Virtue or Vice:: Today we look at the topic of spiritual virtue.
I want to help us to understand and contrast wholesome living as a virtue and sin as a vice.
Humility is our topic — contrasted by Pride. Virtue and Vice....
Our world is obsessed with itself. We have shaped life as individuals and not as people of community.
Did you know? There are millions and billions of selfies taken and posted to social media. Over 9 million selfies are taken daily with 24 billion selfies annually.
Reading 2 Peter 5:7 we find the virtue at a main theme. Humility is mentioned more often Olin this passage. — Humility is opposite of Pride.
Humility is Defined: FREEDOM FROM... pride or arrogance. The quality or state of being humble. (Merriam-Webster)
― CS Lewis: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less.”
I like what the author of an article that I read recently from “Never Thirst” website:
“Satan’s sin was pride! The angel was in love with itself and wanted to be like God. Ezekiel 28:17 says, “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty” It (Satan) was impressed with itself. and wanted to be a god.” - Never Thirst website: https://www.neverthirsty.org/bible-qa/qa-archives/question/what-is-root-cause-of-all-sin/
Today, I want to encourage us to GET OVER OURSELVES (so we can live for the “good pleasure of God’s Glory.”
If humility is freedom from pride, pride is like being in chains!
A vice is contagious...like an addiction, it ultimately will destroy. Our culture is addicted to SELF!
As an aside; You’ve heard about the man with the strange addiction? He was addicted to SOAP. Crazy right?! But, the good news, he’s been CLEAN for 6-weeks now!
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CS Lewis says that “…pride is the grossest of sins. All other sins are mere flea bites compared to the sin of pride.”
Pride hurts us because it pushes us away from God.
“By means of symbolism, Satan's position is defined in terms of attitude. Pride is rightly considered to be "the father of all sin," “ - John W. Ritenbaugh (What the Bible says about Pride as Father of all Sin)
But, the Bible tells us to live a life of humility.
A few scriptures to go with that would include the following:
2 Peter 1:5-7; Gen. 41:16; Ps. 25:9-10; Mark 9:33 & 36; Matthew 18; 2 Corinthians 3:4; 2 Cor. 3:12; James 4:6; Prov. 6; Prov. 16:18; Psalm 84:10 & 11:
Key passage: ** 2 Peter 1:5-7**
“For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7. and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”
How to have Humility. (The how-to's of getting over yourself!)
Kingdom Living --
Genuine Love --
Gracious Life-style --
In the outline provided for you I will qualify each of these expressions and hope to bring greater meaning to what they are about.
——
Purposeful Kingdom Living: Remember where you are going. (God‘s Word never returns void.)
When we become a Christian we inherit gifts and abilities that come from God. It sets us on a course with a purpose. Daily we learn to live on purpose, not just be skating through life with a set of selfish ambitions.
Colossians 3:10 :: Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
We are told that we need to accumulate more, consume but in reality we can do nothing on our own without God's Kingdom perspective.
Having a Kingdom perspective is like Joseph when he was interpreting the dreams for the pharaoh…..
Genesis 41:16 (Joseph interpreting the pharaohs dream...)
Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not I; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
If we live on purpose - according to the WORD OF GOD (which never returns void) we will find true humility. It is not in our giftedness nor in our successes that we find purpose. These are mere tools for the work before us. As we invest into others, based on our eternal home and rewards, we find meaning both in this life and the next.
As we help teens at our White's RFS Campus, we purposefully see our work in doing God's work. We exist to help children and youth find the hope and help that ONLY God can provide!
--100 teen students on campus (Residential ministry over over 170 years. Compass Rose Academy as our latest ministry to girls 14-18.)
--150-plus children/youth in foster care around the state.
--Also, through vocational training (50 East Cafe & Garden Center).
Humility frees us from ourself and other manmade chains…
Helping students to "Get over themselves" is a big part of what we provide in our ministry. It is often, at no fault of thier own that we intervene in the lives of children and youth but it is helping students to understand God's plan for their lives. We are helding students to understand the chains that bind (pain, anger, hurts, fears, disappointments, abuse....) in the midst of broken pieces find the peace that passes all understanding ... that will gaurd their lives.
Pride come from self ... even painful disappointments that we make idols of ... We become victims of....
The kingdom living person is obedient to the things of God-His Word. It is about living God’s purpose. …..
Do you want to get over yourself? Be Purposeful - KINGDOM Living!
2. Professing Genuine Love: Investing In Others. (God’s love is eternal.)
Our world will consume you. We are addicted to self.
Humility reminds us that we are mortal and dependent on God for our daily lives.
Psalms 25:9-10
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
Isn't it interesting...the more you see the needs of others, the less our burdens become. I find that when I pastored and ever felt down or overwhelmed by my situation, IF I visited others in the hospital or did a funeral (seeing the hurts and pain of others) changed how I dealt with my own.
Jesus overheard the discussion of the disciples who argues over greatness (pride):
“Who is the greatest?” - Disciples Asked Jesus -- Mark 9:33; Matthew 18;
Mark 9:33: "Whoever wants to be first, must be last!"
