Romans 12:16, Be Not Wise In Your Own Conceits

Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

When he was a student, the famous Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi considered becoming a Christian. He read the Gospels and was moved by them. It seemed to him that Christianity offered a solution to the caste system that plagued the people of India.

One Sunday, he went to a local church. He had decided to see the pastor and ask for instruction on the way of salvation. But when he entered the church, which consisted of white people, the ushers refused to give him a seat. They told him to go and worship with his own people. He left and never went back. “If Christians have caste differences also,” he said, “I might as well remain a Hindu”.

This tragic story illustrates the sin of bringing worldly prejudices into the church of Jesus Christ. James teaches against it in James 2:1-8 “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? 8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:” His focus is on the sin of showing favouritism to the rich and despising the poor, but his words apply to all types of prejudice, whether it is based on economic status, race or anything else. To favour some people and to disregard others based on outward factors is a terrible sin that plagued the early church ins James’s day. It has plagued the church in every generation. It stemmed from our fallen hearts.

This is what the Apostle Paul warns against in this text. William MacDonald said well, “We should avoid any trace of snobbishness and should be as outgoing toward humble, lowly folk as toward those of wealth and position. When an illustrious Christian arrived at the terminal he was met by leaders from the church where he was to speak. The limousine pulled up to take him to a plush hotel. “Who usually entertains visiting preachers here?” he asked. They mentioned an elderly couple in a modest home nearby. “That’s where I would prefer to stay,” he said. Again, the apostle warns against a believer being wise in his own opinion. The realization that we have nothing that we did not receive should keep us from an inflated ego”.

May God help us to have a servant’s heart. Amen.