“You shouldn't act as if everything is just fine when one of your Christian companions is promiscuous or crooked, is flip with God or rude to friends, gets drunk or becomes greedy and predatory. You can't just go along with this, treating it as acceptable behavior.” (1 Corinthians 5:11 MSG)
Elections bring the hypocrisy of partisanship into light. Many of us tend to overlook bad behavior from those who represent our party while being hypercritical of those on the opposing side. This is a form of pride. We identify with those who share our viewpoints and excuse their sins as inconsequential.
Spiritual pride makes us blind to the sins within our own tribe while being laser focused on the faults of outsiders. We are more likely to overlook promiscuity, crookedness, greed, drunkenness, and predatory behavior among our own kind while castigating others for their personal choices.
“God decides on the outsiders, but we need to decide when our brothers and sisters are out of line and, if necessary, clean house.” (1 Corinthians 5:13 MSG)
Can we actually keep each other away from sin? If so, how?
We can point out misbeliefs in our own group. This may or may not be accepted, but we are more likely to get through to our own kind than to outsiders. Spiritual pride is a product of unawareness. Honesty brings clarity. Discernment reorients us to God.
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