PRIDE LEADS TO SINFUL PRACTICES!!!

Prov. 16:18,19; 13:10; 24:24; 29: 23; Psa. 73:6.

INTRO:

1. Pride means possessing or showing too great a self-esteem; arrogance; conceit, being haughty or presumptuous.

2. From the beginning of recorded history, man has tried to take upon himself things that belong only to God. Eccl. 7:29; Deut. 29:29.

a. God gives life, but man takes it away by murder, suicide, and abortion.

b. What God joins together, man puts asunder by divorce and other means. Matt. 19:3-9. God joined belief and baptism but man took the penknife of Jehoikim and cut baptism out of the equasion.

c. God exercises authority, but man tries to usurp that authority.

d. All such, is brought about by pride and self-conceit.

e. Pride and arrogance are listed as evil. Prov. 8:13.

I. GOD'S ACTION AGAINST PEOPLE WHOSE PRIDE DROVE THEM TO SIN. Gen. 11:1-9.

A. "...Let us make us a name..." vs. 4.

B. In order to make for themselves a name, they built the tower of Babel.

C. Because of this, God confounded and confused their speech. vs. 7.

D. God scattered them upon the earth. vs. 8.

II. GOD LISTS SEVEN THINGS THAT ARE ABOMINABLE TO HIM. Prov. 6: 16-19.

A. A proud look. Psa. 101:5.

B. A lying tongue. Psa. 120:2.

C. Hands that shed innocent blood. Abortion the most blatant example of this.

D. A heart that devises wicked imaginations. Gen. 6:5.

E. Feet that are swift in running to mischief. Isa. 59:7.

F. A false witness who lies. Psa. 27:12.

G. He that sows discord among brethren.

1. Pride is involved in each one of these, either directly or indirectly.

a. Pride is of the world. 1 Jno. 2:15-17.

III. WE ARE NOT TO FLATTER ONE ANOTHER FOR THE SAKE OF PRIDE.

A. Nor are we to seek the flattery of others. Jno. 12;42,43.

B. "Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away." Job 32:21,22.

IV. CHRIST WARNED HIS DISCIPLES NOT TO COPY THE PRIDE OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES. Matt. 23:1-12.

V. PAUL WARNED THE EPHESIAN ELDERS, THAT EVIL AND WICKEDNESS WOULD ARISE FROM AMONG THEM. Acts 20:28-32.d

VI. PAUL ALSO WARNED THE THESSALONIANS ABOUT THE PRIDE OF SOME. 2 Thes. 2:1-9.

A. Examples of such pride and arrogance on the part of men is shown forth by the adulteration of the government of the Lord's church.

1. As is shown by the many councils, synods, and conventions of men; starting as early as 150 A.D.

VII. JOHN TELLS US THAT DIOTREPHES WAS A PRIDE-FILLED MAN. 3 Jno. 9,10.

VIII. WITH REGARD TO PRIDE, COUNCILS, SYNODS, CONVENTIONS, ETC.

A. In 606 A.D., Boniface III set himself up as the Universal Bishop or Pope of the church.

IX. OVER A CENTURY AGO, IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE MATTERS, IN THEIR OWN WAY OF THINKING, BRETHREN SET UP A MISSIONARY SOCIETY TO DO THE WORK OF THE CHURCH.

A. Instrumental music in the worship road in on the coat tails of the missionary society.

X. TODAY, WELL-MEANING BRETHREN HAVE SET UP ORGANIZATIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS THAT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ACTIVATE THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH.

A. Yes, pride and a haughty spirit always go before a fall.

1. Whether it be a nation or the church.

CONCLUSION:

Brethren let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God that He might exalt us in the right way.

By Jim Sasser

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