PASTOR SCOTT BOERCKEL
One of the charges leveled at Bible believing Christians is that they are filled with hypocrisy and pride…No one can say that they live the Christian life with perfect consistency. No one can say that they have not looked at the sins of others and been more outraged by those sins than the sins that we ourselves are committing. There is a reason that the charges of hypocrisy and pride stick to us in human conscience. It is that the charges are true.
This OakLeaf focuses on the topic of pride and hypocrisy.
The Valley of Vision is a collection of Puritan prayers many of which were first prayed over 400 years ago. One such prayer includes this petition, “Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high”. The prayer marks well the Christian’s struggle against pride and hypocrisy. In this edition of the OakLeaf you will find encouragement and help for your struggle.
“As modern-day believers, we must guard against the same type of ‘pride” when we see ourselves as following all the rules.”
“Christ calls us to abide in Him in a way that His life is the source of our own… our responses in these situations pour forth his love.”
“Good works are not enough. We must do good works in the context of Knowing God and God knowing us…an outflowing of our relationships with Christ.”
“God wants to bring spiritual refreshment to each of us as well as awakening to the broader world. God deserves to be the center of attention.”
“Pride is like an onion with many layers and at the core is the belief that self and self preservation is more important than God.”
“When others know we are Christians and do things contrary to our Christian beliefs, it tarnishes our witness as a Christian.”
