You might think I’m talking about the seat “at the head  of the table” referenced in Luke 14:7-11.  And that’s also a seat to be avoided at all cost.  The seat of selfish pride, of self-honor.

Or you might think I’m talking about “the seat of scoffers” referenced in Psalm 1:1, at the very beginning, in the very first verse of that longest of all biblical books and constant “love song” to the Lord and His Word.  And that too is a seat to be avoided at all cost.

But I’m talking about trying to place oneself in the seat of God Himself, as referenced in 2 Thessalonians 2:4.

You might not immediately think that you have anything in common with the Antichrist of end-times fame, and certainly it’s on a different scale, on both a prophetic and actual basis, but did you ever realize that any time we try to control things or other people, we are absolutely putting ourselves in HIS seat?  Since He – and He alone – is sovereign, since He shares  control with no one?  And every time we exhibit pride – like the Antichrist or those dinner guests in Luke 14 – that’s tantamount to placing ourselves in the seat of Him for whom alone “pride” and “Self” aren’t wicked and indeed, in His case, are utterly appropriate and fitting and righteous?  Pride is something of which He COULDN’T ever be guilty because He is worthy of all glory and honor and power and praise and worship, is He not?  Indeed He is.

He is worthy, YOU AND I ARE NOT.  Distinctly not.  (That statement should garner me an Oscar nomination for Biggest Understatement in a Supporting Role.)

We look at the Antichrist’s conduct described in 2 Thessalonians and Revelation and Daniel (among other passages) and immediately realize how foolish and silly and repulsive it is, yet we are guilty – in essence if not extent – of the very same thing whenever we would seek control over anything but ourselves (Galatians 5:23) or – “with all dignity” – one’s children (1 Timothy 3:4) during that temporary phase of their lives.  Whenever we let pride creep in by deeming ourselves better than others — than anyone else — or by seeking honor and glory for ourselves versus “putting the spotlight on others” and overarchingly on the Lord Jesus Christ.

So instead of unknowingly and unintentionally following the example of none other than the Antichrist, let us determine this day, here and now, to instead – and very knowingly and intentionally – follow the example of Him who loved others so much that He laid down HIS OWN LIFE that they might live (1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 3:16; Romans 5:18-19), who was so humble that he didn’t regard even ACTUAL AND LITERAL EQUALITY WITH GOD something to be grasped or counted as gain in terms of human self (Philippians 2:3-11), and when suffering didn’t turn that onto those inflicting such but rather entrusted Himself to God (1 Peter 2:23; 3:9; 4:19).  And so should we.

“EVERYONE who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; assuredly, he will not be unpunished.” (Proverbs 16:5)
“For EVERYONE who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
“And WHOEVER exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)
“Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (James 4:10)

Or as Charles Haddon Spurgeon would put it, each of us has a choice to be HUMBLE or be HUMBLED.  May we choose the former.  Like that wise dinner guest in Luke 14:10.  I gladly do so since even in the human/horizontal realm it’s just far more flat-out fun.  And if it was good enough for “God in flesh appearing”, how much more fitting for sinners and mere mortals like us?

Lastly, there’s one more takeaway, one more way to apply this truth.

In sports lingo, everything discussed above primarily pertains to “offense”.  But this is also imperative for a strong, healthy “defense” in life.  Here’s what I mean.

What we do is very important.  For instance, James 2:14-17 and 1 John 3:17-18 are crystal clear that qualitative to any genuine Christian is the consistent practice of meeting the needs of others.  Same with the broader category of loving others, to the point that 1 John 4:7-8 says “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love” and again at the end of that very same Chapter, verse 20 says this:  “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he HAS seen, CANNOT love God whom he has NOT seen.”  Whoa!  And James 3:9-12 echoes that very sentiment when it comes to how we speak to or about others:  “With it [our tongue] we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing [of God] and cursing [of others].  My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.  Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh AND bitter water?  Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs?  Neither can salt water produce fresh.”  And while our first human priority is toward other believers, this definitely extends to ALL people, which is why the beloved Apostle Paul says, “and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, AND FOR ALL MEN [i.e., mankind, people, everyone]” (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

Yes, what we do is very important – but so is what we DON’T do.

Meaning, that while it’s crucial that WE never try to sit in the seat which belongs wholly, fully, and solely to GOD (i.e., trying to control others/circumstances, pride, etc.), neither should be populate our life’s relationships with people who do try to sit in that seat.  I’m not talking about strangers or reaching out to share the Gospel with people who exhibit such a pattern in their life but rather whom we do – and don’t – give a regular role in our own life.

While the Bible makes this clear on a general, overarching level, it also makes it clear in several very specific areas of life or patterns of conduct.  Here are just a few, the ones which are always at the forefront of my mind when discerning which relationships I should or shouldn’t be allowing into my life so as to be in full compliance with Scripture and wisdom:

• Did you know that the Bible forbids us from giving fools a place in our lives?  One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 14:8 [interesting side note:  this verse says, “The wisdom of the prudent is to UNDERSTAND HIS WAY” and was written by Solomon who lived and ruled in the 900’s BC, but sounds a lot like Socrates’ famous quote “Know thyself” who came FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AFTER Solomon, i.e., I don’t know whether to view him as guilty for plagiarizing and pawning it off as his own or as blessed for spreading the Word of God but in any case this is but one of many popular quotes and adages which are known and heeded in all the world but actually come from the Bible!  I’ll do a separate post about those at some point, stay tuned…] but the one right before it is equally important and even more pertinent to this discussion:  it says, “LEAVE THE PRESENCE of a fool, or you will not discern words of knowledge.”  (I’ve already begun writing a more detailed post about the items/verses in this section so stay tuned for that, too, I think you’ll find it literally life-changing.)
• Did you know that the Bible forbids us from giving people with an unresolved anger issue a place in our lives?  “DO NOT ASSOCIATE with a man given to anger; or go with a hot-tempered man, lest you learn his ways and find a snare for yourself.” (Proverbs 22:24-25)
• 2 Peter 3:17 says not to let purveyors of false teaching into our lives:  “You therefore, beloved, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of UNPRINCIPLED MEN, you fall from your own steadfastness” and in the previous Chapter gives a great example of this, referring to Sodom and Gomorrah and the effect it had on Lot (2:6-8)
• And more broadly 1 Corinthians 15:33 instructs us to AVOID “BAD COMPANY” because such “corrupts good morals.”

I’ll elaborate far more in that future post but I’m sure you get the point, that not only should we make sure WE don’t try to sit in God’s seat but also not to spend time or focus or allow relational proximity with people who DO.  And as we know from football and basketball and baseball and hockey and tennis and golf and any sport, it’s crucial to have both a strong offense and defense, and the Bible has just taught us that exact same principle in regard to the spiritual and relational aspect of our life.  Much more about this in that future post, but simply starting to implement this biblical filter in your current relationships will have a huge effect and change your life in ways you can’t even imagine.  More emotionally liberated and free.  More wise.  Much more happy.  Stay tuned!
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