Conceit

"Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits." (Romans 12: 16 KJV)

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves." (Philippians 2: 3 NIV)

"Conceit" is defined as "excessive appreciation of one's own worth or virtue." It is nearly synonymous with "egotism."

"Egotism" is defined as "1 a: excessive use of the first person singular personal pronoun b: the practice of talking about oneself too much 2: an exaggerated sense of self-importance."

Conceit and/or egotism is a widespread sin. It is even at work among believers, although it is generally overcome by many of them at most times in their lives. Believers are rather generally humble, and have correct and sober views of themselves, especially compared to the lost or unbelieving soul.

The believer is one who has "looked steadfastly into the mirror" of the word of God (James 1: 22-25) and has gotten a true and accurate picture of his spiritual self. However, the unbeliever is one who looks into other mirrors of vanity, ones that give false and distorted images, and that give "inflated views" of "self worth."

Notice how the meaning of the word "conceit" is known by the company of other words the apostle puts with it. Conceit is connected with "selfish ambition" and with "pride" and "high-mindedness."

Paul is telling Christians, in today's common vernacular, - "Don't be too smart for your own breeches!" What does it mean to be "too smart for your own breeches"?

"It's a hybrid of two older idioms:- "Too big for one's breeches/boots", meaning "conceited, overconfident, full of one's own importance" - "Too smart/clever for one's own good", meaning "too clever by half; full of overclever notions that will bring one to harm."

(http://www.phrases.org.uk/)

Oh how sinful man fits this description in his "vain conceit"! He is literally "too smart for his own breeches," especially in matters pertaining to God and his relation to him.

"Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him." (Proverbs 26: 12 KJV)

Who is this person who is "wise in his own conceit"? Who is "wise in his own eyes" but not in the eyes of others? Certainly it is someone who does not have a correct view or appraisal of himself, for he sees himself as "wise" when others, even God, see him as a "fool," yea, as worse than a fool.

"Humanly speaking, there is a greater likelihood and greater hopes of convincing sinners, and bringing them to repentance and to forsake their sins, than there is of convincing a self-righteous man of the insufficiency of his righteousness, and the folly of trusting to it, and of bringing him to repent of such a confidence, and to forsake it; for it is most natural to him; it is his own, and the effect of great labour and pains; and encourages vanity and boasting, which would be excluded should he part with it." (John Gill's Commentary)

"The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason." (Proverbs 26: 16 KJV)

What a contradiction and hypocrisy for the lazy bum to think himself wiser and smarter than "seven learned men" who can "render a reason," or who are able to analyze and properly interpret things! Oh how many are there today who, though very ignorant, nevertheless think themselves so adept at life and things so that they need not learn anything, but only teach others! Oh these self imagined "geniuses"! Conceited jerks who's favorite topic is themselves!

"The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out." (Proverbs 28: 11 KJV)

By the world's thinking, to be wise and poor is an inconsistency, a contradiction and a kind of oxymoron. If a man is "wise," it is thought, then he will not be "poor," but rich! The rich are vainly conceited and are generally what we call "braggerts," people who boast that they are "self made," and that all their earthly attainments are due solely to their own labors and efforts. Such do not credit God, but themselves, being self praising and self righteous.

"From their callous hearts comes iniquity ; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits." (Psalm 73: 7 NIV)

"Callous hearts" and "evil conceited minds" which "know no limits"! Man's level of pride and vanity never ceases to increase and to swell!

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me." (II Corinthians 12: 7 NIV)

If the great and holy apostle Paul had to battle with conceit, or to be protected and guarded from it, then surely does the best of Christians even today. The Lord has his ways with his people to "keep them from becoming conceited." Praise God for this!

"Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." (Galatians 5: 26 NIV)

God not only uses "thorns in the flesh," as he did with Paul, but he certainly uses his preached word too as a means of warning and keeping the Christian from vanity, pride, and from conceit. Notice again the company of other words with the word "conceited."

One who is a conceited person is one who is "provocative" person, one who brings out the worst in other people, and one who repulses people by his egotism, and one who is a jealous and envious person. Such a person manifests that he cares not for other people, seeing them only as objects and as means, and that he is a narcissus.

"He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil." (I Timothy 3: 6 NIV)

How many preachers have fallen into Satan's trap through the sin of "conceit"? Many! How many "Christians" have become so conceited after their conversion! Conversion ought to have leveled all pride, and taken away conceit!

"If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain." (I Timothy 6: 3-5 NIV)

Again, notice the word company of the word "conceited." One who is "conceited" is one who, ironically, "understands nothing," being the opposite of what he vainly imagines! He is like many who imagine they can sing like song birds when they "cannot carry a tune in a bucket"! A conceited person is a deluded person. A conceited person is also one who is selfish and vainly ambitious, and who only sees others as a means for him to use for his own individual ends.

A conceited person also is one who has "an unhealthy interest in controversies"! Oh how many of these types have we met in the professing Christian church! They abound everywhere! They are always looking for a verbal fight so they can show off their self perceived sophisticated mental and verbal prowess! God sees them, however, as conceited fools!

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. " (II Timothy 3: 1-5 NIV)

Again, just notice the company of words associated with "conceit"! Taken together, they give a full picture of the mind and heart of one who is conceited and "full of himself," and who has an inflated ego, but who are blind to their true state and condition.

Friend, if you are one who is conceited, then I urge you to ask God to deal with this sin in your life, to make you humble, and to give you a correct understanding and appraisal of yourself; For, if you remain in your conceit, then you will surely find yourself eternally doomed.