Comments on: Worshiping God (not just on Sundays…) - Pride

By: Ryan Egan

Ryan Egan — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:40:22 +0000

Hey Jeremy, thanks for stopping by. I can’t do it off hand - but I’ll post a comment later taking a look at our worth compared to who God is from Scripture. I actually think it’s a good thing that there are a lot of Scriptures that talk about man’s worthlessness (without God anyway), it helps me rely on God and not myself. And thankfully - we’ve been made worthy through the blood of Jesus Christ.

I’ll post Scripture later. I would love to see some Scriptural references from you as well.

You are right though - that often we can wallow in self-pity and lament the fact that we are sinners and forget the fact that Grace has saved us and called us to joyful action.

By: jeremy

jeremy — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:32:33 +0000

These responses keep discussing the worthlessness of man. The worthlessness of man? Show me one teaching of Jesus saying man is worthless. I really get tired of hearing that type of ideology because I don’t believe it’s scriptural. Why do we continue to use that vocabulary then? Scripture seems to point in a different direction though, there is worth in mankind because he is made in the image of the Almighty. Is that image skewed and tainted? Definitely. That does not equal worthlessness. Let’s quit talking with that language. God doesn’t, and it’s destructive.

By: Joel

Joel — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:58:38 +0000

Oh, for sure we have been recreated with a new nature! A new nature that inclines us towards the will of God rather than our own will. Though until our time on this earth is complete, we will always be more sinful than we realize about ourselves.

But the beauty is that the more we realize we’re sinful, the closer it draws us to Christ. Our complete worthlessness apart from Christ is what draws us to Him! Which is why Paul heeds us to never boast except in the cross of our Lord: we have nothing worth boasting about except what He has done for us.

For this reason I won’t be anguishing in my sin daily but I will have an everlasting hope in Christ. You are right when you say that we now have hope, confidence, assurance and sufficiency in Him and Him alone. Amen.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:46:16 +0000

Right on, Joel. Like Bob Kauflin wrote in his book while talking to a friend about a sin the friend didn’t see. “But I just don’t see it!” Bob: “That’s why it’s called a blind spot!”

My pastor once told me that once you are able to conquer a sin in your life (with God’s help) that’s been clouding your view for a long time, you then realizes all the other issues you need to deal with!

You are correct about the accurate picture of us being worthless sinners, but praise God that He has made us new creations and that we now have hope confidence, assurance and sufficiency in Him. We also find our esteem in Him. It’s a balance isn’t it? We need to realize how sinful we are, but also how much we’ve been changed through Him!

By: Joel

Joel — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:36:58 +0000

I’m going to be honest and say that I’m often blind to my own sins. I’m not saying that I’m not broken over my sins and I’m not convicted by the Holy Spirit to repent. But there are sins in my life that I’m unaware of until they’re brought to my attention or I’m forced to think about them.

Pride and lack of humility is one of them! I’m the only one in my youth group that spends his free time studying theology and reading Christian literature in hopes of being drawn closer to Christ. Unfortunately, this gives me a subconscious feeling of superiority (however slight it might be) and that’s definitely not good.

You asked if I (or anyone else) have an accurate picture of who I am. I firmly believe that no one will ever fully comprehend just how pitiful, filthy and worthless we are apart from the blood of Christ. But… that doesn’t mean we can’t strive to learn more about our own condition and the beauty of the Gospel!