their own desires, showing contempt for authority. The self-willed are depicted as audacious and disrespectful, characteristics that lead to their downfall.

Theological Implications:

In the biblical narrative, self-will is often contrasted with submission to God's will. The self-willed person prioritizes their own desires over divine instruction, which can lead to sin and separation from God. This trait is frequently associated with pride, a fundamental sin that disrupts one's relationship with God and others.

Examples in Scripture:

· King Saul: Saul's self-will is evident in his disobedience to God's commands, such as when he offered a burnt offering without waiting for Samuel (1 Samuel 13:8-14) and when he spared King Agag and the best of the livestock against God's explicit instructions (1 Samuel 15:9-23). His self-willed actions ultimately led to his rejection as king.

· The Israelites in the Wilderness: The Israelites often displayed self-will during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. Their repeated grumbling and rebellion against Moses and God's commands (e.g., Numbers 14:1-4) exemplify a collective self-will that resulted in prolonged wandering and divine discipline.

Moral and Ethical Considerations:

From a moral standpoint, self-will is seen as a barrier to spiritual growth and community harmony. It is a trait that believers are encouraged to overcome through the cultivation of humility, obedience, and a heart aligned with God's purposes. The call to deny oneself and take up one's cross (Matthew 16:24) is a direct challenge to self-will, urging believers to surrender their personal ambitions in favor of divine direction.

Practical Application:

In practical terms, overcoming self-will involves a conscious effort to seek God's guidance through prayer, study of Scripture, and the counsel of mature believers. It requires a willingness to submit personal desires to the greater good and to the authority of God and His Word. This submission is not a sign of weakness but a demonstration of faith and trust in God's perfect will and timing.(a.) Governed by one's own will; not yielding to the wishes of others; obstinate.1479. ethelothreskia -- self-willed (arbitrary and unwarranted) ...
... self-willed (arbitrary and unwarranted) piety. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: ethelothreskia Phonetic Spelling: (eth-el-oth-race-ki'-ah) Short ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1479.htm - 7k

829. authades -- self-pleasing
... interest). Word Origin from autos and the same as hedone Definition
self-pleasing NASB Word Usage self-willed (2). self-willed. From ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/829.htm - 7k

On Genesis.
... Genesis 49:3 Reuben, my first-born, thou art my strength, and the first of my children;
hard to bear with, and hard and self-willed: thou hast waxed wanton as ...
/.../hippolytus/the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/on genesis.htm

The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New
... of him as an altogether gentle, gracious, loveable being; for with the meek he will
be meek; but again, with the froward, the violent, and self-willed, he will ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon xi the god of.htm

Music (Christmas Day. )
... Man did not make those laws of music; he has only found them out: and if he be
self-willed and break them, there is an end of his music instantly; all he ...
/.../kingsley/the good news of god/sermon xvii music christmas day.htm

James i. 19-21
... driven out by the other. There is a self-willed silence, and there is
a self-willed forwardness to speak. He who is inclined to ...
/.../neander/the epistle of james practically explained/james i 19-21.htm

The Government of the Church.
... Jesus. Does He allow us to trifle with them according to our own notions,
or does He rebuke and abhor all self-willed religion? ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxix the government of the.htm

Can it at any Time or Place be Unjust to Love God with all His...
... with heart and tongue against Thee, kicking against the pricks; or when, bursting
the pale of human society, they boldly joy in self-willed combinations or ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter viii can it at.htm

The Draw-Net.
... tares] convey, too, the same further lesson, that this fact [the actual intermixture
of evil in the visible Church] does not justify self-willed departure from ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/vii the draw-net.htm

Titus i. 5, 6
... Ver.7. "For a Bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not
self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker.". ...
/.../homily ii titus i 5.htm

Being Easily Entreated
... When we demand that all the submission be on the part of the other person, it shows
that we are self-willed, that we care more about having things go our way ...
/.../naylor/heart talks/talk thirty-one being easily entreated.htm

Homilies on S. Ignatius and S. Babylas.
... writing to Titus, and showing what kind of man the bishop ought to be, says, "For
the bishop must be blameless as God's steward; not self-willed, not soon angry ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homilies on s ignatius and.htm

Selfwilled (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Selfwilled (1 Occurrence). ... Presumptuous are they, selfwilled,
they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. (KJV). ...
/s/selfwilled.htm - 6k

Self-willed (4 Occurrences)
Self-willed. Selfwilled, Self-willed. Sell . Noah Webster's Dictionary ...
(WEY). Selfwilled, Self-willed. Sell . Reference Bible.
/s/self-willed.htm - 7k

Self-will (2 Occurrences)
... Selfwill, Self-will. Selfwilled . ... The idea is found twice in the New Testament
in the sense of "pleasing oneself": "not self-willed, not soon angry" (Titus 1:7 ...
/s/self-will.htm - 8k

Selfwill (2 Occurrences)
... The idea is found twice in the New Testament in the sense of "pleasing oneself":
"not self-willed, not soon angry" (Titus 1:7); and "daring, self-willed, they ...
/s/selfwill.htm - 8k

Lordship (12 Occurrences)
... uncleanness, and despise lordship. Bold are they, self-willed; they do not
fear speaking injuriously of dignities: (DBY YLT). Jude 1:8 ...
/l/lordship.htm - 10k

Lucre (5 Occurrences)
... Titus 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled,
not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; (KJV ...
/l/lucre.htm - 9k

Wilful (2 Occurrences)
... and scorning control. Fool-hardy and self-willed, they do not tremble when
speaking evil of glorious beings; (See RSV). Proverbs 7 ...
/w/wilful.htm - 7k

Insincerity (5 Occurrences)
... James 3:17 The wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceful, courteous,
not self-willed, full of compassion and kind actions, free from favouritism ...
/i/insincerity.htm - 8k

Injuriously (13 Occurrences)
... uncleanness, and despise lordship. Bold are they, self-willed; they do not
fear speaking injuriously of dignities: (DBY). 2 Peter 2 ...
/i/injuriously.htm - 10k

Favouritism (1 Occurrence)
... James 3:17 The wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceful, courteous,
not self-willed, full of compassion and kind actions, free from favouritism ...
/f/favouritism.htm - 6k

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