The Devil in All of Us 7.16.23

The Devil In All of Us El Diablo en Todos Nosotros July 9, 2023 (1 Corinthians 4:18-5:1-13) Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. But I will come-and soon-if the Lord lets me, and then I'll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God's power. For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power. Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit? I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you-something that even pagans don't do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship. Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus. Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns. Your boasting about this is terrible. Don't you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old "yeast" by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth. When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn't talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don't even eat with such people. It isn't my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, "You must remove the evil person from among you. (v.18) Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. But I will come-and soon-if the Lord lets me, and then I'll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God's power. For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power... (v.18) Algunos de vosotros os habéis ensoberbecido pensando que no os visitaré más. Pero vendré, y pronto, si el Señor me lo permite, y luego veré si esta gente arrogante solo da discursos pretenciosos o si realmente tienen el poder de Dios. Porque el Reino de Dios no es sólo un montón de palabrería; es vivir por el poder de Dios... Then he continues... (5:1) ...I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you... The "shock" factor of life in today's world...the evil and wickedness that comes out of people- Chapter 5 begins with a shocking announcement of depravity going on in Corinth. A man, who was obviously part of the church, was living in open sin participating in something that even sinners of his day would not do! This is not a chapter about sex...but Paul uses the example to get to the REAL issue that is potentially lethal for Corinth and for you and me if not corrected...their SINFUL PRIDE! The culture of Corinth in the time of Paul was a city enamored with self-promotion and progressive thought. One of the reasons this book is so valuable to Lake Erie Church is that we likewise are living in a culture very similar to what Paul and the believers in the church at Corinth faced. Some believers in Corinth were actually boasting about how "open" they were to allow such fellowship to go on in the church. (v.2)...You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. (v.6)...Your boasting about this is terrible. There are two competing forces at work in the heart of every human being-one is a natural (pride) and the other spiritual (humility). Hay dos fuerzas en competencia trabajando en el corazón de cada ser humano: una es natural (orgullo) y la otra espiritual (humildad). So, let's define both... PRIDE St. Thomas Aquinas, a priest in the 13th century defines pride as "an excessive desire for one's own self which rejects subjection to God." At the core, pride is the "improper and excessive self-esteem known as conceit or arrogance, elevating one's opinions and thoughts above God's authoritative Word." Pride is the deadliest of all sins because it leads to all other sins. It declares, "I don't want God to be like God. I want to be God!" It shows up first in the Garden of Eden in the words of the serpent to Eve...listen carefully... (Genesis 3:4-6) Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave it to her husband who was with her and ate it. (Génesis 3:4-6) Entonces la serpiente le dijo a la mujer: "Ciertamente no morirás. Porque sabe Dios que el día que comáis de él, serán abiertos vuestros ojos, y seréis como Dios, sabiendo el bien y el mal." Y viendo la mujer que el árbol era bueno para comer, y agradable a los ojos, y árbol deseable para alcanzar la sabiduría, tomó de su fruto, y comió. También se lo dio a su marido que estaba con ella y se lo comió. The sin in the Garden of Eden found its origin in the pride of Eve's heart that the enemy was able to ignite-"you will be like God"... HUMILITY Cambridge Dictionary defines humility as "the feeling or attitude that you have no special importance that makes you better than others." C.S. Lewis describes humility not as thinking less of ourselves, but as thinking of ourselves less. (Philippians 2:3-4) Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Filipenses 2:3-4) No seas egoísta; no intentes impresionar a los demás. Sean humildes, pensando en los demás como mejores que ustedes mismos. No mires solo por tus propios intereses, sino también por los demás. Humility is one of those values that can be hard to describe but you know when