I firmly believe that “faith in God” is the exact opposite of being “a demonstration of arrogance.” The word arrogance means “having an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities.”  I believe that “faith in God is a demonstration of humility and a lack of self-confidence in one’s own abilities.” We could look at dozens of scriptures that teach this but due to limited space we’ll only touch on a few scripture passages.

In 1st Corinthians 1:18-21 we read, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of  God, THE WORLD BY WISDOM DID NOT KNOW GOD, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (NKJV) In this short passage we learn that MAN, IN HIS ARROGANCE AND PRIDE, DOES NOT BELIEVE IN GOD. In fact, it is his supposed wisdom that prevents him from knowing God. Because of his so-called wisdom he refuses to believe in God and the way of salvation He has provided for mankind. He believes the “message of the cross is foolishness.” Yet there are those who believe in God and that the good news of salvation through Christ crucified is “the power of God.” Paul echoed this same truth in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” This is NOT arrogance; it is true humility that owns the truth that man is incapable of saving himself from sin and its dire consequences. Paul expressed this humility and lack of faith in his own ability to save himself in Galatians 6:14, ‘But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1st Corinthians 1:27-29 continue to teach us that man is NATURALLY ARROGANT and that they SEEK THEIR OWN GLORY and that only the believer will be HUMBLE and GLORY IN THE LORD. “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, THAT NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE. But of Him you (i.e. believers) are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, ‘HE WHO GLORIES, LET HIM GLORY IN THE LORD.’”

I want to quote a few more verses that show us that “faith in God” is “a true demonstration of humility and a lack of self-confidence in one’s own abilities.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 declares, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Jeremiah 10:23 and 17:9 read, “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps…the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”

In John 15:5 Jesus said, “I am the vine, you (believers in Christ) are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for WITHOUT ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.”

In closing, I would encourage you to read Hebrews Chapter 11 which has been called the FAITH CHAPTER. In this wonderful chapter we have the recorded acts of many HUMBLE BELIEVERS who were able to please God BY FAITH. Verse 6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” They had ZERO CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES but they had TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN GOD! Through faith they were able to endure unbelievable shame and suffering from the hands of wicked men who had NO FAITH IN GOD and TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES. So we end this short meditation as we started, by seeing (from Scripture) that “faith in God is a demonstration of humility and a lack of self-confidence in one’s own abilities.”  (386.1)  (DO)