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The late B.M. Nottage used to say Christians have to guard against three kinds of pride—pride of face, pride of race, and pride of grace. Pride of grace is the tendency to think we have perfect knowledge of God and of God’s will. Of course, certain truths about God are very clear in the Bible. Even so, the Apostle Paul cautions us to hold these truths with humility. Writing to the Corinthian church, he said in 1 Corinthians Chapter 8: “Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.” Now, the Apostle does not ignore the place and value of biblical knowledge because without it, we will be ignorant of God’s salvation and His will for our lives. Without it, false teaching can lead us astray. At the same time, he cautions us that with our knowledge, we must let love guide all our actions toward others. We must not let the unholy pride of race, pride of face, or pride of grace define who we are.
