How the Gospel Severs the Root of Pride

 

                Pride is a complex sin phenomenon in the human heart.  Sometimes pride manifests itself in the form of arrogance and self-centeredness.  Sometimes pride causes us to lash out at those who discredit our abilities.  Sometimes pride ironically shows itself through displays of false humility designed to impress others with how humble or pious we are!  Is it any wonder Jesus lists pride as one of the sins that spiritually pollutes the human heart (Mark 7:22)?

 

                The gospel has the power to sever the root of pride, as God causes the good news of God’s salvation in Jesus, and the truths that flow from that good news, to bear fruit and grow in the soul of the Christians (Colossians 1:5-6).  How does the gospel do this work?  The gospel speaks to our minds the crucial truth that “by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).  There is no ground for pride at the foot of the cross, because God saved us from sin by his sheer grace and steadfast love (Ephesians 1:4-5), not because of any good thing or special talent he saw in us (Romans 9:10-13).  Because of our sin, we were by nature the enemies of God (Romans 5:10), and we were “dead in the trespasses and sins in which [we] once walked” (Ephesians 2:1-2).  Salvation is thus by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, to the glory of God alone.  While Christians certainly boast in the cross of Christ (Galatians 6:14), we are humbled by the abounding grace the Lord has shown us in the salvation of sinners.

 

The gospel also reminds us that just as our salvation is by God’s grace alone, so our position in the church (1 Corinthians 15:10), our spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:11), and all other spiritual attainments (1 Corinthians 4:7) are the product of God’s grace at work in us.

 

                The gospel severs the root of pride by telling us the truth: there is nothing good and God-glorifying in us apart from God’s grace.  Yet to keep balance in our lives, the Bible also reminds us that for the sake of Christ, God loves Christians with an infinite and steadfast love (John 17:23), and he rejoices over us with the greatest joy imaginable (Zephaniah 3:17).  Thus our identity is found fundamentally in who were are in Jesus Christ, and so our identity includes the humility of Jesus (Philippians 2:8).