James 4:13-17
The key words or ideas are: boasting, planning, uncertainty of the future. James is admonishing people for the sheer arrogance of making brash plans. Since God is in control and since God is their king, their plans are subject (or should be, anyways) to the will of God. James compares making such plans to boasting: the underlying message is that I control my own destiny and that I run my life. James reminds the reader that God runs his life and controls her destiny. He makes a strong statement that to live or think otherwise is evil and sinful.
I am not sure how the last line connects to the rest of the paragraph. There is a connecting phrase: "so then" but I don't see how it logically follows. As a stand alone proverb, it is very powerful: when we don't do what we know to be good, we sin.
I stand condemned under James' indictment. Rather than clearing everything through my King, I make my own plans and then ask him for his blessing. Rather than saying, "What would like me to do?" or "Is this what you'd like me to do?" I demand that he bless the plans that I have made. This is sheer arrogance because it places me in the position of King or Master rather than acknowledging that God is my King and submitting to him. I serve at the pleasure of the King. May I never forget that.
Showing posts with label arrogance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arrogance. Show all posts
Friday, November 16, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
rooted
Romans 11:17-24
Paul describes a tree where certain branches have been cut off and other branches have been grafted in. The grafted in branches become part of the main tree.
Paul warns the Gentiles, as grafted in branches, not to be arrogant about their new position because a) they do not bring life to the root but are brought to life by the root and b) it would be easy for God to break them off and graft the original branches back in. Paul's point is that the nation of Israel was cut off because of unbelief and we were grafted in by faith - not by any merit in ourselves. If we lose faith and become arrogant (thinking, like Israel did, that we somehow merited our position), we are in danger of being cut off.
This is not the picture of God that we generally hold to. Paul actually points this out: we see both the kindness and the sterness of God in this. He is so kind and gracious and merciful that he grafted me in but he is stern - he is not soft. This is a God that I can worship because he is strong and fills me with wonder (and, at times, fear - not in the sense that he is a boogey man but in the sense that he is an incredibly powerful and wild king).
On a side note, I am incredibly frustrated with the NIV study bible since they never have notes on the interesting verses. For example, they remain strangely silent on v. 21 and the end of v. 22. Have some balls!!
Paul describes a tree where certain branches have been cut off and other branches have been grafted in. The grafted in branches become part of the main tree.
Paul warns the Gentiles, as grafted in branches, not to be arrogant about their new position because a) they do not bring life to the root but are brought to life by the root and b) it would be easy for God to break them off and graft the original branches back in. Paul's point is that the nation of Israel was cut off because of unbelief and we were grafted in by faith - not by any merit in ourselves. If we lose faith and become arrogant (thinking, like Israel did, that we somehow merited our position), we are in danger of being cut off.
This is not the picture of God that we generally hold to. Paul actually points this out: we see both the kindness and the sterness of God in this. He is so kind and gracious and merciful that he grafted me in but he is stern - he is not soft. This is a God that I can worship because he is strong and fills me with wonder (and, at times, fear - not in the sense that he is a boogey man but in the sense that he is an incredibly powerful and wild king).
On a side note, I am incredibly frustrated with the NIV study bible since they never have notes on the interesting verses. For example, they remain strangely silent on v. 21 and the end of v. 22. Have some balls!!
Friday, June 15, 2007
God is blasphemed because of me?
Romans 2:17-24
I know I should be doing observe, interpret, apply but this passage hits me right in the gut! I think it should do the same for all Christians, especially those in North America. We have become arrogant in regard to our relationship to God and the revelation of himself that he has given to us just as the Jews that Paul was writing to had become arrogant. They relied on the fact that God had given them the law and saw themselves as superior because of that. We rely on the fact that we have a "proper" interpretation of Scripture and we have become arrogant - as if we somehow merited God's special attention. We are smug in our relationship with God and believe that we are the moral compass of the nation and the world but we are unwilling to listen to our own teaching and unwilling (and, quite frankly, unable) to live up to the standard that we impose on the rest of society. We stand up on our self-built pedestal and look down our long, pious noses and condemn people for the very acts we are committing (and congratulate and applaud ourselves for doing it).
We preach against stealing and yet we still steal - this one really hurts because I was the one that did the sermon on stealing a year or two ago and yet I still find myself stealing in creative ways. We condemn those who commit adultery and sit in front of our computers and unite our selves in mind and spirit with virtual, photo shopped, airbrushed images. We puff out our chests because we don't worship false gods and then prostrate ourselves before money, possessions and sports heroes. We brag about being Christians (literally "little Christs") and then act nothing like Christ.
Here is the damning indictment against us: "God's name is blasphemed among the people because of you." I am the reason that people don't trust God. I am the reason that people don't repent.
O God, I am so sorry for the way that I have treated your name and the way that I have represented you to the people. I am so sorry for the way that we, who take your name on ourselves, have dragged it through the mud and brought dishonour to you.
I know I should be doing observe, interpret, apply but this passage hits me right in the gut! I think it should do the same for all Christians, especially those in North America. We have become arrogant in regard to our relationship to God and the revelation of himself that he has given to us just as the Jews that Paul was writing to had become arrogant. They relied on the fact that God had given them the law and saw themselves as superior because of that. We rely on the fact that we have a "proper" interpretation of Scripture and we have become arrogant - as if we somehow merited God's special attention. We are smug in our relationship with God and believe that we are the moral compass of the nation and the world but we are unwilling to listen to our own teaching and unwilling (and, quite frankly, unable) to live up to the standard that we impose on the rest of society. We stand up on our self-built pedestal and look down our long, pious noses and condemn people for the very acts we are committing (and congratulate and applaud ourselves for doing it).
We preach against stealing and yet we still steal - this one really hurts because I was the one that did the sermon on stealing a year or two ago and yet I still find myself stealing in creative ways. We condemn those who commit adultery and sit in front of our computers and unite our selves in mind and spirit with virtual, photo shopped, airbrushed images. We puff out our chests because we don't worship false gods and then prostrate ourselves before money, possessions and sports heroes. We brag about being Christians (literally "little Christs") and then act nothing like Christ.
Here is the damning indictment against us: "God's name is blasphemed among the people because of you." I am the reason that people don't trust God. I am the reason that people don't repent.
O God, I am so sorry for the way that I have treated your name and the way that I have represented you to the people. I am so sorry for the way that we, who take your name on ourselves, have dragged it through the mud and brought dishonour to you.
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