Mark 9:36: He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
C.H. Spurgeon, in an exposition of Mark 9:30–40, writes: “This is the only way to get to the front of Christ’s army—he who would be chief, must always be aiming at the rear rank, willing to do the most humble service and to be the lowest menial in his Master’s service. Only in this way can we rise. In Christ’s Kingdom, the way to go up is to go down. Sink self and you shall surely rise.”
Passages that relate to this include: Psalm 84:10, Matthew 20:20–28, Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 4:10–11
3. Practicing a Gracious Life-style. (Boldly Living for Christ.)
Reading on this subject futher we find that we have a meaning that is lost in today's culture. Meekness does not mean sheepish or with retreat. .... Meekness is knowing and having the internal confidence that God is in control.
Reading from the Inner Resouces for Leaders, "Spiritual Meekness: An Imperative Virtue for Christian Leaders" --
Author Mark E. Caner:
When exegetically analyzing the New Testament connotation of “meek”, it is essential to dissect it in Greek in order to correctly interpret its meaning.
**In this dialect, the word used is prautes,which connotes a total lack of self-pride, to the point of a lack of self-concern.
The poor and oppressed are often labeled as such, but not because they are cowed but
as a result of their humility for their own position, and therefore place a greater emphasis on serving others.
**Another analogous Greek word for meek discerned via linguistic and historical analysis is praus, which is Meekness - expressed as a decided strength of disciplined calmness.
**Consequently, meekness does not mean weakness! ** It doesn’t mean that we must cower or retreat from our
principles, and does not involve the surrender of our rights.
Meek men and women of the Bible demonstrated firm resolve, courage, conviction and strength. Furthermore, meekness in our organizations, as
well as toward God’s word, requires speaking out against immoral behavior and wickedness.
Thus, it demands that we deny ourselves and act on behalf of our followers.
© Inner Resources for Leaders | School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship | Regent University | Virginia Beach, VA 23464
2 Corinthians 3:4 :: Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. ...
-Our strength is in the things of God not self.
Our staff theme at White's RFS is from -- 2 Corinthians 3:12 :: Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness. Because of what Christ did on our behalf, we can live radically. We can have a Reckless (radical) HOPE!
James 4:6 -- But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Sometimes we assume that confidence resembles pride but the truth is that as we live to bring him glory, confidence is a good quality to have.
Tony Dungy writes in his devotional dated November 19. “It’s a realization that God has given us certain abilities and created us to fulfill a unique role that no one else can fill. It’s a humble recognition that life is not about us but about using our gifts and abilities to their fullest to help others and contribute to society.”
He goes on to say, “Pride, on the other hand, is all about building ourselves up in the eyes of others. If you want to keep from falling, we need to learn the difference.”
** Essentially, “Be confident in God-given gifts and abilities, but always avoiding pride.” - Dungy.
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My favorite philosopher, Forrest Gump says about life: “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you might get.”
It is not important what happens to you, it is how you respond to it. Practicing gracious living is all about finding a humble position for which you stand; knowing that God is with you!
Living our lives out loud is essential as we practice gracious living.
-Letting others "play through" at the grocery line.
-Demonstrating patience in a harsh situation.
-Being kind in return.
"Truth never needs defended. Proclaiming the Truth — “Truth is like a lion, you don’t have to defend it, simply let it out if the cage.” - Augustine of Hippo
Proverbs 6 is "life in the summary" -- Living these three principles are spelled out in this chapter.
Vs. 16 - There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abonination to him:
- haughty eyes,
- a lying tongue,
- hands that shed innocent blood,
- the hear the devises wicked plans,
- feet that make haste to run to evil,
- a false witness who breathes out lies,
- and one who sows discord among brothers.
A haughty spirit or having haughty eyes means that we look down upon others in a condescending way. We think more highly of ourselves than we should. This is where we look scornfully, disdainfully, or almost arrogantly at others. The expression “looking down our nose” at someone applies here.
1 Timothy 6:17 and 18; Philippians 2; 1 Corinthians 8;
“C.S. Lewis’ chapter on pride in Mere Christianity is so helpful because he talks about just the root of sin being pride before God. “ - David Platt serves as pastor at McLean Bible Church in Washington, D.C. (https://radical.net/podcast/1149-the-root-of-all-sin-ezekiel-281-2/)
Being Humble is living on Purpose (God's Kingdom First), Professing Genuine Love, and Practicing Gracious Living.
CS Lewis on pride:
“Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man... It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition is gone, pride is gone.”
Proverbs 16:18 -- Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. ** It is better to be of lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoils with the proud.
Better to be a doorman in the house of God ... Than dwell in the tents of the wicked.... Read Psalm 84:10 & 11:
Walk in the way of God -- Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
Closing prayer -
Commitment to Kingdom Living ....
Commitment to Love and the Service of others ....
Commitment to Live Boldly in the Name of Jesus ....
