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PRIDE v. HumilityPRIDE v. HumilityPeter HuangPeter Huang

33rdrd October, 2008 October, 2008

PRPRIIDEDE-vs--vs-

HumilityHumility

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What is PrWhat is Priide?de?

► Excessive self-esteem, Me…Myself ….Excessive self-esteem, Me…Myself ….II► Excessive belief in one’s superiority, worth & Excessive belief in one’s superiority, worth &

meritmerit► Desire to be recognised or appreciated Desire to be recognised or appreciated ► Comparing myself to othersComparing myself to others► Eg. Vanity – over concerned with beauty, looks Eg. Vanity – over concerned with beauty, looks

& clothes.& clothes.

► One of the problems with pride is that we can One of the problems with pride is that we can see it in others, but not in ourselves.see it in others, but not in ourselves.

► Romans 2:21aRomans 2:21a: “you, then, who teach others, : “you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?”do you not teach yourself?”

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Is PRIs PRIIDE DE a sa siin?n?

Proverbs 21:4Proverbs 21:4

A haughty look, A haughty look, a proud heart, a proud heart,

AndAnd the plowing the plowing of the wicked of the wicked

areare sin. sin.

►Proverbs 6:16-19Proverbs 6:16-19    1616 These six These six thingsthings the the LORD hates, Yes, seven LORD hates, Yes, seven areare an abomination to Him: an abomination to Him:   1717 A proud lookA proud look, ,      A lying tongue,      A lying tongue,      Hands that shed innocent      Hands that shed innocent blood, blood,   1818 A heart that devises A heart that devises wicked plans, wicked plans,      Feet that are swift in      Feet that are swift in running to evil, running to evil,   1919 A false witness A false witness whowho speaks lies, speaks lies,      And one who sows      And one who sows discord among brethren.discord among brethren.

UNGODLY PRIDE root cause of

many ungodly behaviour

Ungodliness

Pri

de

Anxiety and Frustration

Judgmentalism

Unthankfulness

Anger

Envy

Impatience

Selfishness

Discontentment

Sins of the Tongue

Worldliness

Lack of Self-Control

DifferencesDifferences

PRIDEPRIDECompares Compares own-self own-self

with otherswith others

HUMILITYHUMILITY

Compares Compares own-self own-self

with Jesuswith Jesus

Philippians 2:3-43Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Impressingothers

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The Humility of JesusThe Humility of Jesus(Philippians 2)(Philippians 2)

Equal with God

Form of God

Who He Is What He Did

Became Man

Form of Servant

Obedient to death

on crossYet

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Jesus’ Humility in ActionJesus’ Humility in Action

The Son can do nothing of HimselfThe Son can do nothing of Himself I can of my own self do nothingI can of my own self do nothing I am come not to do my own willI am come not to do my own will My teaching is not mineMy teaching is not mine I do nothing of myselfI do nothing of myself I have not come of myself, but He I have not come of myself, but He

sent mesent me I seek not mine own gloryI seek not mine own glory The words that I say, I speak not The words that I say, I speak not

from myselffrom myself The word which you hear is not The word which you hear is not

minemine

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PRIDE OF PRIDE OF ACHIEVEMENTACHIEVEMENT

I don’t need GodI can do it my way!!

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PRIDE OF PRIDE OF ACHIEVEMENTACHIEVEMENT

But everything comes from God: 1Corinthians 11:12

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Pride of AchievementPride of Achievement

►People feel superior because of their People feel superior because of their achievements – grades, sports, wealth…achievements – grades, sports, wealth…

►There is no such thing as a “self-made man”There is no such thing as a “self-made man”►We boast, or we want recognition but don’t We boast, or we want recognition but don’t

want to appear to be proud.want to appear to be proud.►We brag about the success of our children We brag about the success of our children

(without giving credit to God).(without giving credit to God).

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DON’T FORGET!!DON’T FORGET!!

► 1717 You may say to yourself, “My power You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” produced this wealth for me.” 1818 But But

remember the Lord your God, remember the Lord your God, for it is hefor it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealthwho gives you the ability to produce wealth, ,

and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. your forefathers, as it is today.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18Deuteronomy 8:17-18

► The world is mine, and all that is in it.The world is mine, and all that is in it. Psalm 50:12Psalm 50:12

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1 Corinthians 4:71 Corinthians 4:7

For who makes you different from For who makes you different from anyone else? anyone else?

What do you have that you did not What do you have that you did not receive? receive?

And if you did receive it, And if you did receive it, why do why do you boastyou boast as though you did not? as though you did not?

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PRIDE OF PRIDE OF MORAL MORAL

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESSSELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

It’s good that It’s good that I am not like the others!!I am not like the others!!

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Luke 18:8-14

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:

PRIDE OF MORAL PRIDE OF MORAL SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESSSELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

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Luke 18:8-14Luke 18:8-14

10 10 “Two men went up to the “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. and the other a tax collector. 11 11

The Pharisee stood up and The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax adulterers—or even like this tax collector. collector. 12 12 I fast twice a week I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’and give a tenth of all I get.’

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Luke 18:8-14Luke 18:8-1413 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. “But the tax collector stood at a distance.

