“Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.”
1 Corinthians 3:18-23
So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul (Augustine) or Apollos (Calvin) or Cephas (Luther) – We can insert any prominent theologian names here to make the point even clearer. If you believe you have the Holy Spirit, this is a worthy promise to every believer,
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
James 1:5
It’s been all over the news lately where people raised questions on the title that precedes the name of Mrs. Biden. One thing is for sure though. The world is easily impressed with titles and this prompts the necessity of inserting it in every instance she’s being introduced. What’s impressive to the world is detestable in God’s sight (Luke 16:15).
Whoopi made a grave mistake of crediting Jill Biden to be a surgeon when in reality, she was not trained in that field, but rather education. If she were to operate on someone, the patient would be in grave danger.
What I do find most interesting is that the current First Lady – Melania, in the world’s standards is the embodiment of what the world esteems. She has beauty (she graced the cover of a magazine), brains (she’s fluent in multiple languages) and lastly, she’s the wife of the most powerful leader in the Western hemisphere. It is headscratching that the mainstream media has much disdain for her, but it’s quite obvious why they hate the woman. It appears she has everything!
Christians easily fall prey to the same carnal mindset of esteeming people because of titles. For this we are warned,
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”
Mark 8:36
If you are a Born again believer and think this way, you won’t lose your soul per se, but you are choosing to become a friend of the world by adopting the ways of the world. In effect becoming ‘tasteless salt’ (Luke 14:34).
In the words of God’s chosen vessel to preach to the gentiles (Acts 9:15) is the pattern of thought a follower of Christ ought to espouse,
“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ”
Philippians 3:8
“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
Luke 14:33