God HATES the 'Elite Spirit' - another "trap" we must avoid in this hour!

I am indebted to the influence of one teacher for much of the substance of this blog post.  I can no longer endorse the man because of other areas of his life, but the truth of this post remains true nonetheless.

In this interesting hour, there are many "traps" that Christians can fall into and have fallen into.  We can fall into fear. And many have fallen.  Some remain, some have found their way out.  But this has undoubtedly been one of the greatest struggles globally for the Body of Christ.  I have blogged and podcasted about this trap and how to get free and stay free by the grace of God.  So I won't be re-visiting the issue of fear in this post.  Check out previous blog posts and at least 6 podcasts on the topic of "Fear Extinguishing" (https://joel2generation.podomatic.com/).

Another trap that I have seen is the trap of compromise.  That also isn't the main topic of this blog post, but needs to be mentioned. In this hour, instead of giving in to fear, other believers have given in to compromise - throwing themselves into endless hours of entertainment, pornography, and/or other addictions. Whether to numb their pain, to try and 'manage' their fear, and/or to simply distract themselves, compromise is everywhere.  

But the trap I want to discuss is the trap of elitism, which is yet another ditch that we can fall into in a season like this.  For those who have risen up and decided that they won't get under fear on the one hand and they won't become dull in spirit through compromise on the other, there is the temptation towards pride and elitism.  

Clearly, this has been an hour of testing for the Body of Christ, and through it, God has been refining the faith of many.  God has been revealing many things in our lives.  He has been gracious in so doing. He has been patient.  He has given us many opportunities to repent for the things He has shown us.  

And in the midst of it all, He wants us to keep our eyes focused upon Him - focused upon Jesus! And this is the place, I believe, that will keep us from falling into the trap of pride and/or the elite spirit.  Jesus' life modeled perfect obedience, without fear, without compromise...a sinless life from beginning to end.  

So when I am tempted to think that my obedience is somehow greater than/more than the obedience of others, I am reminded to focus again on the life of Jesus.  It is in that place that the Lord has often reminded me of my fear and my compromise.  It is in that place that God reveals to me the attitudes in my heart - the anger, the lack of love, the frustrations, and calls to repent for ways in which I am not living in wholehearted obedience. 

I believe with all of my heart that God is emphasizing globally that the Christianity that many were content to be living with wasn't going to sustain us in an hour of testing. He is calling His Church to follow Him radically.  And yet, that has ALWAYS been His call. That has always been the cost of discipleship.  It is only, however, in the hour of testing that we can know what our faith consists of. 

There is therefore no room for pride and elitism. This is the Christian life - to be living free from fear, to be living without compromise, AND to be walking humbly with our eyes focused upon Jesus, where no pride is possible.   I am reminded of Micah 6:8, which ends, "...and to walk HUMBLY with our God".

As I was spending time with the Lord today, I was reminded to get my eyes OFF OF OTHERS and to stop concerning myself with what they were or were not doing! I was reminded that the only way to do that is to focus my eyes once again on the life of Jesus (Heb 12:2).  I was reminded that God is OPPOSED to the proud...but gives grace to the HUMBLE (James 4:6, 1 Pet. 5:5).  

And as I am finishing this post, I am reminded that I will hear "Well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matt. 25:23)...IF I do what God is commanding me to do...IF I am obeying the mandate He has given me.  NOT if I am constantly looking at what other Christians are or are not doing!

So let us avoid ALL of the traps - the trap of fear, the trap of compromise, AND the trap of pride and elitism. ...For such a time as this!