Thought from today’s Bible reading from Isaiah 64-66.
It is not uncommon to hear people use the phrase “holier than thou” to speak critically of those who arrogantly operate as if they are somehow better than others (or are perceived to do so). People do not appreciate it when others act in this way. The passage below shows us what God thinks about this attitude.
“Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all the day” (Isaiah 65:5).
As God described this “rebellious people” (v. 2) who would “continually provoke” Him (v. 3), one of His complaints against them was this arrogant, “holier than thou” attitude they had toward their fellow man.
It is one thing to act righteously while others act wickedly (but even then, we must still exercise humility – Romans 11:20; Philippians 2:3). But this is not what the people in the above passage were doing. They were acting wickedly before God themselves. They were blind to their own sin and, in their arrogance, still believed they were better than others.
We are called to holiness (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15-16). But we must also be humble. All people have been made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). All people can be saved by God’s grace (Titus 2:11). Even if we respond appropriately to God’s grace by obeying Him and others reject Him and disobey, we are still not to be “conceited, but fear” (Romans 11:20).
Arrogance has no place in the life of a faithful child of God.
Tomorrow’s reading: 2 Kings 20-21
[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]
Daily Notes & Observations contains all 365 articles from this series and is available in paperback from Gospel Armory.