He would not even look up to heaven, but He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’on me, a sinner.’

14 14 “I tell you that this man, “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, rather than the other, went home justified went home justified before God. before God. For everyone who For everyone who exaltsexalts himself will be himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”exalted.”

Elevate or glorify

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Luke 18:14 (Worldwide English New Testament)

14I tell you, when this man went home, he was right with God. The other one was not. Everyone who puts himself up in a high place will be brought down to a low place. And everyone who And everyone who puts himself in a low place will puts himself in a low place will be brought up to a high place.'be brought up to a high place.'

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The The PhariseePharisee

• Law-keeperLaw-keeper• ObedientObedient• HolyHoly• RespectfulRespectful

• LawlessLawless• SinnerSinner• UnholyUnholy• UnrighteousUnrighteous

The The Tax CollectorTax Collector

& Others& Others

Pharisee’s view of the tax Pharisee’s view of the tax collector & others and himselfcollector & others and himself

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The The PhariseePharisee

• ProudProud• Self righteousSelf righteous• Not right with Not right with

GodGod

• RepentantRepentant• HumbleHumble• Right with Right with

GodGod

The The Tax collectorTax collector

Jesus’ view of the Tax Jesus’ view of the Tax collector and of the Phariseecollector and of the Pharisee

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How do we view people?

PRIDE OFPRIDE OFRECOGNITION RECOGNITION

ORORHONOURHONOUR

I deserve more and better!!

Luke 14Luke 14 At the home of a Pharisee:At the home of a Pharisee:

7 7 When he noticed how the When he noticed how the guests picked the places of guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told honor at the table, he told them this parable:them this parable:

8 8 ““When someone invites you to a wedding When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguishedperson more distinguished

than you may have been than you may have been invited.invited.

A Roman triclinium

Luke 14Luke 14

99 If so, the host who invited both of you If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, will come and say to you, ‘‘Give thisGive this man your seatman your seat..’’ Then, humiliated, you Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important will have to take the least important place.place.

1010 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘‘Friend, Friend, movemove up to a better placeup to a better place..’’

Then you will be honored Then you will be honored in the presence of all your in the presence of all your fellow guests.fellow guests.

Luke 14:11Luke 14:11 For everyone who exalts For everyone who exalts

himself will be humbled, himself will be humbled, and he who humbles and he who humbles

himself will be exalted.himself will be exalted.Proverbs 25:6-7 6Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of the great; 7For it is better that he say to you, "Come up here," Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.

Luke 14Luke 1411 For everyone who exalts himself 11 For everyone who exalts himself

will be humbled, and he who will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."humbles himself will be exalted."

Taking the higher Taking the higher seatseat

Taking the lower Taking the lower seatseat

Competing, wanting recognitionSelf-importance

= PRIDE

Satisfied with the seat chosen for meBeing modest

= Humility

Extolled by the world Extolled & fostered by God

How GodHow God

looks at looks at

pride & humilitypride & humility

HowHow

God God

looks looks

at at

pride pride

& &

humilityhumility

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverted mouth way, and the perverted mouth I hateI hate. . Proverbs 8:13Proverbs 8:13

Everyone who is proud in heart is Everyone who is proud in heart is an abominationan abomination to the Lord. to the Lord. Proverbs 16:5Proverbs 16:5

Pride goes before Pride goes before destructiondestruction and a and a haughty spirit before stumbling. haughty spirit before stumbling. Proverbs 16:18Proverbs 16:18

Pride ……Pride ……

When pride comes, then comes dishonour; but with the humble is wisdom. Proverbs 11:2

A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honour.

Proverbs 29:23

..and all of you clothe yourself with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time. 1Peter 5:5-6

HUMILITY ……HUMILITY ……

CONCLUSION

APPLICATION

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Philippians 2:3-4

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

God hates pride, resists the proudGod hates pride, resists the proud

Pride is a sinPride is a sin

God gives grace to the humbleGod gives grace to the humble

Humility an absolute necessityHumility an absolute necessity

Everything comes from GodEverything comes from God

Jesus our blueprint for humilityJesus our blueprint for humility

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How to humble yourself1. Routinely confess your sin to God. (Luke 18:9-14)2. Acknowledge your sin to others. (James 3:2, James 5:16)3. Take wrong patiently. (1 Peter 3:8-17)4. Actively submit to authority…the good and the bad! (1 Peter 2:18)5. Receive correction and feedback from others graciously. (Prov

10:17, 12:1)6. Accept a lowly place. (Prov 25:6,7)7. Purposely associate with people of lower state than you. (Luke

7:36-39)8. Choose to serve others. (Phil 1:1, 2 Cor 4:5, Matt 23:11)9. Be quick to forgive. (Matt 18: 21-35)10. Cultivate a grateful heart. (1 Thess 5:18)11. Purpose to speak well of others. (Eph 4:31-32)12. Treat pride as a condition that always necessitates embracing the

cross. (Luke 9:23)

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THE ENDTHE END

Pride Pride goes before goes before

disaster,disaster,and and

a haughty spirit a haughty spirit before a fall. before a fall.

(Proverbs 16:18)(Proverbs 16:18)

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