Lesson 64. Spiritual Pride

When a person is born into this world, his mind is like a blank sheet of paper upon which all knowledge, life experience, discoveries, revelations, and opinions are recorded. And the first information that a person comprehends logically and accepts as corresponding to reality becomes his personal possession, a part of his worldview. He carries this store of knowledge with him throughout his life.

If my mother taught me in childhood to wash my hands before eating, I will follow this knowledge all my life, receiving abundant evidence from every direction that it is right. Later, I will teach my children to do the same.

Religious knowledge is based on the same principles. The truth and teaching that I discovered, that convinced me of their reliability, and that I accepted into my heart at the very beginning of my journey to God shaped my consciousness. They laid a firm foundation within it, convincing me that this particular teaching is true and that all other knowledge should also be built upon it. Fellowship with fellow believers, along with their experiences and opinions, unites us into one community in which we are all of one accord amid our diversity.

The enemy of the soul knows these characteristics of the human mind and actively works to introduce all kinds of heresies and godless false teachings into humanity. He tries to convince people of them and make these teachings a person’s first opinion on a particular issue. Therefore, it is often easier to teach an uninformed and uneducated person than to retrain someone who already knows something and is convinced of it.

The distinctive feature of God’s truth is that it is clearly presented in Holy Scripture. It is logical and consistent, has abundant biblical, prophetic, and historical confirmation, and does not contradict scientific discoveries or common sense. The Holy Spirit accompanies the messengers of truth, convincing and correcting through them those who seek truth and meaning, and inscribing in the minds of the students the beauty of the plan of salvation and the logical sequence of revelations. All this shapes my worldview so firmly that I am ready to remain faithful to it even in the face of death.

The enemy of the soul cannot withstand the truth or prevent God from spreading it, but he is able to send temptations that lead people astray and offer empty, confusing information. Satan also tries to drive every truth to the point of fanaticism.

For example, washing one’s hands before eating is right, and it is truth. But if I begin controlling people in this matter, asking them every time whether they washed their hands, how long they washed them, how many times, and what kind of soap they used, and then also demand that they show me their palms and the dirt on the towel, I will eventually be asked to leave them alone. I will see that people are avoiding me. And they will be right, not because they rejected the truth, but because they rejected my fanaticism. Along with it, they also rejected me and my teaching.

Truth without love is fanaticism and one of the enemy of the human soul’s favorite ways of presenting information.

Heresy and false teachings offered with friendliness and a semblance of love will never become truth and will not lead deceived souls into God’s quiet harbor.

Knowledge of the truth does not always make a person arrogant, but we will now consider precisely such a situation.

When I comprehend a religious teaching or spiritual discipline, I become an expert in that field and can answer any question very quickly, comparing everything and making decisions on the basis of my knowledge and experience. And I feel superior to those who know nothing or know less than I do. This state of affairs begins to make me arrogant. I suddenly decide that I am someone of importance. Awareness of my enlightenment exalts me in my own eyes.

And, of course, I am absolutely certain that my religion, whose teaching I follow, is the most correct one.

Such an approach gives me strength and courage to win new souls and plan various missionary projects.

When I see success and blessing in my work, I become more firmly established in my ambitions.

Then I meet a representative of another teaching who, like me, is firmly established in his truth and his religion. A dialogue begins between us. We determine which denomination our opponent belongs to, begin probing for weak points, and look for opportunities to present our teaching logically and in all its beauty. In response, however, I encounter outright rejection and counterarguments. The dialogue has failed. I hand over a book and continue my search.

The fullness of truth and membership in the correct denomination are good in themselves, but if I do not have love, what kind of truth am I carrying into the world? To those who listen, it sounds approximately like this: “I am better than you, so come join us.” Perhaps I am exaggerating a little, for a person’s choice must also be taken into account. Not everyone responds even to an appeal made with perfect love. Nevertheless, the following should be understood: if I have not love, then my faith and religion profit me nothing.

Who began the rebellion in Heaven? It was the wisest angel, who surpassed all other heavenly beings in his knowledge of God. But because of the spirit of vanity and pride, he fell and drew many of God’s sons with him into destruction. They also knew the truth, but they believed a lie and became proud, accepting the imaginary freedom offered by Satan. As a result, they all fell and were cast out of Heaven.

Who were the scribes and Pharisees in the days of Jesus? They were highly educated elders and spiritual leaders of their nation who exerted enormous influence upon people’s minds by instructing them in the Word of God and educating their people. But when Jesus came and showed them the truth with love, not all of them received Him and believed Him; afterward, many even decided to kill Christ. In the Bible, we read of the constant confrontation between truth in love and fanaticism. And where is the line that distinguishes these two similar concepts? Love separates them into darkness and light.

Spiritual pride is a clear understanding of biblical teaching and its acceptance into one’s life, but without the oil of love. For love does not boast. It is a correct understanding of church doctrines without the transformation of the carnal heart into a loving one. But God resisteth the proud. And I will be surprised to learn that, though I have all faith, understand all mysteries, and possess all knowledge, if I do not have love, I am nothing in God’s sight and in the light of the Bible.

It is very dangerous to be God’s adversary. I risk losing Eternity. And God resisteth proud and arrogant people. My knowledge of the truth does not give me a right to Eternal life if that truth is not mingled with God’s love.

But love without truth will also lead to my being declared a worker of iniquity, one who is not known by God. For example, I love my wife, but I also love my mistress. Will such love justify me? Or if I love God but break His commandment, do I thereby show Him my love? Sin is the transgression of the law, and love is the fulfilling of the law.

The best formula is the combination of love, law, faithfulness, and faith in Jesus. If anything is removed, the foundation will be unstable, and the house built upon it will collapse.

But what about the followers of another religion who believe a lie? They will perish! Love will help me find an approach to the hearts of these people as well, revealing to them the truth that flows from my kind attitude. If these souls remain closed, perhaps no one will ever be able to help them. But I do not know whether this is so; therefore, I take love with me and go in search of new friends in order to lead them to Jesus.

1. Please read 1 Corinthians 8:1–3; Luke 18:10–14; Revelation 13:5; Romans 10:3; and Ecclesiastes 1:18, and consider these verses in the light of our lesson.

2. What revelations did you receive while studying this subject?

3. What did you understand from this lesson?

4. What prevents “Laodicea” from receiving the message from God? See Revelation 3:17.

5. Why were the Jews in the days of Christ unable to attain righteousness?

6. Can church membership and knowledge of the truth save me?

7. At the end of time, will Satan use religious pride to gain control over the world and people’s minds?