True. When someone preaches it, you can let them know.
I've argued against the same thing, where like pagans of old, people think they can make a choice between Christs, for which one suits them best.
It's also called choosing between different religions. Woody Allen made of good mocking show of it in,
"Hanna and Her Sisters".
If you mean the person here, that appears to be in some kind of competititon with some leader of his church that he calls Paul. Where he's talking about who's the worst of sinner in their church, then that's the wicked taking pride in their great wickedness.
Psa 94:4
How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?
On the other hand, if you're talking about people who judge themselves saved because they really believe it. Then yes, I agree that would be pride in one's own faith alone.
Jas 2:19
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Christ rebukes such vanity.
The better known form of that pride is salvation by works alone.
Tit 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Whether by works or faith alone, the Bible calls it vain pride to think we don't have to be saved God's way but our own. If by our own works or faith alone, we don't believe God, that we ourselves don't need to repent of all our own sins and trespasses to be forgiven by Him, then by pride of works or faith alone, we judge ourselves worthy of Christ.
Everyone gladly condemns the Pharisee puffed up in his own works alone, but what about an unjustified publican, that is being puffed up in his own faith alone? All his blathering about what a sinner he is, is just self-debasement without repentance. The one competing about being the worst of sinners, and justifying himself by his own faith alone, certainly would apply.
And so we see that whether it's declaring ourselves righteous by our own works or faith alone, with no need to repent God's way from all our own sins and trespasses, that we have vain pride in our own works or faith.
Once again, everyone's familiar with the righteous by works alone, that needs not repent of their own sins. But what about them righteous by their own faith alone, that also needs not to repent of all their sins to be saved by Christ?
Mark 2;17
When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Jesus only comes to them that know they are sinners, because they are still sinning. He can't help anyone that believes they are already righteous enough, whether by works or faith alone.
It always comes down to one simple thing: Who is willing to repent of all their own works in life, whether good or evil, in order to begin doing only the works of God by the faith of Jesus Christ.
Works by law alone don't purge wicked works of the heart, and righteousness by faith alone doesn't purge anything, at least not all of the lust and sinning. Afterall, they too know they certainly will sin again and again and again...
Personally, I have more respect for someone basing their justification on their works alone, rather than just saying so because they really, really believe it.
There's more I could say on this, but it's enough for now. Thanks for the challenging observation.
