Friday, August 5, 2011

THINK ON THESE THINGS - FRIDAY


SPIRITUAL PRIDE PART 2
PRIDE vs HUMILITY


We all know what PRIDE is. But is it wrong all the time? For instance, admiration for the great work of your genius kids or a job well done, is not the same is Spiritual Pride. To most people, the epitome of Spiritual Pride is sometimes the American televangelist! 


These men and women must come from the same cookie cutter school of presentation and speech persuasion! Their theology is 99% prosperity Gospel, with a bible as a prop! While Spiritual Pride is obvious to see in those who put themselves out there and market their communication skills, in the average believer, it is just as dangerous! It is also more hidden and yet, a silent deadly attribute.


The Bible says "God resists the Proud, but gives Grace to the Humble" (1 Peter 5:5). Any Christian can be guilty of spiritual pride - from the puffed up deacon to the celebrity worship leader; from the pompous preacher to the lowly Sunday School teacher or greeter!!

I quote a major portion of Jonathan Edward's sermon on Spiritual Pride here to drive this point home, and allow us to really examine ourselves today to see if we A. have the bitter fruits of Pride....or B. the sweet nectar of the spirit of Humility, which comes from being Christ like! Do it right now, after reading what the greatest preacher in America said....oh, so long ago!!!



JONATHAN EDWARDS (1703-1758), FROM HIS SERMON "SPIRITUAL PRIDE" SAYS IN PART"Since spiritual pride in its own nature is secretive, it cannot be well discerned by immediate intuition of the thing itself. It is best identified by its fruits and effects, some of which I will mention together with the contrary fruits of Christian humility.

The spiritually proud person is full of light already and feels that he does not need instruction, so he is ready to despise the offer of it. On the other hand, the humble person is like a little child who easily receives instruction. He is cautious in his estimate of himself, sensitive as to how liable he is to go astray. If it is suggested to him that he does go astray, he is most ready to inquire into the matter.

Proud people tend to speak of other's sins, the miserable delusion of hypocrites, the deadness of some saints with bitterness, or the opposition to holiness of many believers. Pure Christian humility, however, is silent about the sins of others, or speaks of them with grief and pity. 

The spiritually proud person finds fault with other saints for their lack of progress in grace, while the humble Christian sees so much evil in his own heart, and is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts. 

He complains most of himself and his own spiritual coldness and readily hopes that most everybody has more love and thankfulness to God than he."


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