Would you turn to 1 Corinthians
chapter 4? While you're turning there, I
want to remind you of the church dinner next Sunday, and if you
men could get all the tables out and the chairs out for that
tonight, that would be helpful. I'd like to read verse 7, 1 Corinthians
chapter 4. I have entitled this message
Pride condemned. Pride condemned. Let's read this verse together,
verse 7. Paul says, For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou
didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it,
why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? Three questions. Who makes you
different from somebody else? Second question, what do you
have that you didn't receive? The third question, if you received
it, why do you glory as if it's something that you earned and
didn't merely receive? Pride is a weed that grows and
flourishes under any condition. Any plant that is good and useful
needs to be cultivated. It's generally not native to
the soil. But pride springs up of its own. It was the sin of our first parents
in the Garden of Eden when they decided they were going to be
equal with God. And God resists pride. The scripture said God resisteth
the proud, but he giveth grace to the humble." And one of the
scary things, what I say about pride, is it comes in so many
forms, and he can speak with such humility. Why, you can even
be proud of your lack of pride. You ever heard about the fellow
who said, Behold, I've overcome my pride. Everybody listening to me right
now has a problem with pride. Every one of us. And if you think
you don't, you have deceived yourself. In this verse of scripture, Paul
deals with pride in a very wise way. He does not deny the reality
of the gifts and the talents of the members of the church
at Corinth. If you have a gift, you have
it. It's not humility to say that you don't have what you
do. But here's how Paul deals with this insidious sin that
creeps into everything. He asks these three questions.
Who makes you to differ from somebody else? What do you have? What do you
possess that you didn't receive, that God didn't give to you?
Now, if you received it, why do you glory as if it's something
you earned? First question, who makes you
to differ from another? Now, we're taught from the time
that we're young that all men are created equal. That's in
our Constitution. All men are created equal. And I'm sure that that's true
in one sense, but in another sense it's not. All men are not created equal. For instance, the place where
you're born is going to have an immense effect on your life. You may be born in some third
world country and never have the opportunities that someone
born in the United States has. And in that sense, there's a
big difference. Just where you're born makes such a difference. What about the family you're
raised up in? Somebody might be raised up in
a loving, nurturing family with parents who are very concerned
about the well-being of their children. Somebody else might
be raised up in a wretched environment where there's nothing but fighting
and bickering and the parents just are down on the children
and just freedom in a terrible manner. Some are born very attractive
people. They're born that way. Some are
born deformed and the opposite of attractive. Some are born
into wealth and have all the advantages that that supposedly
brings. Others are born into abject poverty
and are never going to have the opportunities that those people
who were born into wealth have. Some people are born athletic
and strong. Some people are born weak and
sickly. Some people are born brilliant
with high IQs. Some people are born dull and
slow. Some are born with a happy, positive
way about them. Some seem to be born depressed. Can you say all men are created
equal when you see all these differences? I mean, there's
so many differences. We can see them in life. And
Paul asks this question, who makes you to differ from somebody
else? Now, when Paul asks this question,
he's principally speaking of the difference race makes. Who makes you to differ from
somebody else? And he's talking about the difference
grace makes. Now, first thing I want to point
out about this is that believers do differ. What a difference. Let me give
you some examples of what I'm talking about. If you're a believer,
you know what? You've got God for you. If God be for us, Who
can be against us? He's not for everybody. Actually,
we would make that statement meaningless if we said He's everybody.
Now, if you have God for you, there's a big difference between
you and somebody else sitting there. A believer has a different
nature. He does differ. He's been given
a holy nature, a new nature, given to him in the new birth.
You have a spiritual principle, a new nature, a holy nature. There's more difference, and
I want to... I've said this before, and I want to... I don't say
this facetiously, but there is, in a very real sense, there's
more difference between a believer and an unbeliever than there
is between an unbeliever and an animal. A believer is a partaker
of the divine nature. There's more difference there
than anywhere else. A believer has got the blood
of Christ washing their sins. The unbeliever doesn't. The believer
has so many blessings of grace. They have different motives.
They have different principles. They have different desires.
