I Believe Ignorance and Arrogance Go Hand in Hand with False Teachers

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As I was doing my study on 1st Timothy up to Titus, I decided that I might write about ignorance and arrogance. 1 Timothy 6:10 talks about the love of money as the root of all evil. Then you've got to go back nine verses back and you also get verses about arrogant people. 1 Timothy 6:3-5 writes the following and I'll use different versions including the Good News Version because I'm seeing this a lot also in my former religion.
3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. (KJV) 
3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. (ESV) 
3 Whoever teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching of our religion 4 is swollen with pride and knows nothing. He has an unhealthy desire to argue and quarrel about words, and this brings on jealousy, disputes, insults, evil suspicions, 5 and constant arguments from people whose minds do not function and who no longer have the truth. They think that religion is a way to become rich. (GNT)
If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. (NIV)

The different translations all agree that such people are proud and know nothing. The ESV says puffed up with conceit. The GNT which Roman Catholics use as an approved translation as swollen with pride. Puffed up with conceit and conceited also serve as good translations or synonyms to proud. 

There's even the comedic line from a secular film called "Johnny English" which says "He knows no fear. He knows no danger. He knows nothing." I think the same can be applied to false teachers and their arrogance. In science, you call it the Dunning-Kruger effect where fools think they are so wise. There is even the quote that says that the problem we've got with stupid people is that they are full of confidence while the smart ones are full of doubt. Albert Einstein even said, "The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance." 

Why is arrogance truly dangerous? It's because it takes humility to really learn. Learning is not about being right all the time. Rather, learning takes a lot of courage to admit your weakness and your courage. An arrogant person is full of insecurities. A boss who bullies his or her subordinates has to feel good because deep down he or she is afraid of something. A real secure boss would treat his or her subordinates right. If you are not humble then you aren't willing to admit that you are weak. You want to trample on others to give yourself and others an illusion that you're invincible when you're not. Nebuchadnezzar was so inflated in his pride. Belshazzar's pride cost him his kingdom. Haman's pride cost him his neck. Herod the Great's pride caused him to massacre innocent babies. Herod Agrippa's pride caused him to be struck down by God with sudden gangrene. Pride also caused the Pharisees to avoid learning new things because they thought they were experts in the subject of  God's Word.

The marks of the false teachers' foolishness are evident. They love to backbite others whether in secret or in the pulpit. They would rather talk about controversies such as magnifying other people's faults and conspiracy theories. They would always have a quarrelsome attitude to top it all. Not to mention, they do have their tendency to play the either-or fallacy. Some of them would use strawman arguments to make themselves look good. They would also parade themselves constantly as men of God when they are men of Satan. 2 Timothy 3:5 even says that such people have a form of godliness but it's all fake. It's all about pretentious godliness. All these fruits let them expose themselves that they are filled with arrogance. It's also no surprise they teach salvation by works or salvation of faith plus works (such as the conditional security crowd that says you lose your salvation every time you fall) because such teachings lead to boasting. That's why Ephesians 2:8-10 says that salvation is by the grace of God which in turn will forbid any kind of boasting. Works salvation has been a huge license to the sin of arrogance. Matthew 7:16-20 warns that you can know people to be saved or not by their fruits. Christians aren't perfect but they certainly can't remain in the same rotten lifestyle. My flesh isn't 100% nailed to the cross but I don't live like the rest of the world only by God's grace. 

The big problem for such false teachers is that their pride comes before the fall. They might want to sing and dance that they are right with God because of their popularity. Popularity has never been a measure of right and wrong. Popularity is fickle as the truth can be rejected if it doesn't appeal with the crowd. Just remember that Proverbs 16:18 says that pride comes before the fall. They have their payday someday one way or another. 

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