The Sin of Pride

Thank you for listening to this message from the ministry of Morse Corner Church in Leverett, Massachusetts. Morse Corner is a non-denominational church that is committed to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our church was founded in 1896 by two students of the famous evangelist D .L. Moody. We seek to encourage and edify the body of Christ through the proclamation of God's word through the ministries of the local church.

If you'd like more information, visit our website, morsecornerchurch .com. We hope you enjoy the message. Today in our society, when you hear someone accusing another person of being judgmental, and again, even that in and of itself is a judgment, right?

Hey, that guy's really judgmental. Well, you're judging him, aren't you? And that might be a valid criticism. There is such a thing as valid criticism, my friends, right? But when we say that someone is being judgmental, in our society, what that means is they're overly critical.

That's typically what people mean. And admittedly, there are some Christians who are overly critical, just like there's unbelievers who are overly critical. This is just the way some people are, overly critical.

But again, there are some things that are worthy of criticism. Is that true or not? Being too permissive is not such a good thing either. Also, we have these people in our societies, in our society, they wear a black robe and we call them what?

Judges. I don't hear anyone, oh, they shouldn't be doing that. No, it's necessary for society to function. In the Bible, in the Old Testament, there's an entire book called what? Judges. Oh, that's terrible.

No. So there's a good and a bad. So with a judge, you know, the person wearing the, the lawyer who's been promoted to the position of judge, we recognize what they're doing is good as long as they're not passing judgment based on a hunch.

You know, they should take the evidence and evaluate the evidence and make lawful judgments according to the law. Of course, we would rather all of the laws line up more with God's law, but that's another sermon for another day.

But we recognize if they turned a blind eye to crime, they would be what? An unjust judge. And yet, that's what people are asking us to do when they say, judge not, don't ever judge. They're asking us to turn a blind eye to sin and sometimes very serious sin.

And we don't want to be picking people apart, but you're not really doing anyone any favors when you just affirm them in whatever they want to do. So this can be a complicated subject. Now, are there some Christians that are judgmental?

Yeah. To some degree, that can be subjective because one person, it really depends on the crowd that you're in, the type of church you're in. If you're in a very permissive church, anyone who preaches the Bible with any force is going to be considered judgmental.

So I think there's a scale. But yeah, I would admit, and we can all be like this, we can all be a little too nitpicky sometimes. We can all maybe come down a little too hard on an issue. That can happen to anybody.

But yes, let's just admit that there are some Christians who are too judgmental. Are there unbelievers who are too judgmental? Now, I'm not passing the blame. We're going to come back to Christians in a moment.

But we have a standard. What's our standard? The Bible, the Word of God. I would say we have a very high standard. We have the highest standard. So when we don't live up to it, it makes us look bad. What's their standard, though?

Because Christians can be judgmental, but worldly people can be judgmental, too. We have a high standard of the Word of God. What's their standard? What is it? I don't even know. I don't even know what their standard is.

It's whatever's fashionable at that moment. See, the fact is everybody is judgmental. Everybody is judgmental about some things. Christians are passing judgment that this is wrong and this is wrong according to the Bible, but they pass judgment, too.

They're just judgmental about different things. So, you know, it's sort of like tolerance, their version of tolerance. It only goes one way. So when they talk about judgment or being judgmental, when we do it, it's bad.

But when they do it, it's fine because they're right and we're wrong. That's really what it comes down to. So, all right, moving on from that, let's look at the original context. I say all of that to say this, that really when somebody points at a Christian and says, you're just being judgmental, typically they don't have a leg to stand on.

But that doesn't give us a path. So let's look at the original context. This is still the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter 7. Some people would see this as Jesus coming out of nowhere with a whole new subject.

Is there some consistency between chapters 5, 6, and 7? Can you see that? There is consistency. At the very least, we know that Jesus has been telling his followers, do not be like who? Yeah, the hypocrites, the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the religious leaders of Israel.

Why? Because they would judge hypocritically. So there's that connection. Don't be like them because they do this, too. There is a logical progression of thought. In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus is speaking against the teachings of Israel's religious leaders.

Chapter 6, he tells of how they have corrupted the spiritual disciplines, giving alms to the poor, prayer, fasting. Jesus also speaks of worldliness that comes as a result of this corruption. But let's say for a moment, to help understand what's happening here in chapter 7, let's say there is a believer who understands the teachings of Jesus very well.

You're mature in the faith. You know the Bible. You have Bible verses memorized. You're in church. You're doing all the right things, quote, unquote. What's our temptation? What's the trap that a spiritual person has to be careful not to fall into?

Yeah, pride, self-righteousness, feeling that they're superior to everyone else, and now I can just judge everybody in everything.

