Pride and self-sufficiency
Quote; “There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. {COL 154}. The Apostle James was writing to a group, and this is his assessment of their root problem, James 4:1-6 ERV “Do you know where your fights and arguments come from? They come from the selfish desires that make war inside you. You want things, but you don’t get them. So you kill and are jealous of others. But you still cannot get what you want. So you argue and fight. You don’t get what you want because you don’t ask God. Or when you ask, you don’t receive anything, because the reason you ask is wrong. You only want to use it for your own pleasure. You people are not faithful to God! You should know that loving what the world has is the same as hating God. So anyone who wants to be friends with this evil world becomes God’s enemy. Do you think the Scriptures mean nothing? The Scriptures say, “The Spirit that God made to live in us wants us only for himself.” But the kindness God shows is greater. As the Scripture says, “God is against the proud, but he is kind to the humble.” Quote; “There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. {COL 154}.
Quote; “1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” “Pride and Self-Sufficiency,” is so dangerous, because one is so full of self, that they are unable to perceive any possible dangers. Quote; “Just before Peter’s fall, Christ said to him, “Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.” Luke 22:31. How true was the Saviour’s friendship for Peter! how compassionate His warning! But the warning was resented. In self-sufficiency Peter declared confidently that he would never do what Christ had warned him against. “Lord,” he said, “I am ready to go with thee to prison, and to death.” His self-confidence proved his ruin. He tempted Satan to tempt him, and he fell under the arts of the wily foe. When Christ needed him most, he stood on the side of the enemy, and openly denied his Lord…. Many today stand where Peter stood when in self-confidence he declared that he would not deny his Lord. And because of their self-sufficiency, they fall an easy prey to Satan’s devices. Those who realize their weakness trust in a power higher than self. And while they look to God, Satan has no power against them. But those who trust in self are easily defeated. Let us remember that if we do not heed the cautions that God gives us, a fall is before us. Christ will not save from wounds the one who places himself unbidden on the enemy’s ground. He lets the self-sufficient one, who acts as if he knew more than his Lord, go on in his supposed strength. Then comes suffering and a crippled life or perhaps defeat and death. In the warfare the enemy takes advantage of the weakest points in the defense of those he is attacking. Here he makes his fiercest assaults. The Christian should have no weak points in his defense. He should be barricaded by the support that the Scriptures give to the one who is doing God’s will. The tempted soul will bear away the victory if he follows the example of Him who met the tempter with the word, “It is written.” He can stand securely in the protection of a “Thus saith the Lord.” {OHC 307}
“Pride commeth before a fall,” and so also with “Pride and Self-Sufficiency,” Quote; “There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. {COL 154}. How oft do we need to turn back and to repent? Quote; “On the very spot where Jesus poured out His soul in agony, Peter fell upon his face and wished that he might die. . . Had Peter been left to himself, he would have been overcome. But One who could say, Father, I know “that thou hearest me always,” One who is mighty to save interceded for him. Christ saves to the uttermost all who come to Him. Many today stand where Peter stood when in self-confidence he declared that he would not deny his Lord. And because of their self-sufficiency they fall an easy prey to Satan’s devices. Those who realize their weakness trust in a power higher than self. And while they look to God, Satan has no power against them. . . There are some lessons that will never be learned except through failure. Peter was a better man after his fall. . . As fire purifies gold, so Christ purifies His people by temptation and trial. {CTr 276}. Quote; “There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. {COL 154}. Quote; “Could those whose lives have been spent in rebellion against God be suddenly transported to Heaven, and witness the high, the holy state of perfection that ever exists there,— every soul filled with love; every countenance beaming with joy; enrapturing music in melodious strains rising in honor of God and the Lamb; and ceaseless streams of light flowing upon the redeemed from the face of Him who sitteth upon the throne, — could those whose hearts are filled with hatred of God, of truth and holiness, mingle with the heavenly throng and join their songs of praise? Could they endure the glory of God and the Lamb? — No, no; years of probation were granted them, that they might form characters for Heaven; but they have never trained the mind to love purity; they have never learned the language of Heaven, and now it is too late. A life of rebellion against God has unfitted them for Heaven. Its purity, holiness, and peace would be torture to them; the glory of God would be a consuming fire. They would long to flee from that holy place. They would welcome destruction, that they might be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them. The destiny of the wicked is fixed by their own choice. Their exclusion from Heaven is voluntary with themselves, and just and merciful on the part of God. {GC88 542}. Quote; “There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. {COL 154}. Eternity Is a long, long, time, Pride and Self-Sufficiency will keep you forever locked out, then let us cling to Jesus, rely solely on him, for in Him is all sufficiency, for now and also for Eternity, let us repent of our Pride and Self-Sufficiency, and be filled with Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and wholly reliant upon Heaven.
