Getting Serious about My Pride

 

“Getting Serious about My Pride”

Prov. 3:12; 6:16-19; 29:23; 1 Tim. 3:6; Jam. 4:6 

 

SUBJECT:  CORRECTIONS ADVERSITY COMPELS US TO MAKE

THEME: Nothing compels us to make spiritual changes like troubles. When troubles come, examine your heart for prideful attitudes and correct them to continue spiritual growth.  

RELEVANCY: If we begin to walk just one degree away from the truth—in pride we will soon find ourselves a long way from the path of righteousness in which the Lord desires us to walk daily. Part of the unfortunate reality surrounding ‘pride’ is its capacity for causing destruction. I have witnessed it destroying friendships, church memberships, marriages, political allegiances, occupations, professional pursuits, creative acumen, spiritual sincerity, and honest redemption investigations. The destructive power of ‘pride’ compels me to address the subject squarely.  

INTRODUCTION:

Have you ever wondered why it is that we sometimes end up in some of the most embarrassing and humiliating difficulties? It’s bad enough to have troubles, but it is even worse when they are filled with overwhelming shame, degrading scandal, or belittling nonsense, stupidity, and blunders. Perhaps I should be oblivious of these developments…totally unfamiliar with these types of situations…but…I am not. Not even by a longshot…. I know these predicaments a little too well…even with recent humbling evidence on top of other painful lessons. I know personally the Lord will often use troubles to reveal our problems involving pride. Of course, the Lord wants to correct this wrong attitude! When we think ourselves to be superior to others or when we have an inflated perception of ourselves, be assured that the Lord wants us to see things squarely and accurately and walk in the confines of his plan for us.

MESSAGE:

TROUBLE COMPELS US TO CORRECT OUR ATTITUDE OF PRIDE

James 4:6, But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

A.  GOD RESISTS OUR PRIDEFUL BEHAVIOR.

James 4:6 states very clearly, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

1. There are a few Observation we Must Not Miss!

a.      God gives more “grace”: Despite human flaws, selfishness, and spiritual unfaithfulness, God generously provides an endless supply of undeserved favor and forgiveness. 

b.     “God resisteth (opposes) the proud”: Pride—trying to be the master of our own life or thinking we can earn salvation on your own merit—puts a person directly at odds with God. 

c.      “Giveth grace unto the humble”: True humility steams from acknowledging our spiritual bankruptcy and willfully submitting to God’s authority. When we do this, God opens the door to pour out His help and blessing. (See GotQuestions.org)

2. Please Keep this Fact Upper Most in Mind!

God addresses believers who were acting selfishly, fighting with each other, and compromising their faith by adopting the self-centered, worldly ways of their culture. By application He is talking to us! James issues a stern warning against unholy “adultery” (loving the world more than God). Immediately, James reminds us God’s grace is greater than our mistakes, if we are willing to repent turning back to Him. (See GotQuestions.org)

3. Key Fact You Want to Takeaway to Avoid Pride!

a.      Pride pushes God away: When we rely completely on ourselves or think we don’t need God, we are essentially opposing Him.

b.     Humility attracts God: Approaching God with a repentant, dependent heart allows us to receive His freely given grace. (See GotQuestions.org)

Pride erects a spiritual barrier. When we rely on self-sufficiency, self-righteousness, or boastfulness, God actively opposes or “resists” us. In contrast, grace is unlocked through humility. When we acknowledge our spiritual poverty and surrender to God, He responds with favor, unmerited help, and spiritual strength.

B. GOD REALLY DOES HATE HUMAN PRIDE.

Proverbs 29:23, A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Anyone who has fail to note God’s magnificence, brilliance, and majesty in every area will struggle more with human based pride! Yes, we do possess God-given strengths and qualities, but God gave these gifts to us for His glory and not our own. With such pursuits we live out a forfeiture of the ‘grace’ that strengthen and enables a correct view of reality—human humility.     

·        “A man's pride shall bring him low”: Arrogant people often overestimate their abilities and alienate others through boasting or selfishness. This self-absorption blinds them to their flaws, leading to inevitable failure and public disgrace when their pride is exposed.

