It’s humbling to admit, but I’ve been in the place of religious pride many times. It’s such an easy trap to fall into without even realizing that you are caught up in it. I pray that God will show me my religious pride and help me leave it behind in the present and steer clear of it in the future. I never want to visit or live in the place of religious pride again. (I find it so easy to sit in the place of religious pride. Lord, help me avoid it.)
If I’m not careful I can be like the religious leaders in the Bible who said this about Jesus: “This man is performing many signs. If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” (John 11:47-48) Because of their spiritual pride those religious leaders manipulated the Roman government into crucifying Christ.
Even today religious leaders are threatened by the risen Jesus and are afraid of losing “both our place and our nation.” If church members begin to put all their focus on daily following and obeying the living Jesus, religious leaders will lose much of their power and authority. Because of that threat religious leaders feel the need to keep Jesus contained and controlled in religious structures, programs, services, activities, ceremonies, sermons, and institutions.
One of the two thieves being crucified with Jesus relied on his own pride, self-focused desire, and obstinate opinion. He demanded: ““Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” The other one humbly admitted his great need for a Savior and with a surrendered heart called Christ by name and said: “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” (Luke 23:39-43)
Is there Christian unity? Yes, there is. All true Christ-followers worldwide are united. We are one in God’s Spirit. We are connected to the risen Jesus and to each other. Yet we hide our unity behind religious pride, self-focused desires, obstinate opinions, and organizational walls.
Isn’t it time that we humbly admit our great need for a Savior and with a surrendered heart consistently seek first the kingdom (inner government) of God and His righteousness? (Matthew 6:33) If we Christ-followers truly believe that Jesus is risen from the dead then we need to listen to and obey Him day and night.
To be a member of the body of Christ is to be united through the Holy Spirit with all the other members of the body of Christ worldwide. Christians are called to follow and obey the living Jesus, not a particular church or nation. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) “Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)
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