proud

Blog for Podcast # 166 (The Arrogance of the Proud)


Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

Isaiah 13:9-13 NKJV – Behold, the day of the LORD comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine. “I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth will move out of her place, In the wrath of the LORD of hosts And in the day of His fierce anger.

“I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”

“I will halt the arrogance of the proud.”

Why are there those that are so proud they are arrogant?

This is exactly how the Pharisees behaved. Why they did this was because they would rather follow traditions and commandments made by men:

Matthew 15:1-9 NKJV – Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER’; and, ‘HE WHO CURSES FATHER OR MOTHER, LET HIM BE PUT TO DEATH.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘THESE PEOPLE DRAW NEAR TO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH, AND HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME. AND IN VAIN THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’ “

“Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

When people teach that salvation cannot be lost, they cause those that believe this to become proud leading to arrogant behavior. This was witnessed in the letter to the Romans. Those Christian Romans started to show their arrogance in how they judged those that lived in sin. Even though they themselves lived in sin because they said to themselves that God would never leave them. Their place in heaven was guaranteed. This is what they were told about this type of mentality:

 Romans 2:1-11 NLT – You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.

As I discussed in podcast #162 (Who are Justified in the Sight of God) I show through a study of the word “favoritism” that it establishes that if God showed an unfair advantage to one group over another, He could not be God.

However, this is exactly what most that embrace false teachings like “grace alone” and OSAS push and believe. Thus, turning them into proud and arrogant people.

It was due to this arrogance that allowed the Pharisees to deride, attack and persecute our Savior Jesus Christ. All out of pride and belief that they were the children of God and could never be kicked out of heaven.

What got them the angriest was hearing that God would not welcome them into heaven. That Jesus called them hypocrites. They knew with this title upon them that they could never enter into heaven, which is why they sought after the Messiah’s death.

They attacked Christ out of fear. Because all they taught. All they had commanded and dictated. All these man-made rules, laws and teachings. All of which went against the Word of God became transparently clear to their minds. They saw their own eternal deaths and separation from God reflected in the look they receive from the Christ, the true Messiah, Jesus the Son of God.

I see it clearly now. For I have seen and experienced this same attack coming from those that have embraced the man-made teachings and doctrines of OSAS and “grace alone” aka “faith-alone” believes. They get angry, they attack out of fear that they have been wrong all this time. That their loved ones that believed and embraced these man-made commandments went to the grave. Not to heaven, but maybe, possibly to damnation.

They do not wish to accept that these verses most likely will apply to their future when they finally stand before Jesus Christ:

Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV – “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Why they fear this is because of what I discussed in the previous podcast I mentioned earlier.

Romans 2:12-16 NKJV – For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

“For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.”

Most that embrace “grace alone” and OSAS ignore the laws found within the Bible. Thus, making them hearers of the law. This makes them not justified in the sight of God. This is why these verses exist within the Bible:

2 Peter 2:20-22 NKJV – For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

When people deny these words written within the Bible. When they say that they cannot lose their salvation. They are calling Jesus Christ Himself a liar. Is this not the epitome of arrogance? To see oneself greater than the Word of God and thus greater than their Creator. The same mentality of the Pharisees. A mentality that drove those men to crucify Jesus Christ.

This brings the truth to these words found in Hebrews:

Hebrews 6:4-6 NKJV – For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

They are so blinded by their arrogance and self-importance that they refuse to accept that they have turned their backs upon God. They have rejected their Savior, and for what?

A refusal to accept these verses:

Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 14:26-27 NKJV – “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Luke 14:33 NKJV – So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Mark 10:21 NKJV – Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

1 John 2:15-16 NLT – Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

James 4:4-7 NKJV – Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

They refuse to seek their treasures in heaven for they seek after large houses or multiple houses. They still seek after luxury cars which rust away. Their treasures are here in this temporal plain of existence, not with God nor His Son.

They have not placed God at the center of their lives. They place all about them before God, they even place themselves before God. They refuse to spread the Word of God for it is not their place or their duty to do so. They refuse to downsize.

They are told three times in three different Gospels to sell off all their unneeded possessions. To give their wealth away to those in need, especially the poor. For they are all that concerns them. They are all that is important to the world. No others matter.

They only look at the things they see about them. Only care for the things they see. They only seek to please themselves and their desires.

They don’t see they have become adulterers. They don’t realize they are now enemies of God, which means only one thing. They are not welcome in the kingdom of heaven, and this scares them beyond all belief. Hiding this fear behind a facade of arrogance that they are special, elect, select. Not realizing they are not. For they are destined not for heaven, but for damnation.

Repent NOW! Downsize NOW! Turn to God through Jesus Christ NOW! Follow the commandments and teachings found in both the old and new testaments. Spread the Word of God. Don’t do it tomorrow. Repent now. Sell all your possessions you do not need to live to the next day NOW! If you don’t. Do not be surprised that when that second trumpet is blown you find yourself still here. It is your own fault. For you refused to follow the true teachings found within the Bible.

God Bless