Pride and Prejudice
December 30, 2020
By Dan Li
Today in our day and age, the physical strength is still elevated and esteemed among those of the world, but much more so now is one’s intellect. A high intellect is now seen as the greatest and is esteemed most high. The world tells us that, through the use of intellect, anything is possible, that knowledge can get you out of a jam, that knowledge can make you greater than the guy how lacks it, and that those of high intellect (eg those in science/maths fields of work) are greater and more capable, more valuable, than those who are not. This manifests itself in many many ways, but at the root of it is elevation of man, and pride is the root of that. Scripture says,
“Now as concerning things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds-up/edifies. 2 And if any man thinks that he knows something, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if any man loves God, the same is known of Him.” 1 Cor 8:1-3
This Scripture is saying that so-called “knowledge” isn’t what it is all about, but knowing and loving God is greatest, and actually, rather, that being known by God is what it is all about- having Jesus in our heart. It is not about man anymore, but about God, and being known by Him, with Him being elevated, and no longer man and man’s knowledge! Elevation is worship. All humans worship, but what or who are we worshiping? And are we aware that it is worship?
While the world is full of this mindset, this philosophy, this worship of man; this should not be the case amongst Christians! And that is the point of this writing. I am concerned with us Christians, as it is written concerning those inside Christ,
“For what have I to do to judge them also that are outside? Do you not judge them that are within?” (1 Cor 5:12),
but,
“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 1Cor 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” (1 Cor 11:31-32)
Though I’m not pointing my finger at all at anyone, we should each examine ourselves in the light of God’s Word to see if it applies to us for correction.
We who are truly in Christ, genuine Christians, have come to Christ through faith in Him, knowing that we were but broken vessels, messed up, were headed to Hell, and in deep need of the Savior when we came to Him. We came to this knowledge of “lost-ness” by God revealing it to our hearts directly by the Holy Spirit- revelation- (not self-revelation, but God-revealed revelation). For, had God not revealed it to us, we would not have seen the need of our, now precious to us, Savior. We would have had some sense of “I’m OK, I’m not as bad as this guy or that one”, having some form of self-righteousness.
Self-righteousness is human pride, plain and simple, and all of us have been guilty of it at some point(s) in our life. For this reason, Scripture reveals to us in Luke 18, that the humble find grace in the Lord. God doesn’t reveal Himself to the proud, He resists the proud. This is why so many come to know the Lord Jesus as their Savior and Lord when they are at the “end of their rope”, as they say. Desperate and knowing their low state, they may look to the Lord, groping around as a blind man, and possibly find Him. Scripture says this:
“The God that made the world and all things that are in it, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with human hands; 25 Neither is He worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needed any thing, seeing He gives to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And has made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and the boundaries of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He is not far from every one of us: 28 For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as some of your own poets also have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’” Acts 17:24-28
Elevation is worship. What/Who are we elevating?
