Thank you Lord that I'm not like that Corinthian (1. Cor 4:6)

Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. (1. Cor 4:6)

Yesterday, we saw how the Corinthian pride in preachers was really just a disguise for pride in self. So today is an excellent opportunity for us to shake our heads at the silliness of the Corinthians, and pat ourselves on the back for not being like them. Let’s go up to the temple and lift our eyes toward heaven and say “Thank you God that I’m not like those arrogant Corinthian sinners.”

Well maybe you, like the Corinthians, would be to humble to say that out loud. But you might very well still be susceptible to have the same proud thoughts and arrogant feelings enter your heart. If not about preachers, then about some other worthy, spiritual sounding cause.

“My doctrine is better than yours”. It goes without saying, for those of us who are conscious of what we believe about God, that we would believe those beliefs to be true. And that if someone then disagrees, they would be wrong. But who gave you your doctrine? Was it not a gift by God’s grace? Then why would you act like you were the one who invented God? Why would you think those who don’t see it your way are just stupid or difficult? Am I saying that we should just toss all doctrine out the door, and start watching nooma videos? Not by any means. But when we know that the doctrines we believe, the ability to understand them, and the will to accept them were gifts given to us from God, we tend to treat those who disagree with us with a little more patience and grace.

“My church is better than yours”. Yes, but you are not the rock on which the Church is built. (Neither was the apostle Peter, by the way, but I won’t get into that here). If you keep that in mind you will not be slandering the bride of Christ down the street. You will humbly seek to serve them and show them more fully the things they fail to see.

There’s a million things a christian can use as a cover for arrogance. Things like Bible translations, how or when or how much to pray, how to witness, what music to listen to, what music to play in church, and the list just goes on and on. It is all fine and dandy to have an opinion about such things, and seek to convince others that you’re right. That doesn’t make you arrogant. But that feeling of superiority when you discuss these opinions with those who disagree with you, that most certainly does make you arrogant.

When your heart is filled with anger against someone else, and you start thinking “I don’t need him anyways”. When your mind starts thinking up accusations against him, and your mouth starts speaking harsh and hurtful words. Then it doesn’t matter if you’re right and he’s wrong. God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. He doesn’t resist the wrong and give grace to the right. So even if he’s wrong, if he’s humble about it he’s still better off than you.