Ego Part 3: Edging God Out Through Pride Series

We should think about this story every time we are tempted to take credit for successes in our lives. Every time we look at our wealth, our fame, our position, and are tempted say.. look what “I” have accomplished. Every time, our chest puffs up when someone praises us, every time we are tempted to count the number of people whom “I” have helped to become better.. etc etc. We all Edge God Out through our pride when we fall prey to such temptations.

God in his loving kindness always provides a way out. He says in Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NKJV) 23 Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD. All that is required is for us to acknowledge God and accept that everything we have, comes from Him. We will note that it is exactly how Nebuchadnezzar’s mad story ends. Daniel 4:34-35 (NKJV) 34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?" And it goes on to say that sanity returned to Nebuchadnezzar, glory of his kingdom, his splendor, his people, everything retuned to him once he accepted God’s sovereignty, and His dominion over everything on earth.

Now, many of us might say (and rightfully so) that the Nebuchadnezzar story is not applicable to us. We might base our claim on the fact that unlike Nebuchadnezzar, we are all church going Christians, we are reasonably good people, we are reasonably holy, we are generally good people, and anyway, we don’t have as much wealth and position and power as Nebuchadnezzar had etc. The question that I would like us to consider is this. Is it possible that we are spiritual yet proud? Can we be spiritually proud? I think we know the answer isn’t it? King Uzziah thought he had acquired the right to take on the priestly duties (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). King Saul thought that he as a King need not wait for a Priest to show up and he can perform the duties of the priest himself (1 Samuel 13:8-14). These are some examples of Spiritual pride. But the best example of Spiritual pride can be seen in Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector Luke 18:9-14 (NKJV) 9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Spiritual pride can make us look down on others in the congregation, others in Christendom. Jesus is clear, everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted. We all know that BBF is a small/ tiny congregation. Sometimes I wonder, how we will feel if we suddenly become a 1000 member congregation, we had our own church building and had surplus funds. There was a Church at Laodicea which reached exactly a stage like that. The congregation said, Revelation 3:17 (NKJV) 17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—. I am sure you know of mega churches that can very well say this. But Jesus reveals their actual state. He says “and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—“. Spiritual pride can be very dangerous, probably even more dangerous than any other pride. Let me quote Jonathan Edwards (from “The works of Jonathan Edwards”)“The first and worst cause of errors that abound in our day and age is spiritual pride. This is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of Christ. It is the chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit to darken the mind and mislead the judgment. Pride is the main handle by which he has hold of Christian persons and the chief source of all the mischief that he introduces to clog and hinder a work of God. Spiritual pride is the main spring or at least the main support of all other errors. Until this disease is cured, medicines are applied in vain to heal all other diseases.”