View source for Those who think themselves smart

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Those who think themselves smart are particularly vulnerable to delusion:

Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools (KJV)

1 Corinthians 1:19-21;27-29 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. . . . But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things- and the things that are not- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

it was the theologians and those who devoted their lives to the detailed study of God’s Word who were certain that Jesus could not possibly be the Messiah:

Matthew 11:25-26 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.  . . .”

Only God knows how many of us have been spiritually hoodwinked, proudly marching off to disaster, too drunk on our own supposed theological superiority and moral integrity to know we are off course.

You can only remain aware that deception could happen, and humbly keep looking to God for spiritual enlightenment. The Bible gives us examples of people who, despite already knowing God intimately, humbly recognized their need to continue seeking God’s illumination in order to avoid spiritual blindness:.

Exodus 33:13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you.  . . .

Psalms 25:4-5 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalms 119:18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

Psalms 119:19  . . . do not hide your commands from me.

Psalms 119:27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts . . .

Psalms 143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Ephesians 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened . . .

Other such Scriptures 

Prayer for Understanding

Psalms 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Psalms 119:12  . . . teach me your decrees.

Psalms 119:26  . . . teach me your decrees.

Psalms 119:33   Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees . . .

Psalms 119:34   Give me understanding . . .

Psalms 119:64  . . . teach me your decrees.

Psalms 119:66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment . . .

Psalms 119:68  . . . teach me your decrees.

Psalms 119:73  . . . give me understanding to learn your commands.

Psalms 119:108  . . . teach me your laws.

Psalms 119:124  . . . teach me your decrees.

Psalms 119:125  . . . give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.

Psalms 119:135  . . . teach me your decrees.

Psalms 119:144  . . . give me understanding that I may live.

Psalms 119:169  . . . give me understanding according to your word.

We have seen that worldliness is a means by which evil spiritual powers use mind control to dupe us to do their bidding without us even suspecting that we are being manipulated. Worldliness is a spiritual infection that targets the mind, and once our ability to think is affected, we are in serious trouble. So let’s examine some Scriptures that highlight ways of protecting our mind.
An obvious start is to guard our thought life. Expressed negatively:
Romans 13:14 . . . do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Or put positively:

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.
We have seen that Peter slid into deception because he did “not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Matthew 16:23). So we need to:

Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
This brings to mind such Scriptures as:

Matthew 6:19-21,33 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth. . . . But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. . . . But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness . . .

This is clearly relevant, but the “earthly things” we must keep our minds from are not just materialism or sensuality or secular pursuits. We have seen that even strict, apparently self-denying, religious rules are worldly in God’s eyes. This is because, no matter how godly such practices might seem, their origin is not in the true God, but in the diabolically deceptive pretender who puts on a supernaturally convincing display of being an angel of light.

So setting our minds on things above does not mean making a concerted effort to conform to the lifestyle of clean-living, “other worldly,” devout people. On the contrary, it flows from identifying with Christ’s sacrifice by dying to self as he did, through the supernatural power of what he achieved through swapping places with us on the cross. For this reason, the Scripture “set your minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2) is followed immediately by:

Colossians 3:3,5 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. . . . Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature . . .

This brings us back to a Scripture we have already examined:

Romans 12:1-2  . . . offer your bodies as living sacrifices . . . Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. . . .

We renew our minds by sacrificing our bodily desires, offering them to our loving Lord to be used only as he decides. Rather than being lovers of pleasures, we commit ourselves to being lovers of God. We dare to be non-conformists – embarrassingly different – by refusing to conform to the world around us – whether that be the secular world or the world of cherished church tradition or the latest Christian fad – whenever such thinking, no matter how persuasive, does not come from God.

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