Do Not Be Arrogant, But Be Afraid

That's what Paul told the Romans.

In Romans Chapter 11, Paul explains how the Israelites were broken off from the vine of God so that the Gentiles could be grafted in. He knew the temptation would be for the Gentiles to become arrogant, just as the Israelites had done in believing they were God's only people. The Gentiles were in danger of repeating the same mistake.

In warning, Paul tells them not to be arrogant, but rather be afraid. Be afraid, because if God broke off the original branches (the Israelites) for the sake of the Gentiles, He could certainly break off the branches of the Gentiles for another.

What's this have to do with us?

As I believe Paul would say, everything! As a nation, as a church, as individuals, I believe we need to hear this word. We need to fear God.

Our bent, our natural trend, is toward arrogance. We tend to believe that we are responsible for what we accomplish, that we deserve whatever good comes our way, that we are entitled to have what we want. We have a disease of the "I." I am in control. I deserve to get what I want, what I have, what is available. I . . . I . . . I.

The truth is, I am not God. You are not God. We collectively are not God. We are not God's equals. We are not in control. We do not deserve what we have, nor what we want. The truth is, if not for God's mercy, we'd get exactly what we deserve, and none of us wants that.

What's this have to do with us? We're arrogant. We need to be afraid.

How are we arrogant?

The Israelites didn't want to accept God's laws, so they changed them (Romans 9:30-32). They didn't want to live by faith, but rather by works. They wanted to earn their way, and believed they could. To do so, they perverted God's word to fit their way of life. They kept what they wanted, and ignored the rest. They were God's chosen people--how could they go wrong?

Sound familiar? It does to me. I see it every day in the news, in our laws, in our political process. America has an I problem. We have put I above God. We are arrogant.

We need to be afraid.

There was a king of Babylon who had the same problem.

His name was Nebuchadnezzar. The story comes from Daniel Chapter 4. God put King Nebuchadnezzar in place and gave him riches, power, and dominion. One day the king was walking along the roof of his palace admiring all he had and said, "Is not this the great Babylon  I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?"

He had not even finished speaking before a voice from heaven spoke to him, telling him he was going to lose everything--even his humanity. For seven years, he lived like a wild animal, eating grass like a cow. His hair grew. His nails grew. He looked, and acted, like an animal for seven years. God put him in his place.

Think that can't happen today? Think again. The same God who struck down King Nebuchadnezzar is the God who can do the same to any, or all, of us today. Pride and arrogance brought him down. Pride and arrogance brought down Lucifer.

Pride and arrogance can bring us down as well.

Listen to Paul.

Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.

Fear God.

The alternative for Nebuchadnezzar was to live outside and eat grass like a cow.

Want to take that chance?