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. 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. Always be joyful.
Never stop praying. Whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God's will in
Christ Jesus that you do this. Don't put out the Spirit's fire. Don't despise
what God has revealed. Instead, test everything. Hold on to what is good. Keep away
from every kind of evil. 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. 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,
and experiences. (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,
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, and without proper treatment it reaps havoc in spirit,
soul, and body, even unto to the death of one or all.
What might that treatment be?
It is godly humility; realized only through
submission to Holy Spirit directed spirit of meekness, other-mindedness,
worshipping the Sovereign 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 “Pride”,
it’s the same thing. EBB4 Tuesday, April
03, 2018
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