“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16
The Bible teaches us that our human passions are carnal, not spiritual. Our fleshly man is sinful in nature. Thus, both our fleshly desires and our feelings about ourselves are sinful. Sinful means they are opposite in nature to God. Thus by our natural desires and pride, we are turned away from God. Through human desire and pride, man is alienated from God, God’s will, and God’s Word. “…fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Ephesians 2:3
The desires of the flesh lead one on a course different from God, and human pride keeps one there, feeding on self satisfaction and self esteem. “Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.” Isaiah 57:10 We know how pride seals a person’s mind up in their time of success, leaving them without concern about their need of God’s salvation. But pride also leaves one indifferent to one’s need of God’s salvation even in difficult times, because it is confident in one’s own ability to overcome all things.
These last days, as in Noah’s day, are times of self exaltation, with man glorying in man. Man is so full of himself today that he does not concern himself with what God’s Word has to say about his sinful condition before God. Because of pride, neither his guilt of sin before God (Romans 3:19), nor the fact that because he is a sinner, he has come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), concerns him.
By pride, man has no interest or use for the things of God, because it appeals not to his fancy and self esteem. By pride, man even looks down on the things of God as being burdensome to self. By pride, man considers that he would lose out on life, rather than gain, if he were to become a Christian.
By pride, man scorns the teachings of God’s Word, since they do not appeal to his desires (the way he loves to live.) So through pride, man considers the ways of God to be foolishness, thus removing himself that much further from God, God’s will, and God’s way. By pride, man separates himself from those who live separate unto God, considering them to be fanatical, while he admires those who boldly project themselves in their own lusts, for their own glory.
So, by pride, man respects only those things that are of this world while keeping his mind closed to spiritual values and that which has eternal value. Pride prevents man from reasoning with God. Thus, the only solution is for man to repent; otherwise, he will perish.
SHARING