THE SIN OF PRIDE!

THE SIN OF PRIDE!

Ps 10:4

4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

          Paul displayed a positive kind of pride in Philippians 4:1 when he said he was proud of the churches he founded but he was careful to explain that his success was due to the power of God upon his life. In all other places pride is universally condemned. There are many words for pride. Arrogance, insolence, haughtiness, conceit, hubris, and loftiness are just a few of the synonyms for pride. We hate pride in others and often fail to recognize it in ourselves.

          Pride’s greatest problem is explained in the text above. Pride will not acknowledge a need for God. The proud person may sit in church and appear to worship but inside he thinks that he doesn’t need to be assembled with these sinners. He sees himself as exempt from the rest and in a special case. He is above the petty infractions committed by others or he is too brilliant to be caught. He is simply better than the rest.

          I was talking with an evangelist who shook his head with dismay that people will sit through a deeply convicting sermon and yet will not respond to the invitation. They sit in their seats as if the message was for someone else and not for them. They know the service will soon be over and they will be able to smile pleasantly while shaking the preacher’s hand and be on their way. This pride is self defeating and by it many blessings are withheld.

          When I first began as a young preacher my reaction to pride was anger. Through the years anger has been replaced with sadness for I know that the proud person has rejected the goodness of God. Worse than that, they have attracted the wrath of God because God hates pride. Oh, abandon your pride today and humble yourself before the mighty hand of God.

1 Peter 5:5-6

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.

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Dear Lord, gently break me and subdue me that I may enjoy fellowship with you. AMEN