Pulpit Speech II                                                KL Paulson
Preacher Silcox                                                   3-9-1999

Pride

TEXT: Proverbs 6:16

INTRODUCTION:

  -- God has a PLAN for your life. 
     [God is PERFECT; He has a perfect plan.] 

  -- It is IMPOSSIBLE for you [w/ a sin nature] to execute the plan of God for 
your life.  

  -- God has PROVIDED through His GRACE a way for you to execute His plan, 
purpose, and will during your lifetime. 

  -- When a born-again Christian fails in executing the plan of God for his 
life, SINFUL PRIDE is oftentimes the PRIMARY REASON and MOTIVATING CAUSE. 

  -- Pride [arrogance] PRECEDES and SUPPORTS all of the sinful mental 
attitudes that the sin nature produces. 

  -- SATAN was the 1st creature GUILTY of pride. 
     [His MOTIVATION of pride is found in Isaiah 14:14 -- 

        "I will be like the most High." 

      See Ezekiel 28:14-17] 

I. Description of Sinful Pride 

  A. Pride Is a Lofty Self-Respect totally APART FROM Reality. 
     It is high esteem of oneself from some imagined superiority. 

     [Come back to reality.  Get real!]
       (e.g. I am more superior than you don't you know?)

  B. Pride Is the Anti-Thesis of Grace. 
     A believer who is arrogant is blind to the grace of God. 

  C. Pride Is Synonymous w/ Vanity: 

       'empty pride in regard to one's Person, Attainments, or Possessions 
       coupled with an excessive desire to be noticed, a lust for attention, 
       lust for approval or praise from others.' 

  D. Pride Is the Pomposity of Vain Glory.  
     It is haughty contempt of others. 

  E. Pride SUPPORTS a whole Array of Sins: 

       Jealousy, Bitterness, Revenge Motivation, Revenge Tactics, Conceit, 
       Inordinate Ambition & Competition, Slander, Gossip 

  F. Pride Is a Sin [WRONG mental attitude] which OVERFLOWS into 

       the Motivation, 
       Decision Making and 
       Activity of the individual.  
     [What is motivating you to do what you do?]

  G. Pride Includes: 

     EGOTISM: an excessive preoccupation with self. 

     VANITY: self-admiration & an excessive desire to be admired by others.  
             [Vanity is easily flattered and patronized.] 

     CONCEIT: exaggerated estimate of one's abilities and attainments. 
              [e.g. Muhammed Ali - boxing...nobody can beat me, 
                    Larry Bird - basketball...when I get 'hot' not even God 
                                              can beat me 'one-on-one']

II. Scriptures Related to the Sin of Pride

     Proverbs 11:2 "When pride cometh, then cometh shame:...." 

     Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goeth before [precedes] destruction, and an 
                     haughty spirit before a fall." 
                    [Get ready to fall...it's just a matter of time]

     Proverbs 29:23

     Romans 12:3  

     James 3:14-16 -- Pride is defined in terms of the Sin of Envy 

     Proverbs 13:10 -- Pride is an ingredient in every quarrel.

     I Peter 5:5-6 --

III. Application

  A. If God Does Not Promote You, Then You Are NOT Promoted.

     -- God promotes Humble or Grace oriented people.
 
     -- God promotes men & women who have absorbed the Word of God.

     -- Promotion is a matter of doctrinal inculcation.

     -- Promotion is a matter of glorifying God through the execution of the 
        plan of God for a believer. 

     -- Promoted believers are the invisible heroes.

  B. II Timothy 3:2-5,7 -- Describes some facets of pride.  

  C. The Arrogance of Nations Brings Them Under Divine Discipline 

     Leviticus 26:19

     Isaiah 9:8-12

     Ezekiel 7:10-11

  D. Pride Is Related to the Rejection of the Word of God 

     I Timothy 6:3-4 

  E. Pride Distracts a Believer from Doctrine. 

     Pride divorces a believer from reality [personal and historical]. 

  F. Pride Is a Corruptor of the Soul. 
     (e.g. Eve's sin of giving into Satan's lie -- Genesis 3:5)

     Pride is a sign that the sin nature is dominating the soul. 

  G. Pride Destroys Capacity for Life, Love, & Happiness.

IV. The Effects of Pride

  A. An Arrogant Person Rejects Authority.
     (e.g. Satan)

  B. Pride Motivates Emotional Sins.
     (e.g. fear, worry, anxiety
           hatred, anger, violence, murder)

  C. Pride Reproduces Itself in 

       Jealousy, Bitterness, Revenge Motivation & Function, 
       Inordinate Ambition & Competition, Gossip, Slander, Judging 

CONCLUSION: 

  -- Some SOLUTIONS to P-R-I-D-E: Confession of Sin 
                                  Dependence on God's Grace 
                                  Filling of the Holy Spirit 
                                  Occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ 

  -- Proverbs 8:13 

  -- You should become more and more free of pride as you 

       GROW IN CHRIST and 
            IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WORD.