Pride # 4

Pride # 4

III. Often when this spirit ceases to seek worldly riches, it tries to be supported, if possible, by religious wealth - and the man, if he cannot be a god to himself, will at least be his own saviour.

The young man in the gospel who went away from Christ very sorrowful because he was very rich - and the Pharisee in the parable - were influenced by the same spirit, equally opposite to and distant from God. The one was rich in temporal things, and the other, as he thought, in spiritual things; each being a god to himself, possessing in himself all fullness and sufficiency. "I thank you that I am not as other men," are the words of the Pharisee's lips; and, "I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing," is the language of his heart. Well might the Lord say, "Behold man has become as one of us" - for who but God has such a fullness and sufficiency in himself, as to have need of nothing. But here, in religion, this spirit is of all things the most detestably odious in the sight of God. There is no creature in the universe so abominable to Him - as the one who tries to support his own pride and independence, by a mask of religion and a form of godliness.

But alas! this is the sum and substance of the religion of many showy professors. Influences by this principle, they will go about, for many years, seeking with no small labor and pain, to establish their own righteousness, unwilling through the pride of their hearts to submit to the righteousness of God provided by Christ Jesus. "They have not submitted," says the apostle, "to the righteousness of God." They were religious, yes, eminently zealous in religion; but they had not, and they would not, submit to the humbling scheme of the gospel.

Such are, through the pride of their hearts, unwilling to be convinced that they are altogether unprofitable, and wholly destitute of all strength to do any part of God's will - this being totally and so directly opposite to the principle of pride and independence within them. But if they imagine that they can be saved by establishing a righteousness of their own, and live independently of God, without being indebted to His mercy - this persuasion sets at once all the springs of the soul in motion; and this flattering but vain hope drives them about in an endless round of religious performances, to establish their own righteousness. To submit to a righteousness purely outside of their own righteousness of them, on the mere testimony of God - they know not how; a proud heart is unwilling, and savors it not. But to establish their own righteousness is a way of being saved, which appears highly rational, requires no great degree of self-denial, and is consistent with the utmost vanity of their own hearts - they may thus still be as gods, knowing and possessing good in and for themselves. And thus, while in the midst of the utmost poverty and misery, they would imagine themselves rich and increased with goods, and live, as to any dependence of heart upon God for spiritual blessings, "without God in the world."

IV. Even in those who have submitted to the righteousness of God, and put on Christ in sincerity, this spirit of pride and independence will still exert itself.

It will strive in various ways to keep them from simply relying, as altogether guilty, on him, who is made of God unto us righteousness - and it is not without the greatest difficulty that they are brought, in the face of sin and guilt, to rejoice wholly in the Lord their righteousness. When led to see their own righteousness as filthy rags, and driven from placing any confidence in the flesh - in their own doings - they are still anxious to possess something in themselves, on which to depend and build their hopes of acceptance with God. They will be tempted to look to the work of the Spirit in the heart, and make it the foundation - which can never be anything but the superstructure.

Christ, in His obedience and death, is the only sure foundation for sinners, as to pardon and acceptance with God. "Other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus." The holiest saint stands in equal need of it, with the most profligate sinner; and to eternity it must be the sole stay and support of the spirits of just men made perfect. The building on this foundation is holiness and obedience. But if care is not taken, the natural pride of man will place the superstructure in the place of the foundation, or at least will attempt to put partly as the foundation some of those materials are fit only for the construction of the building.

Thus holiness is apt to degenerate into self-righteousness; and what God gives for sanctification, we are in danger of applying for justification. We are such Pharisees by nature, that we know not how to feel grace, and at the same time, believe, as if we had none - to rest simply on Christ's righteousness, without addition of anything in us, either of outward performances or of inward grace. But we are still found missing something of our own with the foundation - it must be with some cement of our own graces, duties or endeavors. 

~Thomas Charles~

(continued with # 5)