From GotQuestions.org on pride and arrogance:
“There is a difference between the kind of pride that God hates (Proverbs 8:13) and the kind of pride we can feel about a job well done (Galatians 6:4) or the kind of pride we express over the accomplishment of loved ones (2 Corinthians 7:4). The kind of pride that stems from self-righteousness or conceit is sin, however, and God hates it because it is a hindrance to seeking Him. Why is pride so sinful? Pride is giving ourselves the credit for something that God has accomplished. Pride is taking the glory that belongs to God alone and keeping it for ourselves. Pride is essentially self-worship. Anything we accomplish in this world would not have been possible were it not for God enabling and sustaining us. “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).”
“The words arrogance, arrogant, proud, and haughty are mentioned over 200 times in the NIV Bible. And in practically every occurrence, it is a behavior or attitude detested by God. The Bible tells us those who are arrogant and have a haughty heart are an abomination to Him: ‘Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished'”
As you can see the above quotes from GotQuestions are a match with what Isaiah prophesied below.
John 12: 37-43 (AMP)
37 Even though He had done so many miracles before them (right before their eyes), yet they still did not trust in Him and failed to believe in Him.
38 So that what Isaiah the prophet said was fulfilled: Lord, who has believed our report and our message? And to whom has the arm (the power) of the Lord been shown (unveiled and revealed)? [Isa. 53:1.]
39 Therefore they could not believe [they were unable to believe]. For Isaiah has also said,
40 He has blinded their eyes and hardened and benumbed their [callous, degenerated] hearts [He has made their minds dull], to keep them from seeing with their eyes and understanding with their hearts and minds and repenting and turning to Me to heal them.
From FaithLife Study Bible:
blinded This quote from Isa 6:10 follows Isaiah’s prophetic warnings. The people have already been warned, but they have ignored the prophet yet again, so God will no longer tell them His will (compare John 9:39; Isa 6:9–10 hardened Referring to the callousness of their repeated decisions not to follow God’s will.
turn, and I heal them These people have perpetually chosen to disobey God’s will, so God uses their disobedience for greater purposes.
From the Apologetics Study Bible
Is this deterministic predestination? No, for in Isaiah 6 (quoted here) God was responding to prolonged unbelief and rebellion by Israel and still held out hope for a righteous remnant who repented (v. 13). The same was true here, as some did in fact believe (v. 42). For those who didn’t, God merely confirmed their freely chosen disobedience.
From the Background Commentary
Reference from Mark 4:12 The point in the context of Isaiah 6:9–10, which Jesus quotes here, may be that God’s people had hardened their hearts so that they could not hear him; God thus chose to harden them further (what some have called “penal blindness”) by sending them his message anyway. They thus held some moral responsibility for their inability to hear.
For me vs. 40 has other biblical references toward “penal blindness,” and those scriptures are: Romans 1:28; 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12; 1 Timothy 4:1. I realize that these referenced verses do not contain the same context as expressed in John, however, in my opinion there is collusion between the verses in Paul’s letters.
41 Isaiah said this because he saw His glory and spoke of Him. [Isaiah 6:9, 10.]
From FaithLife Study Bible:
He saw his glory the quotation of Isa 53:1 establishes a parallel between the Suffering Servant and Jesus, and between the people who refused to believe God’s prophet, Isaiah, and those who refuse to believe Jesus. The people will not be given another chance to accept God’s message.
From the Apologetics Study Bible
In context, Isaiah 6:10 wasn’t even a prediction, much less one about Jesus. But Jews recognized typological as well as predictive prophecy. Typology is the repetition of a significant pattern of God’s activity in redemptive history that can properly be ascribed only to Him. Isaiah did make predictions about the Messiah on numerous occasions, and the context of Isaiah 6 looked beyond the present, evil generation of Isaiah, so it is understandable why John would believe that Isaiah previewed Jesus’ glory.
42 And yet [in spite of all this] many even of the leading men (the authorities and the nobles) believed and trusted in Him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that [if they should acknowledge Him] they would be expelled from the synagogue;
Vs. 42 is a tell because it reveals betrayal for acceptance and position. If you claim to follow God’s path and refuse to let go of your social or professional status you have deviated from God’s path and are lost because how can anyone believe and trust in Jesus while refusing to acknowledge their belief.
43 For they loved the approval and the praise and the glory that come from men [instead of and] more than the glory that comes from God. [They valued their credit with men more than their credit with God.]
Vs. 43 is a tell because this form of hubris leads to all sorts of destruction–even the destruction of the faith. Why? Because it for a religious ideology that distorts the gospel of the kingdom, the religious methods is no longer GOOD NEWS but a form of subjugation of the masses who seek to be saved and to live eternally with God.
From The Background Commentary
Vs. 43 The Greek word translated “glory” (NRSV) or “praise” (NIV, KJV) can also be translated “reputation” or “honor” but contrasts here with Jesus’ glorification (12:23). Ancient moralists sometimes condemned those who sought much glory; but achieving honor and status and avoiding shame were central obsessions, especially in urban masculine culture.
What is my point with all the references and personal comments? My point is attitude of the heart and mind in believers today and how believers today approach understanding God’s path for them. There can be no doubters claiming to follow Jesus just like there can be no doubters in following any ideals, ideology, or a sports team. A person is either all in or all out—there is no in between beliefs or any maybe this or that. People today lose their employment if they claim to believe a Christian, Jew or Muslim. What is happening today is not new, and it will get worse for those of the faith. We do not want to be blinded to the will of God for us, and we must remain steadfast in our beliefs. We are not ashamed of the gospel of the kingdom. We are not ashamed to admit we believe in Jesus and are willing to follow the path God has placed before us. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians the following: “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold [tightly] to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” Do not let go of what Paul wrote and accept some different doctrine that incorporates modern culture. As Paul tells the Corinthians “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].”
In closing: Please do not become pride filled with your faith, or with any church you have a high regard for. Be humble in all that you do and never become arrogant where pride prevents you from learning about God in a deeper way. I have been seeking the Lord since I was six years old and even now many years later I am still learning and seeking. I may understand a passage one way today, and next week I may see a deeper meaning within the passage or I may recognize an error in understanding. What ever the case, never close you heart and mind to the Lord.
Regards,
Michael
3/30/2023
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