Redefining Success: A Biblical View
The modern concept of "success" is often defined by metrics of personal achievement, material accumulation, and social status. However, a biblical study of the topic requires a deconstruction of these contemporary assumptions and a careful reconstruction based on the vocabulary and worldview of the scriptures.
The Hebrew and Greek terms that form the biblical lexicon for success reveal a framework where divine agency, wise living, and relational faithfulness are essential. This foundation establishes a fundamental and irreconcilable conflict between the secular pursuit of self-exaltation and the biblical call to God-glorifying stewardship.
A Deeper Dive: The Biblical Blueprint
The theme of flourishing through faithfulness is woven throughout the entire biblical narrative. Here is a collection of passages for further study.
What Does the Bible Mean by “Success”?
Across the Old and New Testaments, Scripture gives a rich, consistent picture. God’s idea of success is a layered, multi-faceted wholeness that touches every part of life and is rooted in a right relationship with Him.
A Working Definition:
Success is described as a life of flourishing. Flourishing is whole-life well-being—spiritual, relational, material, and emotional—that grows out of abiding in a covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This is the heart of the Hebrew word shalom. It’s not a single result to achieve but a dynamic, interconnected way of being.
Below are the main facets of flourishing the Bible describes.
1) Relational Flourishing
— Life with God
This is the foundation. The “win” is knowing God and living in His presence.
Old Testament: “Walking with God” (Gen 5:24), fearing the Lord (Prov 9:10), delighting in His law (Ps 1:2). The success of kings is summed up: “the LORD was with him” (Gen 39:2).
New Testament: This deepens into union with Christ—“abiding” in Jesus like a branch in the vine (John 15:4). We become heirs of God (Rom 8:17).
2) Character Flourishing
— Inner Transformation
Success is measured by who we’re becoming. God’s aim is to shape us into the likeness of His Son.
Old Testament: Cultivating wisdom, righteousness, and justice.
New Testament: The Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23) is the evidence of a connected life. Trials become the forge that makes us “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:4).
3) Vocational Flourishing
— Purposeful Provision
Provision is never the finish line; it’s fuel for His purposes.
Old Testament: Tangible signs of blessing (Deut 28) as markers of covenant faithfulness.
New Testament: The emphasis shifts to stewardship. God provides so we may “abound in every good work” (2 Cor 9:8). Generosity is a key pathway to flourishing (Acts 20:35).
4) Communal Flourishing
— Wholeness Together
Biblical flourishing is never only personal; it’s shared.
Old Testament: God covenants with a people. True shalom involves the well-being of the whole community (Jer 29:7).
New Testament: Fulfilled in the Church, the Body of Christ—each one using gifts to build up the whole (1 Cor 12:7), bearing one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2).
Bottom line: Flourishing is life with God, becoming like Christ, for the good of others—held together by the peace of shalom now and the certainty of glory forever.
Sermon Highlights: Service Over Status
The Setting: A Heavy Heart
The scene in Luke 22 is filled with tension. During the Passover feast, in the final hours of his life, Jesus is acutely aware of what’s coming: betrayal by a close friend, immense suffering, and a sacrificial death. He institutes the Lord's Supper, a moment of deep communion, even as a plot to execute him unfolds in the background.
The Argument: A Worldly View
In this incredibly grave moment, the disciples begin arguing about which of them would be the greatest. Their focus on status reveals how deeply the world’s definition of success had shaped them, causing them to miss the weight of what Jesus was sharing.
The Response: A Kingdom Definition
Jesus confronts their argument by drawing a sharp contrast between the world’s way and His way. He points out how worldly rulers use power to dominate others, a model his followers are explicitly told to reject.
"Rulers and others who doled out favors from the vantage point of power were called “benefactors”... Jesus’ reminding the disciples that seeking power is a Gentile (i.e., pagan) practice is tantamount to telling them they should not be doing it."
Jesus then delivers a revolutionary command that flips the world’s values upside down: “But among you, it will be different.” In the Kingdom of God, the greatest person is the one who takes the lowest rank, and the true leader is the one who serves.
The Model: The Servant King
Jesus doesn't just teach this principle; He embodies it. As the King of the universe, He had every right to be served, yet He chose the path of service. His life is the ultimate example that greatness is not determined by what we achieve, but by how we serve.
"For I am among you as one who serves."
Putting It Into Practice: Flip and Find
How can we be redefined and reshaped by Jesus? We must come back to the fundamental idea of definition. This week, let's try a simple practice: Flip and Find.
1. Flip Your Definition
Write down a measure of success that you use right now and then rewrite it using Jesus' definition. Contrast the earthly value against the kingdom value.
2. Find Ways to Serve
Intentionally put yourself in the posture of a servant this week. Ask this simple question as you enter any new environment: "How can I be helpful?"
"We can say, in a preliminary manner, that spiritual formation for the Christian basically refers to the Spirit-driven process of forming the inner world of the human self in such a way that it becomes like the inner being of Christ himself... in the degree to which spiritual formation in Christ is successful, the outer life of the individual becomes a natural expression or outflow of the character and teachings of Jesus."