The first fruit in the list of fruit of the Spirit is love. Everything we do with others ought to be to help them walk with Christ more fully. Those who do not have love are like a sounding Gong, without empathy toward others. Even when we correct others it ought to be with the intention of helping them not to be superior to them.
Romans 12:15
"15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."
Many of us carry the burdens of concern for unsaved loved ones, even those who are pretenders living as though they think highly of themselves while judging others for thing that are not true in order to maintain a superior attitude.
When we love someone we look to help them have a clean and authentic walk with Christ. Our goal ought never to be superior to them beating them down for their sins, but restoring them when they are repentant. We quote scripture with them to help them return their thinking to Christ, dispelling all the untruth they have heard from the apostate church. If we love someone we tell the truth.
In our world, the "truth-teller" is the one who is most despised.
Luke 24:46-47
"46 and He said to them, “So it is written, that the [a]Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance [b]for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed [c]in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem."
Often those who think they are superior spend a lot of time judging others for things that are innocent, to be able to feel special. These people cannot be comfortable about themselves unless they are above others.
An attitude of superiority shows a spirit of pride. None of us is superior to another, we have all sinned and fallen short of God's will. It is only Christ Who is superior.
Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
Our response to salvation in Christ ought to be one of such gratefulness that we are confessing the slightest infraction against Him in our hearts before it even becomes actions. We hate offending God. We cannot grow in holiness without continual confession of attitudes, thoughts and actions if it comes to those.
1 John 1:9 "9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
Those who act superior to others are demonstrating that they believe they have not sinned. No one who knows their need for continual cleansing would ever act superior to others.
Isaiah 57:15
"For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite."
The sin that is above all sin and derives all sin in the heart and the actions that result from a heart that does not confess, is that of pride.
Proverbs 29:23
"One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor."
Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
The poor in spirit are those who know they are nothing without Christ. God works the best and the most in those who know their unworthiness but glory in His!!!
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