The sin of pride is one we all struggle with regardless of
your personality or position in life. It affects both the king and the pauper,
the rich and the poor, the quiet and the out spoken. And we all have areas
where it is prominent and areas where it is subtle. So I would like to share
several thoughts from saints who have gone before us, on the dangers of pride.
A proud man is bound to
fall
Pride thrust . . .
Adam out of paradise,
Saul out of his kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar out of men's society, Haman out of
court, and Lucifer out of Heaven!
(Thomas Adams he Wicket
Gate Magazine Edition number 119. Gleanings in the
Psalms – Psalm 73 – http://www.wicketgate.co.uk)
A proud man thinks he is better than others
A humble soul thinks better of others than of himself: `let
each esteem other better than themselves’ (Phil. 2:3). A humble man values
others at a higher rate than himself, and the reason is because he can see his
own heart better than he can another’s. He sees his own corruption and thinks
surely it is not so with others; their graces are not so weak as his; their
corruptions are not so strong. `Surely’, he thinks, `they have better hearts
than I.’ A humble Christian studies his own infirmities and another’s
excellences and that makes him put a higher value upon others than himself.
`Surely I am more brutish than any man’ (Prov. 30:2). And Paul, though he was
the chief of the apostles, still calls himself `less than the least of all
saints’ (Eph. 3:8). (Thomas Watson. The Godly Man’s Picture pg 59)
A proud man does not acknowledge
his sinfulness and inability
Why does God permit such an inability in man to keep the law?
He does it: To humble us. Man is a self-exalting creature; and if he has but
anything of worth, he is ready to be puffed up; but when he comes to see his
deficiencies and failings, and how far short he comes of the holiness and
perfection which God’s law requires, it pulls down the plumes of his pride, and
lays them in the dust; he weeps over his inability; he blushes over his leprous
spots; he says with Job, ‘I abhor myself in dust and ashes.’ (Thomas Watson. The Ten Commandments pg 3)
Though the saints have their golden graces, yet they have
their leprous spots; seeing sin has made us vile, let it make us humble; seeing
it has taken away our beauty, let it take away our pride; if God (saith Austin
[Augustine]) did not spare the proud angels, will He spare you, who are but
dust and rottenness? O look upon your boils and ulcers, and be humble!
Christians are never more lovely in God’s eyes, than when they are loathsome in
their own; those sins which humble, shall never damn.
(Thomas Watson Harmless
as Doves pg. 129)
Our hearts must go along with our confessions. The hypocrite
confesses sin but loves it, like a thief who confesses to stolen goods, yet
loves stealing. How many confess pride and covetousness with their lips but
roll them as honey under their tongue.
(Thomas Watson
“Doctrine of Repentance” pg. 29)
A proud man is too
preoccupied with his reputation
Oh that I was lowly in heart! Honor and dishonor, good report
and evil report would then be alike, and prove a furtherance to me in my
Christian cause.
(George Whitefield
©2002-2016 SermonIndex.net. Promoting Genuine Biblical Revival.)
"Brother, if any man thinks ill of
you, do not be angry with him; for you are far worse than he thinks you to
be." (Charles H. Spurgeon.www.albatrus.org)
A proud man refuses to
honor God
A truly humble man is sensible of his natural distance from
God; of his dependence on Him; of the insufficiency of his own power and
wisdom; and that it is by God's power that he is upheld and provided for, and
that he needs God's wisdom to lead and guide him, and His might to enable him
to do what he ought to do for Him.
(Jonathan Edwards
Christian love and its fruit page 65)
Amen and Amen
ReplyDelete