Pride, A Public Enemy

In my current studies in 1 Corinthians I am in the middle of dealing with the first problem Paul addresses in the church at Corinth, division in the body of Christ. In wrestling with the text I believe that the root of the division that Paul is addressing is found in spiritual pride. And it appears that this issue of pride is the root that runs throughout the various problems that the church faces. Without appearing to simplistic I am speaking simplistically in appealing to the present church that spiritual pride is a great enemy to the church founded upon the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Jonathan Edwards wrote, “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 was the first enemy to enter the garden and it will be the last enemy to be put under the feet of Jesus. Therefore the remedy to such pride is at the cross of Christ. Pride is displayed as a public enemy at the cross of Christ, and pride is put to death at the cross of Christ. The church sees at the cross our pride on display in the horrific death of Christ as he became a substitutionary atoning sacrifice crying, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?.” For all his own who would live in pride before the living God Christ became sin for them that they may be redeemed by his blood As the writer of Proverbs says, “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” (Prov. 16:5). Therefore what do we see at the cross but the punishment of God upon our dying Savior in the place of prideful sinners. For the “apes of Satan” (Thomas Brooks) who follow him as the prince of the power of the air who is at work in the sons of disobedience Jesus bled and died. It is at the cross where we see the horrors of pride. But it is at the cross where all spiritual pride is laid in the dust. Because there in the gospel of God at the cross we find all boasting is laid at his throne where our salvation from him rests in our union with Christ, as Paul tells the Corinthian church, “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” (1 Corinthians 1:30 – 31) The church is meant for boasting but the boasting is in God who is for them everything they need in Christ Jesus. And it is this certainty that should lay all spiritual pride in the church to rest.

We must beware of all spiritual pride that will destroy the church of God. We must be sensitive to it’s symptoms and quick to remedy it before it’s spreading influence contaminates the whole body. I suggest you follow this link (http://www.bibleteacher.org/jedw_19.htm) to an article from Jonathan Edwards as an important bit of reading on this subject. May God grant us the grace to see spiritual pride being put to death daily in the church at Redeemer and all our boasting to be in God who is everything for us in Jesus Christ.