“The only way to recoup our spiritual losses is to go back to the cause of them and make such corrections as the truth warrants. The decline of the knowledge of the holy has brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward curing them” (A. W. Tozer).
“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. (I Peter 5:5).
God is opposed to the proud regardless of whether they are the religious people or not. This text is in the context of the local church. Peter does not distinguish between those who God opposes and those He gives grace to other than pride and humility. It could be said that God opposes the proud especially if they claim to be the Church. No matter the religious talk of denominational leaders and of religious leaders as a whole, if they are proud then God is opposed to them. God is also opposed to individuals in the churches if they are proud as well. The term “opposed” actually comes from a word that speaks of a military alignment. God aligns Himself against the proud and He will bring them down. If the Church is proud, He will bring it down. God will not allow anyone to have His glory and that is true with religious people as well.
The Church in the United States is proud and is reaping the consequences of that. God is opposed to the Church and it will never have true success apart from God. True enough many have large numbers of people and of finances, but God gives those things to His enemies too. Large numbers and large budgets are not necessarily a sign of the favor of God at all. The sign of God’s favor is when He gives His people Himself and that entails a discovery of His majesty. A corresponding truth along with His majesty is seen in their humility toward God. It is when God humbles a people in truth and in the heart that He gives them grace. We must not understand grace apart from God Himself, but instead we should think of grace as the giving of God Himself. A person who is truly proud is a person who is not walking with the sense of the majesty of God. When God withdraws Himself from a people, He takes the sense and the presence of His majesty with Him. That leaves people in darkness and is a turning them over to themselves.
When God humbles a people by giving them a sight and sense of His majesty, those people are then ready to receive grace. God does not give the proud true grace, they don’t want it and wouldn’t see it anyway. So God prepares a people for grace by giving them the grace of humility. The humble receive grace and desire to share in the life and glory of God simply to enjoy Him and declare His praises and excellencies. The proud want to be religious and to be engaged in religious activities simply out of a desire of benefit for self. A people who want to sing to God and hear His Word preached for selfish purposes is clearly a people that has been turned over to pride and hard hearts. Romans 1:18-32 shows God’s pattern in turning people over to sin. Now, while we must be careful, there is a clear pattern that is applicable to the modern Church. In v. 18 we see that the wrath of God is poured out because men suppress the truth in unrighteousness. The Church in America is certainly suppressing the truth. In v. 21 they did not honor Him as God. The Church in America is certainly not honoring God. In vv. 22-23 we see that men professing to be wise became fools and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for other things. The Church in America has certainly exchanged the glory of God for entertainment and outward success which is really idolatry.
As we look at these things, we have not really left the discussion of recouping our spiritual losses. It is out of pride that the Church does not honor God as God. It is from pride that the Church will not have God as God. It is from pride that the Church suppresses the truth because they want to please men and get them in the door. It is from pride that the Church desires to be entertained with music and tickled ears rather than to worship in music and to hear the Word of God preached to the heart. Is it any wonder that God has opposed the Church in the past and continues to oppose the Church today? What pride the Church in America had displayed in its idolatrous practices of trying to be like the world instead of God. The Church must begin to humble itself or God will turn His back completely on the Church and leave it to its own devices. The Church has chosen its own practices and ways rather than to bow to the glory of God and plead for Him to visit it again. How we must humble ourselves and turn from all that we do that does not exalt Him and is not a way of seeking His majesty in the Church. We must be humbled to the point of repentance from the heart if He is to return in His majesty. May He be pleased to do so.
God Loves... Himself 
Leave a comment