They differ in their character. A believer loves God. An unbeliever
doesn't. I mean, he really loves God as
He's revealed in His Word. He loves God's people. An unbeliever
doesn't. There is an infinite difference
between a believer and an unbeliever. There's no way you can read the
Scriptures and deny that. There is an infinite difference. Now, who made you to differ? Who made you to differ? Now, this difference is something
really, when we're talking about the believer being different,
this difference is something that ought to be seen by men.
I think of what the Lord said when he said to those, he said,
what do you more than others? If you love them that love you,
what thank have you, what do you more than others? Now, isn't
that obvious when he makes that statement that a believer ought
to do more than others? What do you more than others?
I think of this scripture. First Peter, chapter three, verse
15 says, always be ready. to give an answer to every man
that asks you a reason for the hope that's in you. You and I
get out of that however it condemns me. Every one of us ought to be living
in such a way that people ask us about the hope that's in us. Every one of us ought to. There's
no question about that. Believers do differ, and it's
a difference that ought to be seen, but the question is, who
makes you to differ? I mean, in every aspect, in whatever
physical attributes you have, it's how the Lord made you. In
your place, in your position, it's where the Lord puts you,
in your environment, in your opportunities, in your gift,
in your usefulness. Who made you to differ? Do you
have a hope of being accepted by God? Do you have a hope of
truly being saved? Who made you to differ? That's the question
he's asking. Who made you to differ? You do differ, and we're not
denying that. If you're a believer, you do
differ. Are you proud of it? Not if you know the answer to
this question. Who made you to differ? Now, I want to try to
answer that from the Scriptures. You know, this word actually
means who discriminated with you. We're talking about discriminating
grace. That's a word that scares people,
but I'll tell you what. If you're saved, God discriminated
to save you. You wouldn't have been saved
if He didn't. We're talking about discriminating, distinguishing
grace. Who made you to differ? Now,
here's who made you to differ if you're a believer. First,
God the Father in eternal election. Would you turn with me for a
moment to Romans chapter 9? Love this chapter. I love it. This shows how God made us to
differ. Now, he's talking about two twins. Born in the same womb, same mom
and dad, same upbringing, same privileges, had the same things
taught to them, two twins born in the same womb. Now let's read
about it. To the children, verse 11. Jacob
and Esau, being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might
stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said unto
her, the elder shall serve the younger. As it's written, Jacob
have I loved. But Esau, Have I hated? That's God speaking. And I have
no temptation at all to soft sell this. You know, I don't
know how many times people say, well, that means he loved him
less. How can God love less? That's ridiculous to even think
about something like that. God loving less? His love is
an infinite love and his hatred is an infinite hatred. And it's
with regard to what's right. Jacob, have I loved? Thank God
for that. He saw, he says, have I hated.
What should we say then, verse 14? Is there unrighteousness
with God? Is God unfair? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I'll have
mercy on whom I will have mercy. I'll have compassion on whom
I will have compassion. So then it's not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, here's someone God made
a difference with, Pharaoh. Even for this same purpose have
I raised you up, that I might show My power in thee, and that
My name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore, hath
He mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will, He hardens."
Who made the difference? Who made the difference? You
know, this is so humbling, that He chose me, that
He made me to differ, that He set His affection on me. Many
people who I can understand Him loving a whole lot more clearly
than I can understand Him loving me, He passed them by. He left
them to themselves. But He discriminated. He discriminated
when He looked down in mercy upon me. Who makes you to differ? from another. Well, first of
all, God the Father in eternal divine election. Who makes you
to differ from somebody else? You do differ. You have a hope
in Christ. There's other folks that don't
have a hope in Christ. You have a love for Christ. There's other folks
who don't love Christ. You have a new nature given to you in
the new birth. Other folks don't have that.
Who made you to differ? Why is that? Well, God the Father
in election. Secondly, the reason you differ
is because of the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son. That's the
difference between you and an unbeliever. Christ put away your
sins. You're just as bad as that other
fella. And you're just as unworthy of salvation as He is. There's
no worthiness in you or me. Not at all. Who made you to differ? The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He shed His precious blood for
all who believe, for all His elect, for everybody that He
intended to save. And He made you to differ. I
think of that passage of Scripture in Exodus chapter 11. where the
Lord has given the children of Israel the instruction to put
the blood over the door. It wasn't over everybody's door.
