Spirtual Viruses

Spiritual Viruses

About a month ago I wasn’t paying attention clicking open junk e-mails. And I clicked on one and as soon as I did it I knew I was in trouble. I ran my anti virus program but it had been to long since I updated it and it only caught one virus. I thought that I was safe but four more viruses found their way to my hard drive and made themselves at home.

It wasn’t until a month later that I started noticing I had trouble. Illegal functions, and permanent errors we popping up every time I tried to do anything. So I ran my anti-virus again but no errors so I did what any other red blooded American male would do, I went out and bought a bigger program. When I ran this on it found 4 more viruses and during the whole process my hard drive crashed. I did what I could with my limited knowledge and even Got Tim Glover to look at it but it was no use.

When I wasn’t paying attention I let something come in and destroy my hard drive. Now here is the parallel hard drives aren’t the only thing that crash. There are many people our brotherhood that have let spiritual viruses creep into their lives and they are crashing. Today we are having an all day sermon on Spiritual viruses. We are going to look at four in particular, two this morning and two tonight.

I. The first virus we encounter is Pride

Thomas Adam declared, "Pride thrust Nebuchadnezzar out of men’s society, Saul out of his kingdom, Adam out of paradise, Haman out of court, and Lucifer out of heaven." It is no wonder, then, that Augustine named pride as the greatest of all sins,

Pride is such an dangerous thing. It invades every facet of a person’s life. One can be proud of himself, proud of his accomplishments, proud of his possessions, proud of his people, proud of his race, proud of his nation in such a way as to take the glory away from God. We can even be proud of our humility! You have heard of the man who was given a medal for his humility, and then had to have it taken from him because he wore it!

A. PRIDE IS USED IN TWO SENSES

(1) The good sense. In this sense, pride is synonymous with self-respect and personal dignity. Such is admirable and necessary.

Matthew 22:39 And the second command is like the first: ’Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’

(2) The bad sense. In this sense, pride is self-importance, and arrogance.

Let us make sure that the pride that we possess is the kind that keeps the chin and head up and not the nose!

B. PRIDE IS A SIN

(1) The Bible specifically says that pride is sinful. " A high look, and a proud heart, is sin." (Proverbs 21: 4). Pride is a sin that God hates. (Proverbs 6:16-19; 16:5; 8:13) It is a sin that generates from an evil heart; yea, that defiles a man. (Mk. 7:21-27)

(2) Too, "the pride of life" is one of the channels through which Satan tempts man to sin. (1 In. 2: 15-17). Satan used this avenue of approach in the temptation of Christ (Matt. 4:1-11), and in the temptation of Adam and Eve. (Gen. 3: 1-6).

C. Struggles with pride Is not new with us.

(1) Old Testament Examples. Uzziah in II Chronicles 26, Haman in Esther 3-7 and Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4

(2) New Testament Examples. The Pharisee (Luke. 18:9-14), Herod (Acts 12:20-23) and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11).

Also let me remind you that the disciples of the Lord were puffed up with pride. They constantly fought to see who would b the greatest in the kingdom.

D. PRIDE LEADS TO MANY OTHER THINGS

In fact, pride is the root of all sin. It caused the first sin on earth. (Gen. 3:5ff). It preceded that and was the cause of Satan’s fall. Though the application of Isaiah 14: 12-15 and Ezekiel 28: 11-19, it seems that it may very appropriately apply to the original fall of Satan. Pride made Satan, Satan. (I Tim. 3: 6).

Being more specific, let us now notice some other things that pride leads to:

(1) Pride will prevent conversion. (Matt. 18:14) One must be willing to assume the role of a servant in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:3).

(2) Pride will cause one to refuse to confess his sins. Some cannot humble themselves low enough to say, "I’m sorry, I’m wrong, I’ve sinned." Often we need to say this to God and, at times, to others.

(3) Pride will cause one to try to live beyond his means. We are plagued today with not keeping up with the Joneses but being better than them. We are plagued with buying things we do not need, with money we do not have, to impress people we do not know.