Proper Order
not to think more highly of himself that he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has afforded to each a measure of faith. Romans 12:3
Ought – Understanding Paul is perhaps the most difficult task in New Testament theology. Even Peter complained that he was far too complicated – and Peter spoke Hebrew and wrote Greek! What in the world are we supposed to do? The only way is to take this slowly, like the pieces of a picture puzzle, each one fitted to the next to complete the entire image. Paul is building an argument about the role that every believer plays in the community of faith. We must know this! If we fail to understand his point, we will encounter only frustration and failure in our efforts to contribute to the edification of the body. So, let’s press on in spite of the difficulty. Don’t you want to know how you are going to be fully used by God?
Paul actually doesn’t say that humility is thinking more of yourself than you ought to. His Greek expression is more forceful. It uses the Greek word dei which means “must.” Paul says that we are not to think of ourselves more highly than we must. In fact, the phrase is striking. “Do not (as a matter of actual fact, not merely hypothetically) have higher thoughts (the verb is used only here in the New Testament – meaning to consider of great importance) of yourself than you must have. Denny comments that every man thinks of himself as the most important person in the world. This is the natural expression of ego. For those outside the bonds of Yeshua Messiah, the world revolves around them. But the one who is being transformed (going through metamorphosis) has a radical change in ego perspective. What was previously necessary and inevitable (dei) changes. In the past, I thought it proper and right to consider my own interests. It was necessary for my survival. It was the automatic posture of self-defense and self-progress. Paul exhorts us to see that all of this must change.
Paul’s solution to the inevitability of ego is “sound judgment.” What is that? It’s the same word used in Mark 5:15 to describe the demoniac’s return to sanity (right mind). It is the entire goal of Proverbs – to exercise wisdom as a demonstration of godly humility. Here Paul uses that special Greek construction eis to to point us toward purpose. The purpose of ego deflation is sanity! The Hebrew word picture helps us see God’s perspective here. From a biblical perspective, the opposite of the Hebrew word redeem (ga-al) is pride (gay-ah). The word pictures are striking. Redeem is “God is lifted up” but pride is “strength lifted up.” When I lift up God, I experience redemption and the consequence of redemption is a sane and ordered life. I enter into the right mind. I serve the King. I find my place where I am a delight to God and a blessing to others. But when I think of myself as most important, my pride sends me toward insanity. When I lift up my own strength, I flaunt God’s way. I think of myself as the captain of my own soul. I am deluded and delusional, and the consequences are dire.
Yes, there is more here than just how I ethically ought to think. This is not Pauline etiquette. This is Pauline psychotherapy. Paul isn’t concerned with just being a nice person by putting others first. Paul is concerned with the very essence of the Christian way. If you don’t get this, you don’t get any of it. It’s not my world and I must not act as though it is. Those who do are crazy.
Topical Index: Transformation
