ANTHROPOCENTRICISM

ANTHROPOCENTRICISM

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Isaiah GW 53:1-12 … He was despised and rejected by people. He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering. He was despised like one from whom people turn their faces, and we didn't consider him to be worth anything. He certainly has taken upon himself our suffering and carried our sorrows, but we thought that God had wounded him, beat him, and punished him. He was wounded for our rebellious acts. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from his wounds. …

1Thessalonians 5:14-24 We encourage you, brothers and sisters, to instruct those who are not living right, cheer up those who are discouraged, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that no one ever pays back one wrong with another wrong. Instead, always try to do what is good for each other and everyone else. 16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God's will in Christ Jesus that you do this. 19 Don't put out the Spirit's fire. 20 Don't despise what God has revealed. 21 Instead, test everything. Hold on to what is good. 22 Keep away from every kind of evil. 23 May the God who gives peace make you holy in every way. May he keep your whole being-spirit, soul, and body-blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

  “Anthropocentricism” sounds like a fatal disease, doesn’t it? Everyone has it, and without proper treatment it reaps havoc in spirit, soul, and body unto sickening or even death. (1Cor.11:30)

  Anthropocentricism is belief humans are nature’s most important entity in the universe, the treating of humans as preeminent; including and never apart from seeing life and all things in human terms, especially judging everything according to human perceptions, values, experiences, and needs. (Sadly, in some Christian circles, this latter characteristic is common religious practice.)

  Anthropocentricism is the lordly mindset that others are to please, serve, respect, and meet my needs, all this while I judge, criticize, impress, and manipulate them.

  Anthropocentricism seeks and works at domesticating God to a god of my own making, seeing Him as being here for me, obedience to him (if at all) being selective according to my pleasure.

  Anthropocentricism can be easily recognized most of the time, but with the more sophisticated personality it is not so obvious and can even be misconstrued and lauded as leadership quality.

  Since Eden’s calamity everyone is afflicted with anthropocentricism.

  What might the saving cure be?

  It is humility; realized only through submission to Holy Spirit directed spirit of meekness, other-mindedness, worshipping the Alpha and Omega as Master of all. (Ps.8:1-9; Jn.15:5; Rom.3:10; 12:1-3)

  Let us heed Paul’s exhortation: “If there is therefore any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tendernesses and mercies, then fulfill my joy, that you may be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Do not let each man look upon his own things, but each man also on the things of others. For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (MKJV Phil.2:1-8)

  Oh, and one more thing . . . if you’re like me and have trouble remembering or pronouncing anthropocentricism, just say “arrogant pride”, it’s the same thing.  EBB4