Cure for the Great Sin

Philippians 2:1-11 talks about imitating Christ's humility, but for what purpose is there a necessity to do this? There is one sin greater than all the other sins. There is one sin that is said to be the root of all the other sins. This sin is so powerful that it made the devil the devil. This sin is called pride. Pride is something we all know about and live with. It is something that we despise to see in others but hard to see in ourselves and it is a sin that no one is safe from, now matter how "righteous" one claims to be.


There are three characteristics of pride

1. source - pride is the source of all our sins. Think back to any guilty thought or conscious sin you've committed. Most likely it can be traced back to some form of pride. Maybe you were mad at someone because you felt you were more deserving? Maybe you felt people weren't recognizing you? Or maybe you feel you are above everyone else? Whatever it is in the end it's a comes back to some form of pride.


2. competitive - pride by nature is competitive. It thrives on comparison. It is being proud of having more than the next person.


3. deceptive - Pride is such a subtle sin because it something entirely spiritual.

So how do we overcome pride?

1. Mind of Christ - v2 talks about "being like-minded" as Jesus and furthermore it mentions the word "joy." If you are so enveloped in pride you life will never be filled with joy.


2. Other-centered - Is your priorities the only the thing that's on your mind? Verse 3 mentions considering others better than yourself. There is nothing wrong having your own priorities but you make sure they are not your ONLY priorities.

Humility is not an option, it's a necessity . Jesus showed us the greatest humility. v7 mentions how a perfect and eternal God "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." If you are so busy looking down on others, then you'll have no time to look up to God.

--from Nakwon EM September 2nd 2007 Sunday Worship Service
*To listen to this sermon in its entirety, please contact James Kim

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