Jas 3:14-16 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. (15) This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. (16) For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.
Most all of us know now that RASNs (revilers, abusers, sociopaths, narcissists) regard themselves as better. As superior. As entitled. Everyone else is inferior, undeserving, and certainly not better. That is how these children of the devil think. This is what drives their actions and words.
The truth is that ALL of us enter this world dead in sin, hostile to God, selfish, and fleshly. Only by the new birth in Christ can we be set free of that old man and the devil. But the person who is propelled by bitter jealousy and selfish ambition (the RASN), that kind of person is demonic. Fleshly. Devoid of the Spirit. They create chaos, disorder, and their practices are vile. They may disguise themselves as a child of God, but in fact they are servants of Satan.
This is why James warns us so carefully about this business. He tells us to first look to ourselves and understand that we were born in sin just like all the rest. Paul reiterates the same in Ephesians 2. We must not exalt ourselves above our brethren in Christ. But just think carefully – how many professing Christians in your church (or in your past church) exalted themselves. There is that professional man who regards himself as far above the blue collar worker. Or that attorney. Or the lady with all the Bible answers – head of women’s ministries. This disease is ubiquitous. (Had to use that word. I think it means everywhere).
What right do any of us have to see ourselves as better than our fellow believers? And Scripture is warning us that if this arrogant superiority is the pattern of life in a person, that person is animated by demons. No, that is not an overstatement. It is what God’s Word says.
One of the things we watch for in our church now, having learned hard lessons, is that a true Christian, led by the Spirit, is humble. They look to serve others out of real love. They are teachable. They are open to biblical correction. They are not divisive – quite the contrary.
Here then is a really excellent biblical test to see if someone who claims to be a Christian, really is. Just watch for this demonic “wisdom” which is from below. Watch for that jealousy and selfish ambition. These things are some of the very earliest warning signs that someone is not at all what they appear to be.
Kate
From the post: “Here then is a really excellent biblical test to see if someone who claims to be a Christian, really is. Just watch for this demonic “wisdom” which is from below. Watch for that jealousy and selfish ambition.”
Why do RASNs bother to read scripture (if they even do)? What are they trying to gain?
A weapon to use against us. A club to clobber and control us with. A way to win/war against us by crafty handling of God’s word.
RASNs think they are superior to us because they can learn all the words of the bible. They can read endless commentaries to learn the way others think about truth. This gives them the opportunity to play word games and “taunt” us with the beautiful Word of God. Since they belong to the devil and have no conscience, they laugh at our “stupidity.” They twist the truth (easily) and sit like a god directing God’s true children. There are many in in most churches today and they band together to keep many enslaved.
All my life I’ve heard how the Worthless One knows the bible better than anyone. I have no doubt that he knows all the WORDS that are written in it, but I know through God’s word that he cannot understand scripture in a saving way, and therefore a truthful way.
Matthew 13:11-15. ” “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has grown callous, they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.”
Satan has been around for a very long time. He may have been the first created being, endowed with the most intelligence (IQ), the most beautiful appearance, strongest nature, eidetic memory on and on, blah, blah, blah. He witnessed the creation of the heavens, the earth, humankind and no doubt many more spectacular things. Was he amazed, grateful, awestruck, more deeply in love with the creator of the universe after these feats of glory?
Nope. Since he is a RASN we know he was full of jealousy, already finding allies to rebel against God with him, plotting his revenge, feeling sorry for himself because he thought he deserved more, finding fault with God and His plan for humanity, and was absolutely sure it was his right to complain, and that he would win. (This is always the mindset of psychopaths.) We KNOW he thinks he is above humans and that we are garbage. His spiritual children are exactly the same. They think they are God (truly they do) and that we are garbage.
So, we shouldn’t be surprised by any of this as there is nothing new under the sun. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be saddened by it. We know God would rather we all come to Him, but we also know many won’t. Thanks again Pastor Crippen for stating the truth again and again.
Forward
There are so many now. It is very challenging to go out and not have some exposure in each outing. God bless you all who see them and do not yield to their disguised enticements. RASNs are satan’s messengers with a craving for control beyond imagine….. Thank you Pastor for keeping us bonded together in these messages, refusing their evil, even in the miles we are better equipped to deal with the demonic forces and continue forward and serve the Lord’s purpose in whatever way we have been called to.
Cordelia
The title of this blog describes 95% of the people at the company where I work. They at their essence are bratty, selfish, children who demand attention and expect to be catered to.
They treat me as “less than. “
Jeff Crippen
Birds of a feather gather. Yep. 30 years ago our church here had hordes of them. They gathered together. Couldn’t stand one another but they gathered.