SPIRITUAL PRIDE. 020

One of the most amazing things about the Bible is its depth. Oftentimes scoffers will look at the many different interpretations of the Bible as evidence of a faulty system or of an untrustworthy text. However, simply because there isn’t a dictator delineating just what everyone should believe about the Bible, and just because many have gleaned different things from the Bible doesn’t mean that the fault is with the Bible. The fault is really with the humans.

“If there was nothing in the Scriptures hard to be understood, man, in searching its pages, would become lifted up in pride and self-sufficiency.”

This is a solemn quote. Evidently, if mankind could fully and easily understand the scriptures, pride would easily spring up, read how the quote continues,

It is never best for one to think that he understands every phase of truth, for he does not. Then let no man flatter himself that he has a correct understanding of all portions of Scripture and feel it his duty to make everybody else understand them just as he does.

I believe it is a humble but necessary exercise for us to remind ourselves that we do not know everything there is to know about the Bible, and maybe just maybe there is something we may not be totally right on. Often times there are these religious splinter groups that focus on some particular doctrine that is a must know for salvation. Many times, the proponents of these beliefs, believe that they have the complete system of truth understood to a tee. This of course leads them to ostracize others and believe that all must believe as they do, but what is the result?

Let intellectual pride be banished. I lift my voice in warning against every species of spiritual pride. There is an abundance of it in the church today. {5T 533.4}

The result is spiritual pride. We condemn the drunkard, while we hide the pride, the spiritual pride. God, please fix this.

In closing I do want to say, when Jesus taught, He taught as One having authority and not as the religious leaders. The religious leaders always had a mindset of speculation and questioning, much like how scientific inquiry in institutions of higher learning are founded on “doubt.” This idea is heavily laden with Greco-Roman philosophies. Jesus though, spoke in a matter-of-fact way, in a way that was direct and absolute in its truth. This is because He focused on what was plain and simple, direct. There are many deeeeeep things Christ could have spoken about, but He focused simply on how the image of God could be restored in man. Period.

A good example of this is when Jesus was telling Pilate about truth and Pilate says, “What is truth?” John 18:38

I believe we may boldly know and present what truth is without speculation, however, I do believe that there are elements to the Bible that we are still coming to know, and this should evoke humility.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus is the truth, through Him we may access God, the Father. In His presence, we are not prideful that we have come to know all that there is to know about His Word. In the Father’s presence, we are humbled at His glory, and His willingness to grant us this access despite our past record. Thanks to His Son Jesus, and the almost imperceptible, yet blatantly evident working of His Spirit.

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