October 31 is commonly known as Halloween, but something more significant happened on this day. This is the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door and forever cemented himself in history as the man who started the Protestant Reformation. So what is the big deal about the Reformation?
Without the Protestant Reformation, denominations such as the Baptist, Methodist, and other Protestant denominations would not exist. As Christians we would still be under the lie the Catholic church proposed that we can pay to get our dead relatives out of purgatory. We would also not be able to read the Bible in our native language.
So while everyone else is thinking about candy and costumes. As Protestant Christians, I challenge you to think about the sacrifice of men like Luther and Zwingli this October 31st. Think about their willingness to risk everything for the sake of the truth of the Gospel message. And lets ask ourselves will we be willing to do the same?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Confidence vs. Arrogance
What is the difference between confidence vs. arrogance?
Modern society has blurred the line between these two words. Dictionary.com defines confidence as belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance. In other words, having a sense of assurance that one can accomplish anything one sets his or her mind to. As the old slogan goes, if you can believe it you can achieve it. Is this confidence?
Dictionary.com goes on to define arrogance as making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights. Looking at both definitions closely we that both find their root in a person's own ability. The question then becomes what truly is confidence. Is it as society says believing in yourself and achieving what a person has set their mind to? I would like to say no.
Trusting in our own abilities does not show confidence but ultimately shows arrogance. When we say we do not need help that we can achieve whatever we want on our own then what is being communicated is that all of our success has happened solely because we made it happen.
Doesn't the CEO have to have employees to make money for his business? It takes five basketball players to make a team. Doesn't the multi platium singer have to have agents and fans in order to be a mult platium singer?
The fact is believing in a philosphy that says confidence is having trust in oneself abilities without acknowledging the outside resources needed to achieve success is not confidence, but arrogance. Might I suggest as Chritians the same bodes true for our salvation. Striving all our life to "fix" our life or "gettting right" with God before we accept Him is not being humble, but being arrogant. God desires to make you whole. The only way for that to happen is for us to come to the point where we stop trying to "do" everthing perfectly and start trusting in God to tansform us and shape us into His image. True confidence says I need help from others and God. Arroganc says God helps those that helps themselves.
Modern society has blurred the line between these two words. Dictionary.com defines confidence as belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance. In other words, having a sense of assurance that one can accomplish anything one sets his or her mind to. As the old slogan goes, if you can believe it you can achieve it. Is this confidence?
Dictionary.com goes on to define arrogance as making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights. Looking at both definitions closely we that both find their root in a person's own ability. The question then becomes what truly is confidence. Is it as society says believing in yourself and achieving what a person has set their mind to? I would like to say no.
Trusting in our own abilities does not show confidence but ultimately shows arrogance. When we say we do not need help that we can achieve whatever we want on our own then what is being communicated is that all of our success has happened solely because we made it happen.
Doesn't the CEO have to have employees to make money for his business? It takes five basketball players to make a team. Doesn't the multi platium singer have to have agents and fans in order to be a mult platium singer?
The fact is believing in a philosphy that says confidence is having trust in oneself abilities without acknowledging the outside resources needed to achieve success is not confidence, but arrogance. Might I suggest as Chritians the same bodes true for our salvation. Striving all our life to "fix" our life or "gettting right" with God before we accept Him is not being humble, but being arrogant. God desires to make you whole. The only way for that to happen is for us to come to the point where we stop trying to "do" everthing perfectly and start trusting in God to tansform us and shape us into His image. True confidence says I need help from others and God. Arroganc says God helps those that helps themselves.
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