THE UGLINESS OF PRIDE AND THE BEAUTY OF HUMILITY: 1 Corinthians 4:6
DISCUSSION
1. Read verse 6. What are “these things” Paul is writing about here? What has he done with these principles that he has just written about? Why has Paul “applied these things to [himself] and Apollos”? What does Paul mean by “not to go beyond what is written,” and what should we learn from this?
BIG IDEA: The ugliness of pride and the beauty of humility.
I. A FAITHFUL STEWARD OF CHRIST APPLIES THE TRUTH OF THE SCRIPTURES TO HIMSELF FIRST AND FOREMOST (1 Corinthians 4:6a)
II. A FAITHFUL STEWARD OF CHRIST SETS AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER BELIEVERS (1 Corinthians 4:6b)
III. A FAITHFUL STEWARD OF CHRIST AIMS TO HAVE HIS HEART AND HANDS REGULATED BY THE SCRIPTURES (1 Corinthians 4:6c)
IV. A FAITHFUL STEWARD OF CHRIST CONSTANTLY ATTACKS PRIDE IN HIMSELF AND IN OTHERS (v. 6d)
I) Pride is thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to think (Romans 12:3).
II) It is pride that is at the root of much of the disunity and disfunction in the church (1 Corinthians 4:6; 5:2; 11:22).
III) Pride leads to disgrace and foolishness (Proverbs 11:2).
IV) Pride produces destruction and falling (Proverbs 16:18).
V) Pride is the root of Atheism (Psalm 10:4).
VI) Pride is deceitful (Obadiah 1:3).
VII) Pride is the root of sinful anxiety (1 Peter 5:6-7).
VIII) Pride is Demonic (1 Timothy 3:6).
IX) Christ hates pride (Proverbs 8:13).
X) Pride opposes God’s glory so God opposes the proud (1 Peter 5:5).
XI) The wicked wear pride like a necklace (Psalm 73:6).
XII) Those who do not repent of their pride and humble themselves before the Lord Jesus Christ will be utterly thrown down on the day of judgement (Isaiah 2:11-12).
XIII) Your only hope for salvation is humility—but not your own! Your only hope for salvation is the humility of Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on the cross (Philippians 2:6-8).
EXHORTATION
Not one place in the entirety of God’s Word are we told to “Be humble.” We are commanded to “Humble ourselves.”
Beloved, pray for a humble heart! Pray for God to humble you if you cannot humble yourselves! Do not rest until pride is named and repented of! Swing the Sword of the Spirit at that great beast every time I tries to come out of the grave you laid it in! “For God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
Do you want to be like Satan who is wicked and miserable? Then leave pride unchecked in your heart. Do you want to be like Christ who is righteous and happy? Then humble yourself, trust Christ alone for your good, and exalt Christ alone for God’s glory.