Conceited Christians

by Bud Lambert

Love is not arrogant (NASB), puffed up (KJV, ASV), conceited (Arndt and Gingrich), or proud (NIV) ( I Corinthians 13:4).

The word "conceited" only occurs seven times in the New Testament - six times in I Corinthians and one time in Colossians. From Paul's use of the word, there are at least three realities we can learn about conceited Christians.

One reality is that, even though he may wear the name and go through the motions, a conceited Christian's heart/mind is not being controlled by the love of God, but by an unspiritual or fleshly mind full of vain ideas ( Colossians 2:18).

A second reality is that a Christian becomes conceited when he starts thinking he knows it all. Paul says, "knowledge puffs up (makes us conceited), but love builds up" ( 1 Corinthians 8:1). If you find a Christian who thinks he knows all there is to know about God's will or that he has all the answers and is never wrong, you have found a conceited Christian. Instead of being a sign of a "real" Christian, being a know-it-all is a sign of ignorance: "and if any man think that he knoweth anything he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know" ( 1 Corinthians 8:2).

A third reality is that, while looking and trying to find fault with the "non-know-it-alls," conceited Christians end up allowing themselves to become spiritually weak. Because they think they are perfect, they don't try to grow or change - they think they have arrived spiritually (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:8-14 and 1 Corinthians 10:1-12). As a result they become spiritually numb and spiritually sick. That is what happened to the conceited Corinthian Christians. As a result of their conceitedness, they allowed obvious sins to go unchecked ( 1 Corinthians 5:1-3) and started dividing the church ( 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 3:1-6; 4:1-7), both of which were about to destroy the church.

Conceited Christians are know-it-alls who think that pretending to know all there is to know about God's will is a sign of being a real Christian, but which, in reality, is a sign of ignorance and an unspiritual mind full of vain ideas.

Real Christians love ( I John 4:7, 8), and love is not conceited ( 1 Corinthians 13:4).

January 30, 2002



Conceited Christians by Bud Lambert Love is not arrogant (NASB), puffed up (KJV, ASV), conceited (Arndt and Gingrich), or proud (NIV) ( I Corinthians 13:4). The word "conceited" only occurs seven times in the New Testament - six times in I Corinthians and one time in Colossians. From Paul's use of the word, there are at least three realities we can learn about conceited Christians. One reality is that, even though he may wear the name and go through the motions, a conceited Christian's heart/mind is not being controlled by the love of God, but by an unspiritual or fleshly mind full of vain ideas ( Colossians 2:18). A second reality is that a Christian becomes conceited when he starts thinking he knows it all. Paul says, "knowledge puffs up (makes us conceited), but love builds up" ( 1 Corinthians 8:1). If you find a Christian who thinks he knows all there is to know about God's will or that he has all the answers and is never wrong, you have found a conceited Christian. Instead of being a sign of a "real" Christian, being a know-it-all is a sign of ignorance: "and if any man think that he knoweth anything he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know" ( 1 Corinthians 8:2). A third reality is that, while looking and trying to find fault with the "non-know-it-alls," conceited Christians end up allowing themselves to become spiritually weak. Because they think they are perfect, they don't try to grow or change - they think they have arrived spiritually (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:8-14 and 1 Corinthians 10:1-12). As a result they become spiritually numb and spiritually sick. That is what happened to the conceited Corinthian Christians. As a result of their conceitedness, they allowed obvious sins to go unchecked ( 1 Corinthians 5:1-3) and started dividing the church ( 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 3:1-6; 4:1-7), both of which were about to destroy the church. Conceited Christians are know-it-alls who think that pretending to know all there is to know about God's will is a sign of being a real Christian, but which, in reality, is a sign of ignorance and an unspiritual mind full of vain ideas. Real Christians love ( I John 4:7, 8), and love is not conceited ( 1 Corinthians 13:4). January 30, 2002	Mt. Juliet Church of Christ 1940 N. Mt. Juliet Road P.O.Box 248 Mt.Juliet, TN 37122-0248 (615)758-2274 Fax:615-754-2351 Email Worship Services: Sunday Early Worship: 8AM Sunday Bible Study: 9:15AM Sunday Late Worship: 10:15AM Night Worship: 6PM Wednesday Bible Study: 7PM