It was just over the children of Israel's door. And remember
what was said in Exodus 11, verse 7, after the blood's going to
be put on the door. He said, But against any of the children of Israel
shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast, so that
you may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between
the Egyptians And Israel. That answers that question, doesn't
it? Who made you to differ? God the Son in His saving blood. He said, I pray for them. I pray
not for the world, but for them which you've given me. Who made
you to differ? God, the Holy Spirit, made you
to differ when He gave you life, when He birthed you from above.
It's the Spirit that quickeneth, our Lord said. It's the Spirit
that gives life. The flesh profits nothing. Do
you have a new nature? How come? Because He birthed
you into His Kingdom. That's the only reason you have
this new nature. It's not because you, of your
free will, decided to become born again. That's ridiculous.
And you know that. The only reason you have this
nature, this new nature that loves God, that loves the Lord
Jesus Christ, that loves His people, that rejoices in His
gospel, is because He made you to differ. Now, that's the question. Who makes you to differ from
another? Now, can't you say from the very
depths of your heart, I know it's the Lord that made me to
differ. It's not something I've done. I'm just as Sure that is
I, and that I'm alive right now. It's the Lord Himself who has
made the difference. This is not a thing of pride,
is it? It's a thing of humility. Why me? Why me? Why would He look in mercy on
me? If you ask that question, why me? Now, here's the second question.
Who makes you to differ from another? Back to our text in
1 Corinthians chapter 4. Who maketh thee to differ from
another? And here's the second question. And what hast thou that thou
didst not receive? What do you have that wasn't
freely given to you? Now, you think in every aspect
of your life. Let's talk about what you have
materially. What do you have that you didn't
receive? Well, I worked hard for it. Who enabled you to work
hard for it? What do you have that wasn't
just freely given to you? Do you have faith? Where did
you get it? Do you have righteousness? It's
not something you worked out, it's something you received as
a gift. Do you have repentance? That's
the gift of God. He's granted it. He's given it
to you. The reason you repent right now
is because He's done something for you. What do you have that
you did not receive? Do you persevere? Why is that? Are you more mature in grace
than that brother sitting by you? And there is different levels
of maturity. Are you more mature? Why is that? Is it because you're a better
person or more spiritual or more hopeful? No. What do you have
that you didn't receive? In everything, what do you have
that you didn't receive? Now, he says, if you received
it, this is his third question. If you just received it, if what
you have he gave you, why do you glory Why do you boast as
if you did not have this sovereignly given to you, but you earned
it somehow, as if it came to you because you had it coming?
Why would you glory as if you didn't receive it? Have you ever
experienced somebody stealing credit from you when you did
something? and they stole your idea and
took credit for it, or they stole what you did and took credit
for it. I haven't done enough for anybody to steal anything
from me, but I do remember this once. I remember one time I was
working. It was at Armco Steel Mill, and we were under these
soaking pits. It was hot. I was working like
a dog. I was trying to get all this,
whatever it was, I was shoveling up. I mean, I was working hard,
and there was this girl that was working with us that was
very lazy. I mean, I would just get so aggravated
every time I had to work with her because she wouldn't do a
thing. And I was shoveling, whatever it was I was shoveling, I can't
remember what it was, but it was heavy, it was hard, it was hot,
I was miserable. And all of a sudden she tapped me on the shoulder
and said, take a break. I said, what in the world is this about?
Okay, so I take a break. As soon as I sat down, here comes
the foreman. She saw him coming. You reckon
I was mad at her? She took credit where credit
was not due. Now, anything like that ever happened
to any of you guys? Well, that's the only thing I've ever done. I
haven't done enough for anybody to take credit for, I reckon.
