February 9, 2009
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Best of Revsteve again - Is God Arrogant? 6/15/93
Webster's defines the following:arrogance: "a feeling of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner, or presumptous claims."
arrogant: "exaggerating or disposed to exaggerate one's own worth or importance in an overbearing manner"
Napolean was arrogant. Hitler was arrogant. The KKK is arrogant. Racists are arrogant.
In order to be arrogant, to (wrongly) think that you are better than or more important than, anyone else, one must be on the same level of "being" as those he/she is being arrogant toward. For you to think that you are better than a clam, or more important than a crow is not arrogance, it is fact. However, for you to think that you are better, more important, or more valuable, than someone else, this is arrogance.
For example, it would not be arrogance for Michael Jordan to think that he was a better basketball player at eight years of age, than I ever could be. This is a fact. But if he believes that his ability makes him a higher form of "being" than I am, he would be arrogant.
When we speak of God, we are, by definition, speaking of a (the) Supreme Being that is, was, and always be supreme. By Webster's definition, god is defined as "the supreme or ultimate reality: as a: the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness whom men worship as creator and ruler of the universe."
By the definition of "arrogance," God cannot be arrogant. For God to think that he is better than, more important than, more valuable than us is not arrogance, it is fact. But I disagree completely that God acts in an arrogant manner. The cross completely negates the view that God is arrogant.
Philippians 2:5-11 5You attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross.
Would an arrogant person die willingly for an "inferior" person? Yet, this is exactly what God has done in us through Jesus Christ. He died for us. For those who acknowledge this, there is life "to the max." Perhaps the bowing and kneeling isn't so much demanded, as it is a result of receiving the gift of eternal life.
If I gave you $1,000,000, your jaw would drop in amazement. In light of what God has done for me, my knee is "required" to bend: my worship is drawn out. It is only a reasonable response to the incredible mercy of the Creator that I rebelled against by my sinfulness.
He will not in this life, force you to bow to him. In this life it is a matter of choice. There will come a time when "every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
To come to the Lord God, maker of heaven and earth, you must come to him on his terms, not yours. It seems a bit arrogant of you (sorry to say this) to critique God, thinking that you are in a position to call him unfair.
You need the love, mercy, and forgiveness that he offers to you this very moment. A new start with a clean heart.