·        “But honour shall uphold the humble in spirit”: Being ‘lowly in spirit’ is recognizing our dependence on God and valuing others above ourselves. Humility protects a person from the pitfalls of arrogance and earns them the deep, lasting respect of peers and divine favor.                                       

     1.  God Frequently Addresses the Subject of Pride.

In fact, we have this same message echoed many times in the Scriptures for our warning and admonition. 

1 Peter 5:5, Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Matthew 23:12, And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

         a.  The Concept Often Appears in the Bible.

The word “pride” appears 49 times, “haughty” appears 10 times, “vain glory” appears 1 time, and “glorying” appears 4 times, “glory” appears 402 times, but some of theses are used in a very good context.  The word “vanity” is used some 86 times, while “conceit” is used 5 times, and “arrogancy” appears 4 times.  Then the word “puffed up” is used 6 times in the word of God.  God strenuously resists the arrogant spirited individual and He obviously deals with it so many times because it lies at the heart of the sinful attitude that fills our lives, nature, composition, and inclinations.

          b.  Self-centeredness Is Pride.

The sin of pride is common to all mankind.

               1. Pride is Not Easily Confronted.

It is not easily confronted…because we often are too proud to admit that we have prideful issues!

              2. Pride is Not Easily Destroyed.

Pride is also not a sin that is easily eradicated for it goes to the core of our very nature and what we hold to be true about ourselves and about our relationship with God. As long as we think that we can do it on our own in any area of our lives, we are guilty of pride.

         c. God Completely Hates Pride.

Elsewhere, pride is listed among four things that the Lord hates: pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth. Proverbs 8:13, The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Arrogance and self-importance ultimately result in humiliation and downfall, whereas a modest and teachable attitude earns genuine respect and lasting honor.

1.      Arrogance is a Trap: A prideful person is often stubborn and self-reliant, which blocks them from receiving wisdom or correction.

2.      Exaltation come from God: God opposes the proud but extends grace and promotion to the humble.

3.      True Success is what we Really Want: Worldly pursuits of status and self-promotion are fleeting. Real, lasting respect (“honor”) comes from a character defined by gentleness, honesty, and grace.

      2. God Utterly Condemns Pride Regarding it as an Abomination (Extreme Discuss).

In yet another passage of scripture, pride is listed among seven things that are an abomination to God:  

Proverbs 6:16-19, These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: [17] A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, [18] An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, [19] A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

1. Abominations are attitudes or actions that cause God extreme disgust and intense repulsion. The Hebrew term to'ebah, points to something deeply offensive to God’s holy nature because it destroys trust, justice, and harmony within human relationships.

2. Pride is in the same category as murder and at the top of the list of things God hates! This list represents a complete and deeply serious inventory of behaviors that oppose God’s holy and loving character. Sin involves the whole person: the mind (devising wickedness), the eyes and heart (pride), the mouth (lying), and the hands and feet (violence and action).

3. Decide that “pride” is something that every believer should seek to hate and utterly reject in their lives. Pride should not be the driving factor in our service, it should not be at the heart of our relationships, it should not be the key to our accepting others, it should not be the determining factor in making decisions. To live in pride is to follow satanic influence and an anti-Christ spirit. 1 Tim. 3:6, Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. We must understand that we will experience the same kind of judgment and humiliation that Satan did because he sought a higher position for which he was not qualified. Thus, pride is a sure-fire way to invite trouble into our lives.

Beloved, there is no ‘positive treatment’ of pride in Scripture at all…zero…none. There is no such thing as “good pride.” While we always have opportunity to be more ‘thankful’ to God instead of taking so much for granted, we have no reason with which to justify our pride, arrogance, or independence. Reject all forms of pride and thereby save yourself from some trouble involving a downfall, shame, discredit, and a large slice of humble pie! 1 Cor. 10:12, Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Again, when troubles come, examine your heart for prideful attitudes and correct them to continue spiritual growth.