So today I went to the rot to eat lunch. The rot is what we students here at LU call the dining hall. I sat at this table with a guy I knew expecting to have a nice enjoyable lunch. Was I wrong or What! A buddy of a buddy of my buddy (ha ha) was one of those guys who just likes to hear himself talk. Don't those people just get on your nerves?! He made it a point that the topic of every one's speech was going to be about theological debates. He would start off with a general statement about Christ and wait for a response. As soon as someone would say something he would attack them with his "mumbo jumbo". He was really cocky too. He would say statements like "name a book of the Bible and I can tell you everything there is to know about that subject in there." I do not doubt that the guy was smart, but obnoxious.
He wasn't using his knowledge to glorify Christ, but to cause strife and upheaval amongst other Christians. There is nothing wrong with the pursuit of knowledge and I believe there is a place for people with good debating skills. The defining question is therefore this: "What is your motivation for gaining that knowledge?" My observation today led me to the conclusion that this guy was just out to cause strife and chaos and in the process make himself look smart. Is that glorifying to God? Also, I know for a fact someone sitting at that table is struggling with doubting their salvation. Do you think that that display of arrogance and representation of Christ was helping him with his struggles? I think not.
We need to be careful as Christians to not hinder Christ's work in the lives of other Christians by arguing amongst ourselves and attacking each other. I think it would be a far better use of our time to encourage, build up, exhort, and edify each other in the body of Christ.
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I have to agree with you that we all could definitely benefit from building each other up instead of tearing down and we should all strive to be edifying the body of Christ. I don't think arrogant people realize though that they are arrogant. It's amazing how we can't see ourselves the way others see us. I'm curious to know whether this arrogant guy knew that the other guy sitting at the table was struggling with his salvation.
ReplyDeleteI heard on the radio the other day that a study was done on people with sexual addictions and that out of all the people with this addiction that they studied, they all had one thing in common - arrogance and pride issues. Proverbs 16:18 (King James Version) Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Interesting . . .
No he didn't I don't think. But who knows if that would have made a difference or not.
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