A common critique of Christians is that we arrogantly act as if we speak for God. That is, by citing Scripture and telling everyone what it says, we are arrogant. It is often the case that Christians are labeled arrogant for believing and proclaiming that we are lost in sin and Jesus is our only hope of salvation (Acts 4:12). And it is also often the case that Christians are labeled arrogant for believing and proclaiming the morals found in Scripture, for being against things like divorce, homosexuality, and fornication.
And the critique could have merit. I mean, I get frustrated when people speak for me and it’s not at all what I would’ve said.
But what if l’ve already spoken on a matter. Do I think it’s arrogant for people to quote me?
Or, better yet, what if I’ve already spoken, written it down, and everyone ignored it because they thought it would be arrogant to say what I’d already said.
Let’s imagine that I ran a business and sent you an email detailing what I want you and the rest of the company to do. You received the email and promptly ignored the email. Then when people that answer to you asked what they were supposed to do, you made things up as you went. When they asked if this is what I wanted, you said, “It would be arrogant for any of us to assume we knew what he wanted.”
I hope you followed my imaginary event. And I hope it felt as stupid as it sounded.
God Has Spoken
God has spoken to us in His Word. He defined marriage. He told us sodomy is a heinous sin. He has declared to us that murder is wrong, in or outside of the womb. He has told us how homes are to be ordered. He has told us that sex outside of marriage is wrong. He has told us that marriage is to last a lifetime. He has told us that children are to obey their parents and that parents are to require that of their children. And we could list these things for a very long time.
I hope you get my point. God has spoken. Therefore, to say what He has said is not arrogance. It is, in fact, the deepest kind of humility. God has spoken, therefore I lay aside my own desires and thoughts on these matters and take up His.
Arrogant Is The Ignorer
God has spoken. And the person that ignores that believes their self to be the humble one. The thought of it is laughable.
But what is really going on?
The person that ignores is acting in rebellion against God who has spoken. I’ll illustrate it this way.
You tell your child to pick up their mess right now and leave the room. Then an hour or so later, you walk into the room and see that the room is a complete mess, maybe even worse than before. And then this happened.
Parent: “I told you to clean up your room. And you didn’t do it!”
Child: “I didn’t know you wanted me to do it now. I thought I would just clean it later. I wouldn’t want to presume what you wanted me to do.”
Parent: “Where did you learn the word “presume” and why did you not do what I told you to do?”
Would that child’s response be arrogance or humility? This ignoring is not due to any sort of humility. It is due to a lack of respect for the person giving the command.
The same thing happens when Sodomites take wedding vows or a person gets a divorce because they are bored with their spouse.
Is that humility?
A person practicing sodomy is an abomination (Leviticus 18:22). Is their pledging to do that for a lifetime considered a humble response to God’s Word?
Marriage is supposed to last a lifetime (Matthew 19:3-9). Is deciding you don’t want to live with this person anymore considered a humble response to God’s Word?
The answer to these things is completely obvious.
Humble Is The Proclaimer Of God’s Word
Here is where I wanted to end up. It’s not arrogant to proclaim what God has said. It is arrogant to ignore it.
John the Baptist was questioned by a delegation from the Sanhedrin concerning what he was doing. Why was he baptizing Jewish people? Baptism wasn’t new. But baptizing Jewish people was. He was out there proclaiming the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world and baptizing people.
John’s response is telling.
John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” (John 1:26-27 ESV)
It was said that a student would do anything for their Rabbi, except untying his sandal. That was servant or slave work. And John is saying that he is not even worthy to do servant work for Jesus.
John the Baptist is a picture of humility for us. He definitely was not an arrogant man. But in his humility he followed the Lord’s command completely.
Humble John the Baptist proclaimed the truth of God’s Word and rebuked King Herod for divorcing his wife (Mark 6:18). He proclaimed that Herod’s marriage to Herodius violated God’s Law (Leviticus 18:16, 20:21). Herod and Herodius were angry and just wished John the Baptist would leave them be.
I ask, who is the arrogant one?
Is it the man who proclaims the Word of the Lord?
Or is it the man and wife that wants to reject the Word of the Lord?
Eventually, John the Baptist would be beheaded by the King. And at that point even the slow among us see the truth of the matter.
Christians, Proclaim The Word
I’d like to end by saying this. The measure of your humility is not whether or not someone in rebellion against God believes you to be humble. The measure of your humility is whether or not you are willing to lay down your own desires and even your life at the feet of King Jesus. That humble service is what the Lord requires of us.
So go out and tell others about Jesus. Speak all that God has commanded us to speak. Proclaim all that God has commanded us to proclaim. And let this crooked and evil generation say what they will.
Their attitude toward you is not the measure of truth.
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