Tonight’s Lesson

Lesson 7

Arrogance

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

Arrogance

Two commands from Psalm 46:10:

1. Cause yourself to go slack (be still).

2. Recognize and observe God to be God.

Arrogance

Question:

What happens if we fail to obey the commands in Psalm 46:10?

Arrogance

Answer:

We enter into arrogance in our thought process.

Arrogance

Principles and Mechanics of Arrogance:

A principle is a standard by which something normally operates. Much like the laws of science, principles are laws of operation that govern how things relate to each other.

Arrogance

Principles and Mechanics of Arrogance:

“Mechanics” refers to the way that principles work together and how they interact with one another.

Arrogance

Principles Relating to Arrogance:

1. Arrogance is a location of thought which is independent or apart from God.

2. In arrogance, an individual assumes that he is the source of understanding reality.

Arrogance

Principles Relating to Arrogance:

3. This causes the individual to view things from his own perspective instead of from God’s perspective.

4. Arrogance is an inherently fallible position from which to accurately see reality.

Arrogance

This is evidenced by Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:16 where Ezekiel writes that Lucifer became:

1. Infatuated by his works, then

2. Filled with thoughts that were destructively rebellious toward God’s authority & kingdom.

Arrogance

Principles Relating to Arrogance:

5. Failure to see reality accurately results in a distorted set of beliefs.

6. Not being based on reality, these beliefs are rooted in personal opinion, personal bias, and personal desire rather than fact.

Arrogance

This is evidenced by Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:17 where Ezekiel writes that Lucifer’s beliefs became:

1. Elevated to a high degree of importance-what he believed about reality was all that mattered.

2. The source from which his wisdom was corrupted.

Arrogance

Principles Relating to Arrogance:

7. Development of one’s personal set of beliefs apart from God is sin.

8. Since all actions are the result of beliefs, sinful beliefs produce unrighteous actions.

Arrogance

This is evidenced by God’s statement about Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:15:

“‘You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.’”

Arrogance

Principles Relating to Arrogance:

9. God is righteous and cannot let unrighteousness go unchecked.

10. When righteousness is violated, God’s character seeks justice.

11. Justice demands whatever is necessary in order to restore the relationships broken by unrighteous actions.

Arrogance

Principles Relating to Arrogance:

11. Justice demands whatever is necessary in order to restore righteousness.

12. Arrogance always results in judgment.

13. Judgment is the penalty which justice determines must be paid for unrighteousness.

Arrogance

This is evidenced by God’s statement about Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:16b:

“‘Therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.’”

Arrogance

This is evidenced by God’s statement about Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:17b:

“‘I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, that they may see you.’”

Arrogance

This is evidenced by God’s statement about Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:18b:

“‘Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you.’”

Arrogance

This is evidenced by God’s statement about Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:19:

“‘All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have become terrified and you will cease to be forever.’”

Arrogance

Mechanics of Arrogance:

1. Thinking apart from God causes one to inaccurately understand reality.

2. Inaccurately understanding reality creates a sinful belief system in the individual.

3. This belief system (world view) produces unrighteous actions.

Arrogance

Mechanics of Arrogance:

4. Unrighteous actions must be dealt with by God because He is righteous.

5. God’s righteousness causes Him to demand justice in order to restore righteousness where it has been violated.

Arrogance

Mechanics of Arrogance:

6. This restoration is accomplished by the determination of a penalty which justly pays for the violation.

7. Righteousness is restored when the payment is paid in full.

Tonight’s Lesson

Lesson 7