Don't Be Self-Deceived (1 Corinthians 3:18-23)

 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, "He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS"; and again, "THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS." So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God (1 Corinthians 3:18-23 NAS95).

Beloved, guard your heart against self-grandizement. Thinking you have the corner on wisdom is the first step towards self-deception. Thinking you are serving God and the church with worldly wisdom will only lead to your demise. You must humble yourself to become wise, not with worldly wisdom, but with wisdom from above.

Never boast in men, including yourself, as God catches the wise in their craftiness. Seek instead to know your sinfulness and repent. “. . . . prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.” (Jas 1:22-26)