A proud sinner and a humble Savior

(William Gurnall, "The Christian in Completer Armor")


"I hate pride and arrogance!" Proverbs 8:13

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"The Lord detests all the proud of heart! Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished!" Proverbs 16:5

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A man may be very zealous and painstaking in preaching — and all the while pride is the master whom he serves, though in God's livery.

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It is hard starving this sin of pride — it can live on almost anything!

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Nothing is so sacred, but pride will profane it.

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So far as pride prevails, the proud man prays and preaches to be thought good by others — to enthrone himself, rather than Christ, in the opinion and hearts of his hearers.

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Pride loves to climb up, not as Zaccheus, to see Christ — but so that others may see himself!

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"God resists the proud" (James 4:6). The humble man may have Satan at his right hand to oppose him; but the proud man shall find God Himself there to resist him. We must either lay self aside — or God will lay us aside.

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A proud sinner and a humble Savior will never agree! Christ is humble and lowly, and so resists the proud — but gives grace to the humble.

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"If God," says Augustine, "did not spare the angels when they grew proud; will He spare you — who are but dust and sin?"