Matthew 23 and hypocrisy

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RZehr
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Re: Matthew 23 and hypocrisy

Post by RZehr »

Bootstrap wrote:
I like this ... if you observe people in action, how can you tell the difference between pride and boldness, between exalting yourself and contending for the Gospel?

Jesus was clearly forceful in Matthew 23, Paul was clearly forceful in Galatians 2, I suspect some people - maybe the Pharisees? - would have called that pride. But both preach against pride. So how do you distinguish the two?

(These questions are for anyone who cares to answer.)
I'm don't think we can tell the difference easily because we cannot see the heart. And so I think the best way to tell, is to get to know the person. Then you are much better equipped to (a) see more sides of his character and (b) you now have a relationship in place which is beneficial in order to actually help the person.
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Robert
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Re: Matthew 23 and hypocrisy

Post by Robert »

Bootstrap wrote: How was that pride manifested?
Pride and elitism often go hand and hand. Scribes, like many modern age upper educated people, organically start to think that because they know more facts, they are more wise. As soon as one person looks at another and minimizes their input, experience, or opinion, they are showing pride. The elitist often uses terms like "you" and reduces another's input or opinion. When called out on it, they will then claim they were using it in a general sense, while all along, sometimes unknowingly because they do not really know everything, they were meaning it directed at the person they were talking with. Inwardly, I think, they are using their education to justify passive aggressive behavior instead of owning their own actions and how they were perceived by the person they were talking with. By owning their actions and accepting their humanness and imperfections, they are showing humility. This is often hard for one who already thinks they are better, smarter, or more educated then others.

People like this tend to drive others away in relationships and end up having to use their education to build themselves up, thus becoming prideful yet again.
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Robert
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Re: Matthew 23 and hypocrisy

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Try hard not to offend. Try harder not to be offended.
Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they are not after you.
I think I am funnier than I really am.
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