Why are we warned, “Do not be wise in your own opinion” (Romans 12:16)?

While teaching the Christians in Rome about living together in loving unity as members of one body, Paul writes, “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion” (Romans 12:16, NKJV).

In the verse's final statement, Paul warns believers to guard against attitudes that undermine harmony in the church. He specifically mentions the haughtiness and self-inflated confidence that prevent us from accepting one another with mutual respect. In other words, Paul says, “Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” (Romans 12:16, NLT).

In the body of Christ, there is no room for arrogance based on supposed superiority. In this teaching, Paul elaborates on the wisdom found in Proverbs: “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil” (Proverbs 3:7; see also Proverbs 12:15). He also echoes this warning to the Philippians, urging them to have the same humble attitude as Jesus Christ: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:3–4, NLT).

Earlier in the passage, Paul encouraged humility: “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us” (Romans 12:3, NLT). Overestimating one’s own opinion demonstrates a dangerous form of ignorance: “Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them” (Proverbs 26:12).

Paul’s warning about not being wise in your own opinion seems to indicate a problem of internal conflict among the Christians in Rome. No doubt, the church in Rome consisted of people from many racial backgrounds and classes–Jews and Gentiles, enslaved and free, rich and poor. These differences led some in the church to look down on others and treat them with contempt. Therefore, Paul called them to “love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other” (Romans 12:10, NLT).

Anyone who treats a fellow believer as inferior because of their status or position in life (or for any reason) has not understood the significance of being saved by God’s grace through Jesus. In God’s eyes we are “all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body–whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). We are each a part of one organism in Christ (Galatians 3:28) who reconciled us to God and made peace between all believers “by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death” (Ephesians 2:15-16, NLT).

Do not be wise in your own opinion reminds us that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). We are all infected and impure because of sin (Isaiah 64:6). None of us can claim any righteousness of our own merit (Romans 3:10–12; Romans 5:12; Ecclesiastes 7:20). It is only by God’s grace and mercy in Christ that we are saved and can stand in His presence (Ephesians 2:8–9). We all come to Him in the same way. God has no favorites in His family (Romans 2:11; 4:5).

The Bible warns, “Do not be wise in your own opinion,” because God opposes the proud. The apostle Peter urged, “And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5, NLT; see also James 4:6; cf. Proverbs 3:34). Jesus taught His disciples not to “lord it over” people or “flaunt their authority over those under them” like the leaders of the world. He said, “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25–28, NLT).

Scripture calls us as brothers and sisters in Christ not to be wise in our own opinion, but instead to be humble–to throw our earthly crowns at Jesus’ feet and devote ourselves to serving one another in love.