Being Real About Pride

Series Title: Being Real in an Automated World

message title: Being Real About Pride

Message Title: Being Real About Pride

Scripture text:

Scripture Text:

Introduction:

introduction:

if there is one sin that the Word of God consistently warns against, it is the sin of arrogance and pride. This one sin gives birth to a multitude of others. All sin can be boiled down to 3 areas: 1. The lust of the eyes, 2. The lust of the flesh, 3. the pride of life. ().

if there is one sin that the Word of God consistently warns against, it is the sin of arrogance and pride. This one sin gives birth to a multitude of others. All sin can be boiled down to 3 areas: 1. The lust of the eyes, 2. The lust of the flesh, 3. the pride of life. ().

Instead of destructive pride, we are called to live in genuine humility. Here in , James details issues related to the destructive tendencies of pride in the life of the child of God.

I- Pride produces devastating results.

Instead of destructive pride, we are called to live in genuine humility. Here in , James details issues related to the destructive tendencies of pride in the life of the child of God.

A- Interpersonal conflicts ()

“What is causing (Πόθεν) the quarrels (πόλεμοι) and fights (μάχαι) among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?”

I- Pride produces devastating results.

“Πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν; οὐκ ἐντεῦθεν, ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν;”[1]

A- Interpersonal conflicts ()

1- The Ongoing Problem:

B- Inappropriate value system (a)

a- Interpersonal conflicts that are chronic.

C- Iniquitous motives ()

b- Interpersonal conflicts that are concise.

D- Unholy alliances ()

2- The origin of the problem:

E- Inaccurate assessments ()

F- Irrational plans ()

II- Pride can be defeated through decisive godly action.

a- Sinful passions (ἐκ τῶν ἡδονῶν ὑμῶν)

A- Recognize that God has a higher plan for your life. ().

(1) Ablative case here after ἐκ [ek], “out of your sinful, sensual lusts,” the desire to get what one does not have and greatly desires.[2]

B- Replace prideful arrogance with the spirit of humility ()

b- Sinful passions that wage war like soldiers in a war from within (τῶν στρατευομένων ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ὑμῶν;)

C- Repent of the sins that are bred by arrogance and pride ().

(1) Present middle articular participle (ablative case agreeing

D- Receive God’s work in you that brings about a change in attitude ().

with ἡδονων [hēdonōn]) of στρατευω [strateuō], to carry on a campaign, here as in of the passions in the human body. [3]

E- Reorient the focus of your criticism ().

B- Inappropriate value system

() “You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it.”

F- Refocus your attention on your daily walk with Christ ().

1- Discontented

2- Determined

Conclusion:

C- Iniquitous motives

() “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. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”

1- Covetous

2- Corrupt

3- Conceited

4- Carnal

D- Unholy alliances

()

“ You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes

you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the

world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”

1- Choosing to be loyal to the world, rather than Christ.

2- Choosing to align with the world is to align against God!

E- Inaccurate assessments ()

11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. 12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

1. Criticism of Christian brothers or sisters is not our place!

2. Criticism places us in the position of judging God’s leadership in another person’s life!

3. Our job is to obey God...pure and simple!

F- Irrational plans

()

13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

II- Pride can be defeated through decisive godly action.

A- Recognize that God has a higher plan for your life.

().

5 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. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

B- Replace prideful arrogance with the spirit of humility ()

“ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

C- Repent of the sins that are bred by arrogance and pride

().

8 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. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.

D- Receive God’s work in you that brings about a change in attitude

(). “ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up

in honor”.

E- Reorient the focus of your criticism

().

11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. 12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

F- Refocus your attention on your daily walk with Christ

().

15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Conclusion:

[1] Cambridge Greek Testament: Greek Text (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012), .

[2] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), .

[3] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), .