Romans 12:3 ESV
“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”
Pride and Humility
How would you describe “more highly than we ought to think”? I think that can be somewhat subjective depending on our own belief system, i.e. if we are interpreting this according to what we might personally believe this means, or if we are interpreting this according to the Scriptures. For I hear many different takes on this from multiple sources, and they aren’t all the same, and they aren’t all biblical in nature.
For example, some people might consider it humble to admit to living a sinful lifestyle only to continue living that sinful lifestyle. And the same people might consider it prideful if someone confesses to walking with the Lord in obedience to his commands and in righteous living, although not making claims to living in absolute perfection. But is that what is being taught here about pride and humility? I don’t believe so.
For it isn’t truly humility to admit to living a sinful lifestyle but then to continue living that sinful lifestyle, at least it is not biblical humility. And it can be based in total pride, for the person’s pride is what is keeping him from humbling himself before God in genuine repentance. So, it can be absolute arrogance to admit to living in sin but then to keep on living in sin, which is a slap in the face to Christ who died to save us from our sin.
In the same respect, depending on the circumstances, it may not be prideful at all for someone to confess to walking in faithful obedience to our Lord, in practice, not perfectly, in living a holy life unto God and in true service to him. The apostle Paul did this regularly, but not in pride, but in setting an example for us all in how we all are to walk, and in explaining to all why he was being persecuted, and in defense of himself and of the gospel when he was being opposed.
Biblically, I believe what this is teaching us here is that we are not to think of ourselves in terms which are beyond where we are living. So we are not to present ourselves to others as better than what we actually are, or less. And who and what we are largely has to do with our character, with what is in our hearts, and with what is coming out of our hearts in our speaking and in our actions, i.e. the fruit that we bear either for good or for evil.
But we are to think of ourselves and to present ourselves with sober judgment, with a sound mind, being serious-minded, and with an honest and humble assessment of ourselves and of who we are and of how we are living, based upon the Word of God. So this is like looking in the mirror and seeing ourselves for who we really are, and not who we think we are or who we would like to be and who we want others to think that we are. So this is making an honest and just assessment of oneself in character and in deed.
But this is not about claiming “Who I am in Christ” based off some list when that may not be who you are at all. For we are not who we are based on some words we say, but we are who we are as revealed by what we do, by the fruit that we bear, either in keeping with true repentance or not. And we have to remember that, according to the Scriptures, who we are in Christ has to do with how we live, not with what we profess with our lips. For example, you can claim you are a dog but that doesn’t make you a dog.
For the Scriptures teach that to be “in Christ” means that we have died with Christ to sin and that we are now living to his righteousness, and no longer in sin, and that daily we are by the Spirit putting sin to death and we are living for the Lord. It means we are walking in obedience to our Lord, and we are walking in holiness and in righteousness. But this is not a claim to absolute perfection nor to say that we have never sinned. It just means we are no longer walking in sin but now in walks of obedience to Christ.
And the Scriptures also teach that if we claim to be in fellowship with God, with Christ, but if sin is our habit, then we are liars. They also teach us that if we claim to know God/Christ, but we do not obey his commands (New Covenant), in practice, we are liars. And if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, we don’t know God, we are not born of God, we are of the devil, and we will not inherit eternal life with God regardless of what our lips profess.
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
Broken Cord
An Original Work / August 29, 2018
Your bond is broken with your Lord and Savior
And your testimony is separate from Him.
Your words not matching your actions today.
Repent of your sin and bow down and pray.
Live what you testify in truth always.
Purity’s lacking in your life and witness,
For you profess one thing, but other you do.
Not moral, spiritual. Still of the flesh.
Not living in truth to what you confess.
Lying about it puts you in a mess.
Living a lie is your practice, ‘tis true of you.
Masquerade righteousness – none of it true.
Your heart is not given to your Lord God.
Because of how you live, you are a fraud.
Turn from your sin and give your life to God.
https://vimeo.com/287303934
No comments:
Post a Comment