you meet a humble person. In our culture, we should value humility highly and yet the truth is humble people don't want the recognition! * Pride says, "I know it's wrong to have sex outside of marriage but this is what I want to do." * Humility says, "I can wait because I trust God's plan is the best plan for me." * Pride says, "It may be God's plan for me to tithe my income but my needs come first and then if there's anything left..." * Humility says, "I don't have anything without God's grace so I'll give my first fruits to Him as an act of worship." We mentioned last week, that is all comes down to whose interests and purposes are going to be pursued. Pride Is Concerned With Control...Humility Is About Submission El Orgullo Tiene Que Ver Con El Control... La Humildad Tiene Que Ver Con La Sumisión When pride takes root in our hearts, we untether from God's plans and His revelation and begin to replace God with our plans and self-revelation-our goals are, "what feels good to me" (Proverbs 16:2) All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. (Proverbios 16:2) Todos los caminos del hombre son puros a sus propios ojos, pero el Señor pesa el espíritu. Sinful pride causes us to promote ourselves... (1 Corinthians 4:5-8) So don't make judgments about anyone ahead of time-before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due...For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God's kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you. (1 Corintios 4:5-8) Así que no juzgues a nadie antes de tiempo, antes de que el Señor regrese. Porque él sacará a la luz nuestros secretos más oscuros y revelará nuestros motivos privados. Entonces Dios dará a cada uno la alabanza que le corresponde... Porque ¿qué os da derecho a hacer tal juicio? ¿Qué tienes que Dios no te haya dado? Y si todo lo que tienes es de Dios, ¿por qué te jactas como si no fuera un regalo? Crees que ya tienes todo lo que necesitas. Crees que ya eres rico. ¡Has comenzado a reinar en el reino de Dios sin nosotros! Ojalá ya estuvieras reinando, porque entonces reinaríamos contigo. Humility and submission go hand in hand. (1 Peter 5:5-6) Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (1 Pedro 5:5-6) Así mismo, jóvenes, sométanse a sus mayores. Sí, sométanse todos los unos a los otros y revístanse de humildad, porque Dios resiste a los soberbios, pero da gracia a los humildes. The concept of "clothing ourselves with humility" is an act of personal and complete surrender. * We create peace and unity with others. * We are able to accept correction or encouragement. * We don't assume our opinions or thoughts are always better than others. At the same time, being submissive and humble does not mean in any way, shape or form that we are to bow down to other people. (I Corinthians 7:23) "...you were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men." Pride Worships Self...Humility Worships God El orgullo adora a sí mismo... La humildad adora a Dios * Pride seeks to glorify self, pursue selfish interests and makes man his own God. * Pride makes empathy nearly impossible. Pride keeps us from really noticing people, from putting ourselves in their shoes, from recognizing when they are hurting and unhappy. It keeps us absorbed with our own agenda and needs. * When pride is attributed to God it is good. When pride is attributed to man, it is sin." (James 4:1-8) What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong-you want only what will give you pleasure....Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. * Ask yourself-what is my motive? Is it to make myself look good or does it glorify God? * Humility bows before God to acknowledge that He is sovereign and creator of all that is. (Proverbs 16:5-6) Everyone who is arrogant in the heart is an abomination to the little; be assured, he will not go unpunished. By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord, one turns away from evil" (Proverbios 16:5-6) Todo altivo de corazón es abominación para los pequeños; Tenga la seguridad de que no quedará impune. Por la misericordia y la fidelidad se expia la iniquidad, y por el temor del Señor se aparta uno del mal" Conclusion: How are we cleansed from the sin of Pride? The cure for the sin of pride is located in the steadfast love of God. * Acknowledge and confess your sin to God * Endure suffering and wrongs with patience * Submit to spiritual authority * Receive instruction with a tender spirit * Forgive quickly * Practice gratitude * Speak well of others * Embrace the Cross * Reconoce y confiesa tu pecado a Dios * Soportar el sufrimiento y los males con paciencia * Someterse a la autoridad espiritual * Recibir instrucción con un espíritu tierno * Perdonar rápidamente * Practica la gratitud * Hablar bien de los demás * Abraza la Cruz God, I am a sinner I'm sorry for my sins I believe Jesus died for my sins I believe Jesus will forgive me of my sins I choose Jesus