But at any rate, that's what happened. But what about that
person who takes credit for what the doc has done? What do you
have that you did not receive? Now, if you received it, if it's
a gift of His grace, if you received it, why do you glory? Why do you boast as though you
didn't receive it? I want to show you an example
in Daniel chapter four of somebody who did this. Daniel chapter
four. I'd like to read the whole chapter,
but I'm not going to. You might want to read this chapter
as you have an opportunity this week. Daniel chapter 4, it's
about Nebuchadnezzar. I want to pick up reading in verse 28 of Daniel chapter 4. All this came upon the King Nebuchadnezzar. The Lord told him what was going
to take place. Verse 29, at the end of 12 months, he walked in
the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake and said,
is not this great Babylon that I built for the house of the
kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?
Now, he knew who the Lord was, and yet look what he is saying.
While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from
heaven saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken, the kingdom
is departed from thee." Doesn't Scripture say pride goeth before
destruction? And a haughty spirit before the
fall? And that's what's going on here.
Verse 32. And they shall drive thee from
men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field.
They shall make thee to eat grass as an oxen, and seven times shall
pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in
the kingdom of men, and He gives it to whomsoever He will." Now,
the same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he was
driven from men. Now, remember who he was. He
was the most powerful man in the earth. And he makes this
statement that right then he's driven from men and he could
eat grass as an oxen and his body was wet with the dew of
heaven till his hairs were grown like eagle's feathers and his
nail like bird claws. And at the end of the days, I,
Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven after I was
turned into a beast and mine understanding returned unto me. And what did he do? I blessed
the Most High And I praised and honored him that liveth forever,
whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is
from generation to generation, and all the inhabitants of the
earth are reputed as nothing. And he doeth according to his
will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the
earth, and none can say his hand or say unto him, What doest thou?
Give an account for yourself. At the same time, my reason returned
unto me. And for the glory of my kingdom,
mine honor and brightness returned unto me, and my counselors and
my Lord sought unto me, and I was established in my kingdom, and
excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise
and extol and honor the kingdom of heaven, all whose ways are
truth, and his ways judgment, and those that walk in pride, he is able to abase." Walk softly. Walk softly. I want us to notice back in our
text in 1 Corinthians chapter 4, he says, Who maketh thee to
differ? Not who made you to differ. Who
makes you to differ right now while we're sitting here? All
the Lord's got to do is remove His influence from you, and you'll
turn into a babbling idiot. All He's got to do is just pull
back, and you will turn into a monster in iniquity. There's
no sin that you won't commit apart from the restraining grace
of God. Right now, while you're sitting
here listening to me speak, right now while I'm speaking, Who makes
you to differ right now? Why is it that you want to be
here right now? There's only one reason, isn't there? And
you know it's the Lord making you to differ. Now, I want to make four concluding
remarks concerning what Paul says. Who makes you to differ
from another? And what do you have that you
didn't receive? Now, if you received it, why do you glory as if you
didn't receive it? Here's the first remark I'd like
to make about that. How this levels our pride low. How ugly and detestable is this
thing of pride? How groundless, how baseless
And how unreasonable, how foolish, how evil is pride? Who maketh thee to differ from
somebody else? I tell you, if there's ever one
thing that is utterly groundless and utterly without a reason,
it's for a man to be proud. What are you? What have you got
to be proud about? What are you? Do you have any
understanding of what you are apart from the grace of God?
That's what you really are. That's the real you. That's the real
you. How baseless, how groundless,
how obnoxious, how offensive is pride in a man? And let me
turn this around, too. How beautiful is true humility? You know, the Lord Jesus Christ
is the one person who has reason to be proud. And yet we read of the meekness,
the humility of Christ. He said, I'm meek and lowly in
heart. The one person who has reason
to stick his chest out and to be proud because of who he is. I mean, he's got a reason for
it. He's God. He's got reason for it. Yet, he's meek and lowly
in heart. And isn't it, okay, for instance,
isn't it beautiful to find a very gifted person who's very humble
and lowly, and yet a gifted person who's proud and arrogant, you
can't stand them, can you? You don't want to be around them.
