What do you think of when you hear the word pride? I often think of a person just big themself, one who thinks they have all the answers, and seem to think their opinion is the only opinion. We don't really think of a Christian when we hear that word do we?
I have been noticing an unhealthy pride in many Christians, a pride like a pharisee.
Many godly Christian men preach on pride, they teach how bad it is, how sinful a man is, they wave their Bible around and go on and on, doing all the'look good' things. Yet, when things really boil down, and you observe how they treat their families and spouses and you notice that some even don't accept certain people into their church because a person thinks, looks or does things differently than they think they should. I notice that not just pastors or men who are in authority, but often we can think we are so good because we have God, we are quick to pick a fight and think we are better and above another. Even though we might not mean too, we often give off this air of pride, and we can make people feel judged and out of place.
At church these men preach on pride, they pound it down, they preach against worldliness, hell, drinking, smoking, gambling, feminism, and the Bible. But seem to present an attitude that discouraging us from going out into the world and show others love and care, and what it really means to be a Christian. These Pharisees don't realize it, but they are full of themselves because they are an authority in a church, they don't smoke and drink, they use the right Bible and they have 12 children, etc.Friday, March 25, 2011
A Christian a Pharisee?
What do you think of when you hear the word pride? I often think of a person just big themself, one who thinks they have all the answers, and seem to think their opinion is the only opinion. We don't really think of a Christian when we hear that word do we?
I have been noticing an unhealthy pride in many Christians, a pride like a pharisee.
Many godly Christian men preach on pride, they teach how bad it is, how sinful a man is, they wave their Bible around and go on and on, doing all the'look good' things. Yet, when things really boil down, and you observe how they treat their families and spouses and you notice that some even don't accept certain people into their church because a person thinks, looks or does things differently than they think they should. I notice that not just pastors or men who are in authority, but often we can think we are so good because we have God, we are quick to pick a fight and think we are better and above another. Even though we might not mean too, we often give off this air of pride, and we can make people feel judged and out of place.
At church these men preach on pride, they pound it down, they preach against worldliness, hell, drinking, smoking, gambling, feminism, and the Bible. But seem to present an attitude that discouraging us from going out into the world and show others love and care, and what it really means to be a Christian. These Pharisees don't realize it, but they are full of themselves because they are an authority in a church, they don't smoke and drink, they use the right Bible and they have 12 children, etc.Billy Sunday loved God and seemed to be the "perfect Christian." He went out and preached against smoking, drinking..etc. in his fiery sermons. He was doing God's work. But in the end, his family was in ruin. His sons did everything that he preached against and one of his sons committed suicide. How could such a perfect looking family, a great evangelists family end up like that? When a man is proud and full of himself, he pushes others away. Especially the people he should be loving the most. Mr. Sunday was gone alto doing God's work, which was good, but was he taking time to nurture and evangelize is family? Did he show God's love to them, and not just preach at them all the time? You can tell a man by his family. Billy Sunday preached at alot of people, and many got saved, but do you think his style of preaching actually showed God's love to others? Don't you think his pride got in between his family and his relationship with them, and maybe in his ministry?
There are so many people hurting who need to see Jesus and his love. They don't want to feel judged or unaccepted. They don't need to be preached at about the issues, and always told what they are doing wrong.We can encourage people to do right and let God speak to their hearts and convict them of their wrongs.
People come to church for encouragement and hope. They want to see God's love. People need to see more of our love for God, and for them. That can start with you! Put yourself aside at church and go to someone, maybe not just someone that is new to church, but someone that you've never really gotten to know, or someone who looks sad and lonely. show concern by asking how they are, and listening. share a few things in your life. hug them or put your arm around them. Think about Jesus and how he loved and cared, and try to do the same. We are not better than anyone. Some Christians seem to totally isolate themselves from the world, and tend to segregate themselves, even with their own. Christianity is not about who is better, and trying to do all the right things to look good. It is about loving God and loving others, and being together as Christians. Yes, we are separate from the world, yes we have eternal life, and our sins are forgiven, but we are still sinners just like anyone else, we are little clumps of dust on this earth, we are not better and higher than anyone jsut because we have and do all the right things. Why do you think that so many people have been driven away from church, or the kids don't come like they used too? We sit and cluck our tongues, and just keep saying that people need to be faithful. Do we know their reasons for not attending church? Are their needs being met? Are they seeing the love of God in us? Is there fellowship or are they just being preached at? we need to experience God's love with each other, that includes showing it and receiving it through each other.
I am not saying that preaching on pride or hell is wrong, or that drinking and smoking is okay. Hell needs to be preached on, and pride does too, but I don't think a preacher should be preaching against drinking and smoking. If He believes it is wrong, than he doesn't have to do it, but he should let others make their own choices and have their own convictions. I don't believe it is the preachers job to tell a person what he can and cannot do. A preacher is there to feed and nurture his flock of sheep, not to domineer it.
I think that this pride problem needs to be addressed. I cannot expect others to agree with my opinion, but I can work on my own pride. If you feel this is a problem in your own life, ask God to help you overcome it. God does not want us to be like the pharisees, and I don't want to be one.
Verse to read:
Proverbs 16:5
Proverbs 28:25
Proverbs 13:10
Proverbs 29:3
Mathew 6:5
Mathew 6:16
Mathew 23:25+27
Luke 18:9-14
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1 comment:
It's so true how easy it is to be blind to our own faults and pride. You make a lot of good points. There are many people who do not practice what they preach.
Natalie A.
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