“You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, who wander from Your commandments” (Psalm 119:21).
Pride in the heart is an issue with each sin. Pride prefers self to God and makes decisions based on self. Pride desires self and honor for self rather than doing all for the glory of God. Pride tells itself and others that it is doing all for the glory of God but its real desire is self. Pride is that which puffs up with self in the things of religion, and that also includes orthodox and conservative Christianity. It is pride which is in the heart that violates the commandments of God. The Greatest Command is to love God and it is pride that does all out of love for self. Pride wants to trust in self and the things of self, but Scripture tells us we are to trust in God with all of our being. Pride wants to do things in order to be saved, even if it gives orthodox names for them, but Scripture teaches that salvation is by grace alone apart from the works a human being can do for salvation.
The rich young ruler is an example of religious pride.
“Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” 18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? “19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 “You know the commandments, ‘DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25 “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God” (Luke 18:17-27).
The teaching of Jesus is that one must receive the kingdom of God like a child. The ruler wanted to know what he could do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to keep the commandments and listed the fifth through the ninth commandments. The ruler had such a wrong idea of the commandments that in his pride he thought he had kept them. He thought he had kept them from his youth. So Jesus told him to sell all that he possessed and give it to the poor. It is not that the young ruler had kept the other commandments, but Jesus was showing the man his heart. This man was extremely rich and his heart was on his riches rather than on God. He was willing to keep the external parts of the commands to gain eternal life but he was not willing to follow all that Christ said.
Jesus was opening the eyes of this young man to the state of his heart. The man’s heart loved his riches and trusted in them. His true god was self and he loved the riches that he had for selfish reasons. He trusted in his riches rather than Christ. This man worshipped God according to the lines that he set and that means as long as he could be comfortable in doing so. When Jesus told him to sell all he had and give it to the poor, the man could not and would not cross the line that he had built up. He was willing to keep the external things but he was not going to give up what he loved more than all things and he was not going to trust in God above his riches. His heart was proud in that he loved riches more than God and he trusted in his riches more than God.
Luke 12 shows some of the real issues: “For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. 31 “But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. 33 “Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. 34 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (vv. 30-34). In light of who the Father is and what He does, they were to sell their possessions and give to charity (or love). In doing this they demonstrated where their hearts were. What a person truly treasures that is where the person thoughts and loves are. The rich ruler’s heart was with his treasure. He would not sell all he had because he was a lover of self in his pride. This is why it is impossible for a rich man to enter into heaven. But then again, that is also why it is impossible for any person to enter into heaven. The proud heart will continue to trust in self and the things of self at all times until God delivers a person by His grace. America is a rich nation. Does it trust in God or its riches?
God Loves... Himself 
Leave a comment