For by the grace given to me I ask every one of you not to think of yourself more highly than you should think, rather to think of yourself with sober judgment on the measure of faith that God has assigned each of you.
Romans 12:3
Is this a new portion? Is Paul on to yet another new thought? I hope you are seeing by now that Paul’s thought is very sequential and connected. I believe there are two lines of connection with this verse to what has gone before it. But of course to really know, both you and I will have to sit with Paul and ask him when we see him.
1st Connection: Thinking / The Mind
Paul says “transformed by the renewing of your mind”. Now he spells out clearly the thinking behind that. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement.” Notice the repetition in English. The word “ think” is repeated twice in the sentence. That is strong enough. But in the Greek New Testament the idea of thinking; the difference between right thinking and wrong thinking is repeated four times:
μὴ ὑπερφρονεῖν παρ᾿ ὃ δεῖ φρονεῖν, ἀλλὰ φρονεῖν εἰς τὸ σωφρονεῖν
not {to have high thoughts} beyond {that which} necessary {to think} but {to think} to the {being sober-minded}
Paul is hammering his point home.
ὑπερφρονεώ [huperphroneō] to esteem oneself overmuch, that is, think more highly. (be vain or arrogant)
φρονέω [phroneō] to exercise the mind, to have an opinion; to be (mentally) disposed, to interest oneself in, be like minded, to be of one mind, to be of the same mind, to think.
Σωφρονέω [sōphroneō] to be of sound mind, that is, sane, moderate: – be in right mind, be sober minded.
Literally he is saying “don’t be thinking more highly than you ought but rather in your thinking be exercising your mind into right thinking.”
There is a progression in Paul’s thought from wrong thinking through exercising your mind into right thinking.
2nd Connection: Don’t Be Proud
You Gentiles don’t be proud, don’t think of yourselves more highly than you ought. Don’t let it go to your head.
φρόνιμοι [phronimoi]. Remember Paul is still writing to the predominantly Gentile church in Rome. There is a connection in Rom 12:3 back to his thoughts reminding the grafted branches not to be arrogant.
Don’t be thinking wrongly but exercise your mind to think rightly.
Anon
By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.
Anon
Humility is assessed by your prayer life. Pride is thinking you can live without constant prayer & going hours without it.
Rick Warren