Do Christians Think They’re Better Than Others?
(Clearing the Fog – Part 2)
The Stereotype That Sticks
It’s one of the most common critiques I hear: “Christians act like they’re better than everyone else.”
Maybe you’ve felt this way after meeting someone who seemed quick to judge but slow to listen. Or maybe it came from a church culture that looked polished on the outside but left you feeling small and unworthy.
If that’s your experience, you’re not imagining it. Sadly, arrogance can and does creep into Christian circles. And when it does, it’s a distortion of everything Jesus taught.
The problem is that pride and comparison are human struggles, not “Christian” problems alone. But when they show up in believers—people who claim to follow a humble Savior—they’re especially jarring.
Why the Gospel Leaves No Room for Pride
The core of the Christian message is that every single person—religious or not—falls short of God’s perfect standard.
Paul makes it crystal clear:
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23 (NIV)
The playing field is completely level. Nobody has a head start. Nobody’s résumé impresses God enough to skip the line. Whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer or someone who’s never cracked open a Bible, you come to God the same way—empty-handed, in need of grace.
That’s why Christianity, when rightly understood, crushes superiority. It says: “I’m not okay on my own. I need help. I need a Savior.”
Jesus’ Strongest Warnings Were for the Proud
When you read the Gospels, it’s striking to see who Jesus got angry with. It wasn’t the outcasts or the morally messy—it was the religious elite who thought they had it all together.
In Luke 18:9–14, He tells the story of two men praying:
A Pharisee, a respected religious leader, who basically says, “God, You must be pretty impressed with me. I’m not like those sinners.”
A tax collector, despised in society, who simply cries, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Jesus’ verdict?
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.” — Luke 18:14 (NIV)
In other words, the humble outsider was accepted, while the proud insider was not. That flips the whole superiority mindset upside down.
Grace Levels the Playing Field
Theologian Jerry Bridges wrote:
“Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace, and your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”
That’s the heartbeat of the gospel. If you’re a Christian, your standing with God isn’t based on how good you’ve been lately—it’s based entirely on what Jesus did. That truth should produce humility, not arrogance.
Why the Arrogance Sometimes Shows Up Anyway
If grace is supposed to humble us, why do some Christians still come off as self-righteous? A few reasons:
Forgetting Their Own Story – When believers forget what God saved them from, they start focusing on other people’s flaws instead.
Confusing Morality With Holiness – Being “good” on the outside doesn’t mean your heart is right with God.
Insecurity and Fear – Sometimes arrogance is a mask to hide spiritual struggles or uncertainty.
Immature Faith – Like any relationship, a new or shallow faith can still carry old habits like pride.
Paul’s warning in 1 Corinthians 4:7 is timeless:
“What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?”
Everything a Christian has—faith, forgiveness, new life—is a gift, not a trophy.
Humility in Action
True humility isn’t self-hatred; it’s self-awareness in light of God’s grace. C.S. Lewis nailed it when he said:
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”
A Christian living this way will:
Listen before speaking.
Serve without seeking recognition.
Admit wrongs quickly.
Show kindness to people who believe differently.
Jesus modeled this perfectly. Philippians 2:5–8 says He humbled Himself, even to the point of dying on a cross, for people who didn’t deserve it. That’s the kind of humility Christians are called to reflect.
If You’re Watching From the Sidelines
If you’ve met Christians who acted “better than” you, I want to be the first to say: I’m sorry. That’s not what following Jesus is supposed to look like. In fact, it’s the opposite of His heart.
The truth is, the closer a Christian walks with Jesus, the more aware they become of their own need for grace—and the more eager they are to extend it to others.
Takeaway
Christianity isn’t a club for people who have “arrived.” It’s a community of people who know they need rescue, who are learning to love and serve others because they’ve been loved and served first.
As Jesus put it:
“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” — Matthew 20:26 (NIV)
When that’s the posture, there’s no room for “I’m better than you.” There’s only room for, “I’ve been shown mercy—and I want you to know the One who gave it to me.”
“The ground is level at the foot of the cross.” — Billy Graham
