We may think there are no ugly crimes perpetrated within Christendom,
especially in the likes of Nirbaya or a Sandy Hook massacre.
That thought could lead us to be smug in our glass houses, thinking all is well
within Christendom. But no, not all is well in Christianity.
Do we think
of our church as the best, our denomination so close to God’s heart, our music
and worship even appealing to the heavenly realms, our knowledge of the Bible
so vast, deep and impressive, our prayers greatly remarkable and efficient, and
our sermons enchantingly admirable?
How often
do we mock at our neighbors faults? How often do we boast to our family and
friends that we are so unlike the other sinful and appalling mortal (Cf Luke
18:9-14)?
If we have
gone through these motions, then welcome to the world of spiritual pride!
At the
heart of spiritual pride is a deeply embedded superior religiosity that looks
down on everybody around. Let me give you an example from my own life. By the
grace and power of God, I discarded smoking and alcoholism several years ago.
My immediate response to practicing Christians who drink and smoke was that of
a holy scorn. I mocked the legitimacy of their Christianity. How can they
continue to drink and even drink like a fish, and smoke and even smoke like a
chimney, and yet claim to be practicing Christians! I walked with a powerful
halo around my condescending head showering utter disregard to these
Christians.
Condemnation
also manifests in other ways – subtle as they may be. Couple of days ago, I had
a short chat with a person I shall leave unnamed. He was shifting home, hence
they requested their Pastor to visit and bless their new home. But on the day
of their moving in, they were told that the Pastor was ill and cannot visit. If
the Pastor was genuinely ill, then one should give him the latitude, for he is
also a human being with a legitimate need to rest and recover. However, we need
to ask one question here, if the same request had come from a powerful and influential
member of that church, or from a rich member of that church, or from one of the
elders, would the Pastor have visited the home in spite of his illness? The
answer is only known to that Pastor and of course, God. If a Pastor or a church
leader shows favoritism, then the person who has been deprived of the Pastor’s
attention has been condemned to a state of humiliation.
The
holocaust was motivated because of the Nazi principle, “Life unworthy of life.”
Then and literally, the Nazi’s decided who lived and died. Today and not so
literally, we decide who lives and dies. Those condemned die a million deaths.
One would not realize this fact unless they have experienced condemnation.
