The apostles saw that with one selected as elder there would be a conflict of self-denial and self. Even among themselves, when personally accompanying Christ, there was a “strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest.” So in the church, after his ascension, there might be a desire for power with some of those chosen as “overseers” of the church. The first advice in genuine service to God is, “let him deny himself.” We read of Christ’s mission to earth, when acting as our example, that he “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant.” COOD 74.1