Just what is pride??

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

James 4:6 (NIV) 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Once again the Holy Spirit is dealing with me about organized religion and true community of believers. I think we have a twisted view of what this scripture is talking about. We try to define “proud” but fail to look at how we conduct our lives in what we call Christianity. I know growing up Catholic I was taught to feel bad for those Protestants out there because they were all going to hell. They said that if you ever dared to cross that line that you were doomed also. I’m not sure where all that stands in today’s world. I only used that as an example from my life. Today’s culture or whatever you would like to call it attempts to say there are many ways to God in an attempt to justify the cults that call their self a religion and not offend anyone. In the world of “make nice” that attempt to make Jesus into some nice guy that never offended anyone falls flat with a reading of His words in the scripture. He even said at one point that He came to divide even families if they failed to accept Him as Savior & Lord.
Once again I’m beginning to ramble so let me attempt to make my point. Take time to read 1Cor. 12 and what Paul says about the “body”. Using that as a pattern how have we come up with all the divisions in the body? There is a lot of effort out there to convince people that disagree with the hands or feet or whatever that they ought to be hands or feet rather than maybe eyes or ears. It would be a strange looking body made up of all the same parts. Is that a strange picture or what??
What’s my point?? Why the scripture from James?? If you are so dug in to wanting everyone to be the same part you are, is that not “pride” and could God be opposing you?? Are you really so full of pride that you reject other parts of the body because they seem different or do things that make you uncomfortable??
Be very careful you don’t end up in Matt. 7. Those folks seem to have been out there doing the “stuff” but Jesus said He didn’t even know them. Are you getting your direction from the Holy Spirit or are you depending on man to hear for you and direct your life?? There is more to this but it gets into the government of and by the Holy Spirit but that’s for another time!!

What say you about all of this??

I am your brother in Christ whether you like it or not!!

Jim