CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
LENTEN STUDY: 7 DEADLY SINS
PRIDE #4: DON’T BRAG
MONTE W. HOLLAND
INTRODUCTION
The following study is a journey through Lent, the forty-day pre-Easter season (which excludes Sundays). Easter’s date, determined by the time of the first full moon after the Spring equinox, is very late this year.
Traditionally, many Christians use Lent for self-examination and a renewal of their commitment to their faith.
This year I chose to do a devotional study on aspects of the Seven Deadly Sins, sins identified by very early Christians as key behaviors separating man from God and God’s will. The seven sins are not listed together in the Bible—each is, however, spoken about in various Scripture sites.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS:
GREED, ENVY, ANGER, LUST, GLUTTONY, SLOTH and PRIDE.
THE ASPECTS OF THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS ARE:
#1 Breaking the Mosaic Law
#2 Defying God or rebelling against God
#3 Acts of violence to others
#4 Failing to make proper sacrifices or worship
#5 Not living up to or reflecting God’s glory (not living as one created in God’s image)
PRIDE #4
DON’T BRAG
SCRIPTURE: 2 Watch out for those people who behave like dogs! They are evil and want to do more than just circumcise you. 3 But we are the ones who are truly circumcised, because we worship by the power of God’s Spirit and take pride in Christ Jesus. We don’t brag about what we have done, 4 although I could. Others may brag about themselves, but I have more reason to brag than anyone else. 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old, and I am from the nation of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a true Hebrew. As a Pharisee, I strictly obeyed the Law of Moses. 6 And I was so eager I even made trouble for the church. I did everything the Law demands in order to please God. 7 But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. 8 Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ 9 and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. 10 All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, 11 so that somehow I also may be raised to life. (Philippians 2:3-11 (CEV))
Devotion: “Don’t brag!”
What a challenge. Any time I talk about things that I do, isn’t that bragging? It seems that the only way around the sin of pride is to always give the praise and glory to God.
Whatever I do, God makes it possible. Whatever I accomplish, God allows it. Whatever I do, I can only feel good about it if it glorifies God. For Paul, All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to him. Paul goes on to spell out his desire to make himself acceptable to God by keeping the Law of Moses. And yet he points out that we are really acceptable to God through our faith in Jesus Christ alone.
To me there is a fine line to be traveled here. On the one hand, we can avoid (more…)
CAROLYN'S COMPOSITIONS
Lenten Study: 7 Deadly Sins—Pride #4: Don’t Brag
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CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS
LENTEN STUDY: 7 DEADLY SINS
PRIDE #4: DON’T BRAG
MONTE W. HOLLAND
INTRODUCTION
The following study is a journey through Lent, the forty-day pre-Easter season (which excludes Sundays). Easter’s date, determined by the time of the first full moon after the Spring equinox, is very late this year.
Traditionally, many Christians use Lent for self-examination and a renewal of their commitment to their faith.
This year I chose to do a devotional study on aspects of the Seven Deadly Sins, sins identified by very early Christians as key behaviors separating man from God and God’s will. The seven sins are not listed together in the Bible—each is, however, spoken about in various Scripture sites.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS:
GREED, ENVY, ANGER, LUST, GLUTTONY, SLOTH and PRIDE.
THE ASPECTS OF THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS ARE:
#1 Breaking the Mosaic Law
#2 Defying God or rebelling against God
#3 Acts of violence to others
#4 Failing to make proper sacrifices or worship
#5 Not living up to or reflecting God’s glory (not living as one created in God’s image)
PRIDE #4
DON’T BRAG
SCRIPTURE: 2 Watch out for those people who behave like dogs! They are evil and want to do more than just circumcise you. 3 But we are the ones who are truly circumcised, because we worship by the power of God’s Spirit and take pride in Christ Jesus. We don’t brag about what we have done, 4 although I could. Others may brag about themselves, but I have more reason to brag than anyone else. 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old, and I am from the nation of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. I am a true Hebrew. As a Pharisee, I strictly obeyed the Law of Moses. 6 And I was so eager I even made trouble for the church. I did everything the Law demands in order to please God. 7 But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. 8 Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ 9 and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. 10 All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, 11 so that somehow I also may be raised to life. (Philippians 2:3-11 (CEV))
Devotion: “Don’t brag!”
What a challenge. Any time I talk about things that I do, isn’t that bragging? It seems that the only way around the sin of pride is to always give the praise and glory to God.
Whatever I do, God makes it possible. Whatever I accomplish, God allows it. Whatever I do, I can only feel good about it if it glorifies God. For Paul, All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to him. Paul goes on to spell out his desire to make himself acceptable to God by keeping the Law of Moses. And yet he points out that we are really acceptable to God through our faith in Jesus Christ alone.
To me there is a fine line to be traveled here. On the one hand, we can avoid (more…)