Beware those who boast of superior spiritual qualities or intellectual abilities. Their conduct will invariably bring grief.
A young dating couple go on a weekend trip together. They plan to stay in the same motel room, but to sleep in separate beds. They don’t really understand the fuss. They are aware of the terribleness of sin. They know the pitfalls that fornication presents. They have given their lives to Christ. They truly believe that they can handle any temptation that might arise.
A man in the congregation grows weary of the simple gospel lessons he hears Sunday after Sunday. He longs for something deep, something that will challenge his intellect. When he gets the chance to teach a Bible class, he gives the class something to chew on. None of the same old repetitious material from the book of Acts or the life of Christ will ever be discussed in his class.
A married woman is constantly in the presence of a single man. Wherever she is, the young man will be right by her side. But, don’t worry. They are people of great spirituality and will profit greatly from each other’s spiritual qualities.
We are not dealing with the hypothetical; these are real people we have described. And, the sad truth is that their likes are found in congregations across the nation, creating trouble and causing misery among the faithful to the Lord.
Their counterpart appears in the scriptures in the form of the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 8:1-13), who gloried in their superior knowledge; who were so “strong” that they could go into an idol’s temple and eat of idolatrous feasts; who thought they were beyond failing; who couldn’t worry about the spiritual weaklings in the church who might be led into sin by their conduct; who were apparently motivated by the “after all, such people ought to grow up and quit being so weak- the church would probably be better off without them, anyway” attitude.
It is interesting to observe that Paul was not very impressed with this air of spirituality and knowledge manifested by these Corinthians. To them he wrote, “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (8:1), and further, you know “nothing yet as you ought to know” (8:2). He reminded them that the weak brother being destroyed by their “knowledge” was one “for whom Christ died” (8:11). In contrast to their arrogance, he spoke of his own actions in buffeting his body, and bringing it into bondage… lest he himself should be rejected (9:27). Then, in one final warning he said, “Therefore, let him who thinks he stand take heed lest he fall” (10:12).
If you find yourself among those described above, we urge you to repent. If you are not among them, beware of those who are, and “restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.” Indeed, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
By: Bill Hall, “Two Men”
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