By Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel

1 Cor 4:18 “Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again.”

Some members of the Church at Corinth were arrogant, proud, and self-conceited.  They were unteachable, quick to find fault in others, and had no respect for God-appointed leaders. Here is what they were saying about this great Apostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament.

2 Cor 10:10 “For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!”

They were unspiritual men ruled by their senses and flesh. They could not understand the powerful revelation of Christ. They concluded that the word made no sense and so it was of no value to them. This is how the scripture describes them.

1 Cor 3:1 “HOWEVER, BRETHREN, I could not talk to you as to spiritual [men], but as to nonspiritual [men of the flesh, in whom the carnal nature predominates], as to mere infants [in the new life] in Christ [unable to talk yet!] 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough [to be ready for it]; but even yet you are not strong enough [to be ready for it]”

Arrogance and pride are very dangerous in the lives of Christians because they become excuses for doing whatever the flesh wants. Pride can skew a Christian’s perspective, and prevent them from identifying the truth thereby keeping them in their state of spiritual blindness and unrepentance.

Here is another description of believers that were completely full of themselves(flesh) and not with Christ.

Rev 3:17 “You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked NLT.”

The words in the scripture above are filled with irony. What they believed about themselves couldn’t be further from the truth spiritually. They basked in their riches and were too proud to see that they were actually wretched, poor, and miserable in God’s eye. Their pride gave them a false sense of achievement and self-importance meanwhile they were in a very dire situation. Pride also makes people resist the will of God and do whatever their flesh desires. This is very evident in our world today. People are easily offended and live in anger, resentment, and unforgiveness towards their spouses, children, church leaders, and even God. While some of the offenses are justified, most are because people are now hard to please and have an attitude of my way or the highway. The Bible foretold us of the perilous times we now live in. 

2 Tim 3:1-5 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

The devil is the epitome of pride and arrogance.

Isa 14:12-14 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

Pride and arrogance are not of God. In fact, The scripture is very clear about what God does with the proud.

James 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

Unlike the proud, God values humility. He gives the humble more grace to stay humble because they are using the grace they already have as we read above.

1 Peter 3:4 “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

The word of God is only revealed to the humble with the heart of a child. We must receive God’s word like children. We can’t dissect it or make sense of it with our natural brain.

James 1:21 “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls”

Moses was described in the bible as very ‘meek and humble”. As a result, he had a privileged relationship with God.

 Num 12: 3,7-8 “(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.) 7 Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. 8 I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?”

The scriptures say that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was exalted because of His humility.

Phil 2:5-10 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;”

We are urged to follow Christ in all we do. Since we are led by the spirit of God and walk by the same spirit as Christ, we live as He lived too. Therefore, the Scripture urges us to have the same attitude as Him which includes that of humility.

Phil 2:5 “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”

Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel is the Senior Pastor of Fountain at The Living Word Church, New Jersey.