"Get Out of My Way Jesus!"

Thinking about Romans 12:16.

Image created in Canva.

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. (Romans 12:16)

We live in a time when everyone wants to be known - everyone wants to be the next “overnight” success story.

The first century in Rome was not that different from our world today. People would do whatever it took to climb the ladder of success. Paul knew the church in Rome needed to be warned about allowing their culture and Rome’s view of becoming successful to mold their way of thinking.

If pride, arrogance, and selfish ambition creep into the church and influence the lives of Christians, we hide the cross of Christ from the world - rather than allowing Christ to stand front and center.

We live in a time of superlatives - the greatest evangelist, the greatest preacher, the greatest theologian, the greatest actor - we desire dignity, position. We want some title and to be addressed properly. No wonder Christ cannot be seen! Men are too busy building up themselves rather than hiding behind the cross of Jesus. - Wacaster, Studies in Romans, 444

Paul’s Three Commands Regarding Pride.

Regarding pride and arrogance among God’s people, Paul gave three commands to the Christians in Rome.

Do not show favoritism to your brethren.

The word Paul uses for “mind” means “having an opinion about something or judging something to be one way or another” in either a negative or positive way (Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 445).

Paul reminded Christians elsewhere not to show favoritism (2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 2:2; 4:2). Among Christians, there ought not be favoritism shown based on things like a person’s wealth, skin color, or education level.

Do not trample others.

Paul commands Christians not to be “haughty” (ESV), but to associate with the humble. Haughty is connected to “striving after high things and being overly ambitious” (Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 445).

If a person thinks too highly of himself and sees others as lower than himself, then he will have no problem trampling on anyone who “gets in his way.”

In Roman society, rich people did not associate with poor people. And yet, in Christ, they were all one (Galatians 3:27-29). Paul reminds Christians not to think too highly of themselves, and not to mistreat others.

Do not think too highly of your own thinking.

The BBE phrases this last command as “Do not give yourselves an air of wisdom.”

Do not rely on your own inflated wisdom, which can cause an unjustified high opinion of yourself! (See Romans 11:20; Proverbs 3:7; Isaiah 5:21). - Pollard, Truth for Today Commentary, 446

Don’t arrogantly try to sound smarter than you really are! This never happens in the church today, does it?

Do We Do This?

While what Paul is saying in this passage has application to how Christians interact with the world, I think he is primarily concerned with how Christians treat one another.

Have we failed to listen to God’s warning in this passage?

• “I’ve been a member of this church my whole life. My granddaddy helped build this church so I deserve some say-so in what goes on around here!”

• “The other elders don’t have any business management experience, so they ought to defer to me on all financial matters.”

• “Do you know how much money I give to this church? If you don’t do this my way, I’ll go somewhere else!”

• “If I could get on some of those lectureships and seminars, then I could show people what a good preacher I am and I would have more influence in the brotherhood.”

We are kidding ourselves if we think we don’t have this problem.

What Paul wrote by inspiration in Romans 12:16 is just as needed and applicable to us today as it was to the Christians in Rome during the first century.

---

The big problem with ignoring what Paul writes to Christians about pride in this passage is that it results in us exalting ourselves and pushing Jesus Christ off to the side so we can enjoy the spotlight on center stage.

This kind of thing is common in our world, but it ought not be so among God’s people.

Jesus Christ should be exalted and glorified among Christians - and not ourselves.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (2 Corinthians 2:1-5)