A society where arrogant human behavior is valued?
This is the so-called fall of mankind.
I thought about the story of Adam and Eve, the first humans, which everyone has heard at least once. Adam and Eve were tempted by the serpent to eat the fruit that God had forbidden them to eat, which incurred God’s wrath and led to their expulsion from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3).
Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which God had forbidden them to eat. (Genesis 2:17) This was a disobedience to God, the first sin committed by mankind, and a trait that was passed down to their descendants. This act also alienated mankind from God and brought physical death to the world.
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (Romans 5:12)
So what changes occurred after eating the fruit of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”?
Human knowledge is flawed when man is separated from God. The knowledge he possesses tends to make him proud.
Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. （I Corinthians 8:1）
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” （I Corinthians 3:19-20）
But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. (James 3:14-15)
But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:16)
The Bible often portrays human arrogance as the root cause of interpersonal problems and conflict. It stems from humans’ selfish desire to gain superiority over God and others. Throughout human history, this arrogance has repeatedly led to conflict.
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. (Genesis 3:6 )
This led to Eve’s desire to become as wise as God, which led to her sin and downfall. Satan (the serpent), who so eloquently tempted Eve, also previously desired to become God, but was cast out of heaven by God because of his arrogance.
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; (Isaiah 14:12-13)
The serpent was the cleverest of all the beasts of the field, which the Lord God had made. Wisdom and knowledge apart from God only feed on arrogance. In Genesis 11, mankind’s attempt to build the Tower of Babel, reaching to the heavens, reveals their arrogance and desire to make a name for themselves rather than glorify God.
“Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, so that we may not be scattered abroad over the face of the earth.” (Genesis 11:4 )
Look at our current society. In this world, arrogant human behavior is praised and modeled, and self-centered and forceful words and actions are sometimes viewed positively as a necessary condition for success in the business world. Wisdom and knowledge that are divorced from God give humans an arrogant heart, prioritize their own desires and self-importance, maintain the power of successful people in society, and become increasingly consumed with the pride of believing they can control the world with their own power without God. The further we move from God, the more arrogant we become, and the more we fall prey to Satan’s schemes.
James 4:6 “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
