Arrogance

by Mike Ratliff

1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NASB) 

No Christian would argue that this list characterizes man in these last days, but sadly, these very things are tolerated in professing believers in our time. This passage and other obvious Bible verses that state these things are simply ignored by professing Christians and Christian leaders. They give lip service to the Bible, but disregard what it actually says. How often do we encounter a professing brother or sister in Christ and as we attempt to deal with them Biblically are rudely attacked from an obvious base of pride manifesting itself in arrogance? I personally find that very disquieting. Yes, it may accomplish what that person wanted in getting us to back off, but what has it done to our relationship and, even more importantly, what has it done to their own relationship with God, if one did indeed exist to begin with? 

Here is 2 Timothy 3:2 from the NASB, “For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy.”

Here is 2 Timothy 3:2 from the NA28 Greek text, “ἔσονται γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι φίλαυτοι φιλάργυροι ἀλαζόνες ὑπερήφανοι βλάσφημοι, γονεῦσιν ἀπειθεῖς, ἀχάριστοι ἀνόσιοι.”

The word the NASB translates as “arrogant” is the Greek adjective ὑπερήφανοι, which is the nominative, plural of ὑπερήφανος (huperēphanos), “assuming, haughty, arrogant.” It is used to speak of one who shows himself above his fellow men, in honor preferring himself. There is not one passage in Sacred Scripture that tolerates this attitude in believers. In fact, God has this to say about it.

1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:1-10 (NASB) 

Carefully read this my brethren. Have you been “offended” by a fellow brother or sister in Christ? Have you been hurt by all the fighting and fruitless arguing going on lately within our ranks? Has a Social Justice Warrior attempted to tell you that the Gospel is offensive and Christians who are male and Caucasian should “humble themselves” before everyone else because they need to make amends and reparations for their ancestors’ past sins against minorities, females, and members of the LBGQ(etc)? Has this made you angry? The answer is not to hold on to your anger through pride, but to release it through humbling yourself before God. Submit yourselves to God, draw near to God and He will draw near to you. I promise you that His desire will be for you to be reconciled to your true brothers and sisters in Christ. Go to them and seek forgiveness. You may say, “Yeah, but he said!” or “Yeah, but she said!” So what! Is not God able to make all things right?  Get the devil out of the picture and all that stuff that seems so important will look like nothing. Get on your knees before God, confess your sins to Him, then go to your brothers and sisters and seek forgiveness. That is what is called for. The opposite is to be full of pride or to be arrogant, that is of the flesh, and that means you are controlled by the devil. I doubt if anyone reading this wants that.

On the other hand, the Social Justice Warriors I mentioned above and their agenda is not of God yet He has allowed this Satanic message to attack the Gospel and us. What are we to do about that? We are to hold fast to the Gospel, obey our Lord, remain in prayer. Tell the truth regardless of the pressure to shut up. Love everyone with God’s love and do not ever respond with pride and arrogance.

Soli Deo Gloria!