Right?

This is the trap. This is what Jesus is talking about. Now, he talked about all the other things, more basic things in chapters 5 and 6. Now he's saying, for those of you who get it, watch out. So, if you understand, the Old Testament is the Word of God.

It's still valuable.

Got it.

It's not teachings about adultery and marriage. I understand. Love your neighbor.

Yes.

I get it.

Importance of prayer.

Yes.

I pray all the time. Now what do I have to watch out for? I have to watch out for pride. Becoming judgmental towards others and starting to feel like I'm superior. Let's turn to the Gospel of Luke chapter 18.

There's a parable that fits perfectly with all of this. So, really Jesus is dealing with the more advanced level of the spiritual life. You know, at least I don't do this, and I don't do that, and I don't do this.

You can start feeling pretty good about yourself. And then we forget how much we need the grace of God. Just like all of those people, well, in a sense, you were one of those people too. You were a sinner who needed to be saved.

Without the grace of God, you would have no hope. Alright, so look at Luke 18, starting in verse 9. It says, and Jesus also spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others.

Okay, let me just give this definition of pride. Pride is the character of one who with a swollen estimate of his own powers or merits looks down on others and even treats them with insolence and contempt.

Verse 10, here's the parable. Jesus says, two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. So, a religious man and a sinner basically. Verse 11, the Pharisee stood and prayed thus within himself, God I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even this tax collector.

I fast twice a week. I give tithes that all I possess. And the tax collector, you see he is bragging to God, God look at me. God I'm so wonderful. You're so proud of me, Lord. And the tax collector, how is his response?

Verse 13, 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. And Jesus says, I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. So, it is possible to be at a more advanced level in the spiritual life and yet become totally blind to the things that are truly important.

Jesus will say to the Pharisees in Matthew 23, verse 23, woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites for you pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, which are justice, and mercy, and faith.

So, it's like you know you got all the little things taken, not necessarily even little things, but you have those things taken care of, but you're totally ignoring the things that matter the most. He says, blind guides who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.

Well, that's the same idea, straining out a gnat, swallowing a camel, that's the same idea, but taking the speck out of your brother's eye, but you get a beam in your own eye. Jesus is talking about the same type of thing.

So, pride, self-righteousness, these are kind of the sneaky sins that you kind of have to watch out for. Yeah, they sneak up on you, and you start indulging in it, and you might not even know. See, the person who's committing adultery, they know they're committing adultery.

You can't not know that. But pride, some people are prideful, and yeah, they really aren't even aware of it. Now, speaking of this, speaking of pride, starting this week in the United States, June, some of you know, has been designated as Pride Month.

And anyone who knows the Bible, has read the Bible, listen, that's really easy to point to and say, this is totally ungodly, right? Obviously. People who have read the Bible, believe the Bible, it's easy to point that out.

But here's the thing, always focusing on the sins of other people is an easy way to forget about your own sins. Because without God's grace, you would be in the same lost condition as all of them. And you know me, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying go soft on the issue, don't preach against sin.

Sin needs to be called what it is, and preachers need to deal with that. But not just the sins of others, also we need to be aware of the sins that church people are prone to. Because the goal is what?

The goal is not to justify ourselves and feel good about ourselves and just condemn everybody else, that's not the goal. The goal is to get ourselves right, so we would be in a position to help them, and to show them their need to come to a saving knowledge of Christ.

Matthew Henry writes this, and I'm almost done, Matthew 7, 1 through 6, commentator Matthew Henry says, We must not judge rashly, nor pass judgment upon our brother without any ground. We must not make the worst of people.

Here is a just reproof to those who quarrel with their brethren for small faults, while they allow themselves in greater ones. Some sins are as moats, or the speck, while others are as beams. Some as a gnat, others as a camel.

Not that there is any sin that is little. If it be a moat or a splinter, it is in the eye. If a gnat, it is in the throat. Both are painful and dangerous, and we cannot be at ease until they are got out.

But it is strange that a man can be in a sinful, miserable condition and not be aware of it. As that man should have a beam in his eye and not consider it. But the God of this world blinds their minds.

You know, Satan can still kind of pull the wolf over our eyes sometimes, or become just blind to the things that we're doing. So, here's how Matthew Henry ends his comment. For those who would judge, he says, first, reform thyself.

Thanks for listening. I'm Pastor Michael Grant from Morris Cornick Church. If you'd like to listen to the complete message, or if you'd like more information about the ministry, visit our website, morriscornickchurch .com.

And we'd love to have you join us some Sunday morning here in Leverett. Until next time, with the grace of God, be with you.