Thursday, August 4, 2011

THINK ON THESE THINGS - THURSDAY

SPIRITUAL PRIDE 
PART 1 
One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike [sacred]. Let everyone be fully convinced (satisfied) in his own mind....Romans 14:5 AMP


This verse is a difficult one for modern Christians to comprehend as we do not celebrate the High Holy Days which the ancient Jews obeyed, according to the Old Testament Lay.The Apostle (Paul) is talking to those who are so fired up for Christ, after conversion, they want every one to be like them.


However in their enthusiasm, they have allowed pride and arrogance to take a hold of them, and to harshly judge a brother or sister, who "does not do it exactly like them"!! This sounds exactly like what is happening today in the Body!!


Spiritual Pride will not only kill the spirit of fellowship, but will bring judgment upon the person who is looking down his/her nose at another! 


To explain this, I go to Jonathan Edwards, who preached the greatest sermon in America ever (Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, 1741). His definition of Spiritual Pride is priceless. He says "this is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of Christ. It is the chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit to darken the mind and mislead the judgment, and the main handle by which Satan takes hold of Christians to hinder a work of God. Until this disease is cured, medicines are applied in vain to heal all other diseases...


Spiritual Pride...is best identified by its fruits and effects, some of which I will mention together with the contrary fruits of Christian humility."


This is just the beginning, my friends! You and I see it everywhere in the Body of Christ today- from Christian "rock stars" to media personalities in TV/Radio/Print to preachers and teachers......the last two are endangering themselves the most, because they have more accountability than everyone else!


Back to the verse, by making one day holier than the rest, when EVERYDAY should be holy.....and by judging another (one of the themes of this chapter) who does not follow your interpretation of OBSERVING THAT day, we are in danger of Spiritual Pride!!!

More on this tomorrow, as we think on these things and see if we are just as guilty as those Paul is talking about here! Amen!

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