“Pride and Prejudice”

“Pride is the deification of self, and among the majority of Christians this is not along the line of a Pharisee, but that of a publican.” (Chambers)

What does faith demand? When asked, most Christians will respond by saying–”Oh, I’m no saint!” And yet, while the life of a saint need not be a crucifixion per se, our immersion into the life of Christ is, for all intents and purposes, a progressive immolation of the ego for the sake of the spiritual. As Paul said to some believers he happened upon: “Unto what baptism were you baptized with? And they said: unto John’s baptism. Then Paul said: “John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, yet it was John himself that said that they should follow him who would come after”. (Acts 19:3,4)”- ”…For he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire….” (Mat. 3:11; Lk. 3:16). In the same token, the New Testament makes it abundantly clear that Jesus willingly sacrificed his life, not for the sake of a false sense of security and a lukewarm salvation, but to produce a radical change and transformation of the self that would ultimately produce saints–”…For those who are in Christ are called to be saints…” (1 Cor. 1:2); again, ”…For this is the will of God, your sanctification…(1 Thes. 4:3) Which in turn raises the question, are not all who respond to the Gospel called“…to be conformed to the image of His Son…the firstborn among many, the progenitor of a holy family, that they too might be glorified, with Christ?” (Rom. 8:28-30). If so, how can the church continue to discount sanctification and the scriptural demand for holiness, in that believers are called to follow Jesus through fire, and in turn be transformed into his very image?

What are we to say then? What about all those who seem to be running in place, almost as if in a state of suspended animation, neglecting the demands of faith to —“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Mat. 28:19-20) How can one remain idle when so many are lost? Are we to believe that the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is of no effect, that God is unable to perform through us that which he proposed through Christ? How can those who are called by His name believe that the life of a saint is only for a select few, or the elect as it were, as if any can be counted superior? “For all have sinned and fallen short of the grace of God? (Rom. 3:23) If that is one’s perspective, they have their spiritual wires crossed — ”For it was fitting, in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, that God should make the founder of their salvation (Jesus), perfect through sufferings.” (Heb. 2:10). Do we really think that we, as recipients of the eternal reward, are justified in receiving it without ever lifting a finger? Christian sedation masquerading as salvation is an affront to God himself, even as our reticence to get out of the religious boat negates the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice and the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to do so. As it’s written: “While…all manner of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven mankind, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” (Mat. 8:31) In other words, when the spiritual agency that equips us to be saints is routinely impeded by our own reticence to respond, we are not only mocking God, but placing our own souls in jeopardy by demonstrating the pattently obvious. — We have no greater interest than that of our own self-interest in becoming Christians. Friends, that is not the gospel Jesus preached! As he said: “There is no greater love than this, that a man would willingly lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)