The Cancer within a Mans Spirit - PRIDE

The Cancer within a Man’s Spirit - PRIDE

Text: Prov. 16:8

I. PRIDE PRODUCES CARELESSNESS

·         Illustration: Professor Smith was climbing the Weisshorn. When near the top the guide stood aside to permit the traveler to have the honor of first reaching the top. Exhilarated by the view, but forgetful of the fierce gale that was blowing, he sprang up and stood erect on the summit. The guide, quickly pulling him down, exclaimed, “On your knees sir; you are not safe there except on your knees.” Life’s summits, whether of knowledge, of love, or of worldly success, are full of perils (Choice Gleanings).

 A. God Puts Down Those That are Conceited

  1. A “fall” – literally…a “sliding”

·         “Experiencing some humiliating experience designed to deflate their ego.” 

·         Prov. 29:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low…”

  2. A tall tree attracts lightning.

·         King Saul

·         Lucifer

II.PRIDE PRODUCES AN UNTEACHABLE SPIRIT

·         Prov. 11:2 - When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

·         The Hebrew word for pride comes from a root that means “to boil up”; it refers to a raging arrogance or insolence. The image pictures the presumptuous or arrogant behavior of the godless person. Such behavior always leads to shame.[i]

III. PRIDE PRODUCES CONTENTION

• Prov. 13:10 “Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.”

 A. The Cause of Contention

  1. Two schools of thought:

   a. One: when contentions come; pride is the invariable cause.

   b. Two: Because of its result (contention); nothing good ever comes from pride.

• C.S. Lewis write: “It is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began. Other vices may sometimes bring people together; you may find good fellowship and jokes and friendliness among drunken people or unchaste people. But Pride always means enmity…and not only enmity between man and man, but enmity to God.” [ii]

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.[1]

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[1]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.) (Pr 14:3). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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[i]The Nelson Study Bible; (Pr 11:2). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

 19 (13:10) C. S. Lewis, Christianity, pp. 110, 111.

[ii]MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Pr 13:10). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.