They're jerks. You don't like them. But someone who's truly
lowly, how beautiful it is. So the first thing is how those
levels are proud. Secondly, what reason For gratitude,
I mean real gratitude and thankfulness. He did make me to differ. I'm so thankful. I'm so grateful. I know I don't have it coming
to me. I know it's a gift of His grace. I love the story of
John Bradford. John Bradford was watching some
men. Phrase that you've all used and heard many times before came
from John Bradford. He was an English martyr. He ended up being burned at the
stake. But we read about him seeing some men headed to the
gallows every day. And here's what he had to say
about it. Those criminals, just base criminals heading to the
gallows. He'd say, there goes John Bradford apart from the
grace of God. There go I, but for the grace
of God. You believe that, don't you?
That's me. Well, I'm so thankful for His
grace. He made me to differ. If He would
have left me to myself, I guarantee I wouldn't be here. Nor would
you. Wouldn't have any interest. You'd wind up in hell forever
if He didn't make you to differ. Aren't you amazed that Christ
came to save you? He shed His blood for you. What a reason for gratitude. Thirdly, Here is a reminder of
our responsibility. Has he made you to differ? Now,
if you're a believer, he has. Don't say he hadn't when he has. Has he made you to differ? Then
what responsibility is placed on you and I? To whom much is
given? What? Much is required. Would that be you, somebody to
whom much is given? Well, beloved, if it is, much
is required. Has he given you grace and you're
ungracious and unmerciful toward people? Has He given you money and you're
not generous with it? Has He gifted you and you squander
those gifts on yourself and don't use them for His glory, but for
a platform for your own pride? I mean, I could go on and on
asking questions like that. But to whom much is given, much
is required. And what a responsibility. You've
been bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your
body and in your spirit, which are God's. What a responsibility
this place. I tell you what, it's not a burdensome
responsibility, is it? It's not grievous. Don't you
want to honor him? You do if you're a believer,
I know that. Every believer here wants to honor him. Much is given. Much is required. You know, let
me say this. Whatever area of influence the
Lord has put you in, you're to be the best, the most
merciful, the most gracious, the most Christ-honoring wherever
He's put you. You see, to whom much is given,
much is required. And you want this, don't you?
I do. I want to honor Him. Now, here's
the fourth point. How this levels our pride. Secondly,
what a reason for gratitude and thankfulness. Thirdly, here's
a reminder of our responsibility. And fourth, how much tenderness
and compassion we should have in our dealings with others. Turn with me to Galatians chapter
six. Verse 1, Brethren, if a man be overtaken and overcome
in a fault, you which are spiritual, discipline him. Hold him off. Punish him. Turn your nose up
at him. Don't speak to him. You which are spiritual, restore
such in one in the spirit of meekness, considering
yourself, lest you also be tempted. That person that has fallen in whatever way. Now, you realize that apart from
God's grace, you will be worse. It's impossible for you to look
down your nose in an attitude of moral superiority over that
person if you're honest. Because you'll know that if you're
tempted, if God doesn't preserve you, you'll end up being worse
than them in every respect. Do you really believe that? Do
you believe that about yourself? He says in verse two, bear ye
one another's burdens. That doesn't mean tell each other
all your problems. Doesn't mean that at all. It
means put up with one another. Put up with one another. You
know, my sin is a burden to me. It is a burden. I hate it. My sin. Deal with
it every day. Your sin's a burden to you, isn't
it? It's a heavy burden that you can't wait to get out of
here to be free from it. Bury one another's burdens. Your
burden with yourself, put up with that. He's got the same
problems you do. Same problems. You know how bad
you think you are? And you think, boy, if anybody
knew what I was really like, they wouldn't have anything to do with me.
Well, yeah, but he feels the same way about himself. Bury one another's
burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. And when you think
about that, there's the law of Christ. There's the law of Christ. Bear ye one another's burdens,
and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man thinks himself to
be something, there's pride right there. If a man thinks himself
to be something, here's reality when he's nothing. He deceiveth himself. How much tenderness and compassion
we should have in our dealings with others. Who makes you to differ from
somebody else? What do you have that you didn't
receive? Now, if you received it, Why
do you glory as if you didn't receive it? Pride condemned. Don't you hate your
pride? Well, one of these days we're
going to be free from it. When we put these bodies in the
grave, we'll be plumb free. Let's pray together.