Pride and Arrogance
Proverbs 10:15-29
Words in what we would call common usage have changed over the years. For many of the words the meanings have completely changed. Any one who uses a KJV of the Bible can relate to this. While for other the definition doesn’t carry the same weight as it once did. Bill and Ted, while on their most excellent adventure, completely ruined the word awesome. A whole generation has now grown up not knowing that there is real meaning behind that word. Then we read passages about God and his awesomeness and they think that God hangs ten or is just a cool guy who we can hang out with when we have nothing else to do. That is the definition for many today.
Another word that we often use correctly but probably not as often as we should is lust. The Bible talks a lot about lust. When we discuss lust, it is most often in the form of sexual lust, which is correct. Sexual sin is lustful, but so is greed, so is distinction, so is pride, so is taking advantage of the poor. Coveting may be a good word to use in defining lust but the word lust just seems to add an extra level of vile and wicked doesn’t it? Do not covet your neighbors’ wife, servant, maidservant, ox and donkey. In reality for many of us that doesn’t sound too terribly bad. We will still shake our heads in disapproval but it doesn’t sound as bad as “Do not lust after your ….” When we say that, our noses wrinkle up in disgust. We start to squirm a little bit. We get real uncomfortable real quick don’t we? Reality is that we are lustful people and it shows itself daily. It may not be in sexual ways or sins, but it finds out what we desire and attacks us where we are weak. And where are we weakest? We are weakest in the areas where we do need certain things. The scripture we read this week deal with two specific areas of lust, sexual and money and possessions. But first let’s define what lust is.
Lust- a : PLEASURE, DELIGHT b : personal inclination : WISH
2 : usu. intense or unbridled sexual desire : LASCIVIOUSNESS
3 a : an intense longing : CRAVING -a lust to succeed b : ENTHUSIASM, EAGERNESS -admired his lust for life
Why do we lust after so many things in our life? Partly because we are made in God's image. We have from the beginning desired to be like God. Adam and Eve's sin was to fall for Satan's lie that we would become like God. Also because they are pleasurable and delightful. They fulfill the desires we have in life. What separates lust from hard-working or goal-oriented? By the definition, what separates them is the level of enthusiasm and eagerness with which one pursues. Lasciviousness appropriately can be used here and might just be my favorite word in the KJV that isn’t in many other translations. It means more than just having an intense longing, but rather an obsession that takes over ones thoughts and life and the sad reality is that lust is even deeper than this. Lust controls us. Lust controls us, especially in the areas of personal relationships and money.
Chapter 7 Adultery – Adulteress – Sexual Immorality and their pitfalls
Characterized by
Smooth talk
Wily of heart
Being loud and wayward
Seductive speech
House leads to Sheol
Chapter 10 - 11 Money and Possessions
Treasure gained by wickedness do not profit
Slack hands cause poverty
Gain of the wicked leads to sin
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath
When the wicked dies, his hope perishes
Contrast this with the wise –
Chapter 8 - 9 The Wise and Wisdom
Wisdom speaks noble things
From his lips comes what is right
His mouth utters truth
His words are righteous
The father has counsel, sound wisdom, insight, strength, and he gives power and establishes kingdoms.
You might notice that both the wicked/foolish/adulterer and the wise are marked by what they say. What then separates them? The actions that accompany and follow the words. James tells us that what comes from a man’s mouth begins where? In his heart. What ever is in a man’s heart, comes out through his speech, and is proven by his actions. Sure someone can say the right things. But in reality, their words are crooked and deceitful because their heart is crooked and their actions prove it. This is why the wise person’s words are righteous. They are blameless because there is a righteous life to go along with the words.
Now the Bible makes it clear time after time that money, possessions, sexual conquests, friends, distinction etc. That none of these things can bring a person life. In fact the only thing they can bring on their own is death. We strive after them and lust for them and lose sight of the fact that they are exactly the sins Christ came and died for. They don’t just lead to sin and death. They are sin and death. I want to take a passage this morning and really look at it for a moment. It deals with wealth and money primarily, but once we look at it, we will see that we can insert pretty much anything into this text and it becomes true. Whether it is wealth or girls or guys or cars or pretty much anything that you allow to become a lust within your life it applies here. The Bible has a word for that, it is called idolatry. Let’s read Proverbs 10:15-29.
Key Verses
Prov 10:15-16
A rich man’s wealth is his strong city
Poverty of the poor is his ruin
Wage of the righteous leads to life
Gain of the wicked to sin
Prov 10:22
It is the blessings of the Lord that make one rich
What are the blessings of the Lord? Love, joy, peace….
Prov 10:29
The way of the Lord is a stronghold
Compare these verses to Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
A rich man is focused on his wealth and the security he thinks it will bring. What good will it do when his soul is required of him? What good will it do when thieves break in and steal? What good will it do when fire destroys? He is truly poor.
The poverty of the poor is their laziness. The wicked gain by stealing and cheating.
The righteous however, gain life and not just life, but the kingdom of heaven. When we read the descriptions of heaven we find that it is indeed a strong city, well fortified.
Relate lust to the “fear of the Lord” verses.
Prov 1:7 - beginning of knowledge
Prov 3:7-8 - turn from evil
Prov 8:13 hatred of evil
Prov 9:10-11 - beginning of wisdom and knowledge of holy one is insight
Prov 10:27 - prolongs life
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