A sickening and deadly disease! It is sickening to behold in a man or woman. It is like looking at an open wound right down to the bone, gangrenous and oozing. The disease is also deadly, deadly like leprosy of old; once it lays hold on you, then you are a dead man. And this sickening and deadly disease laid hold on the human race—and so upon your mind, will, and flesh too—when Adam exalted himself against God. Pride is the disease. Death is the result. The condemnation of the devil is this disease. For as lordly a creature as God made the devil, he was lifted up in pride and cast down to destruction. He will inhabit the eternal wasting of the lowest hell forever. And so will all his children.

That is why Christ had to go to hell on the tree of the cross. That is why all his sufferings were twinged with that blackness all his life long. That is why the darkness came! That is why God could push his Son into the deepest pains, torments, and anguish of hellish agonies on the cross away from the prying eyes of men—because our sin in Adam was pride. And our sin is always tainted with the loathsome stench of that disgusting disease as we exalt ourselves.

From that terrible punishment for our pride, we are delivered by the cross of Christ. In him we receive grace. In him we are lifted up and sit even now in heavenly places with the promise and hope of everlasting life. Not the deepest hell for proud sinners, but the highest heaven will be our everlasting habitation in Christ Jesus.

Humble yourself therefore! You are sitting now in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, but with a sinful nature that is full of pride. And so God’s hand must be heavy on you. Yes, as a good Father, he must chastise you to humble all your pride. He must show you where that pride is deeply rooted in your nature and in your life. He must show you where you resist his word and where you exalt yourself above your brethren. Yes, God resists that pride. Not to your destruction! No, he resists it in his love for you and for your good and with his heavy hand so that he might show you all your pride. Humble yourself. Become nothing.

And when his hand is heavy on you, do you not become anxious and full of cares? There is the straying son, the painful affliction, the mocking enemy of the gospel! And you are so soon full of cares. Cast those cares upon him! Not my will, O Lord, be done, but thine alone! Lord, let this turn to the advantage and salvation of thy people! Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief!

For he cares for you! He has a most Fatherly and tender care for his people. Eternally he willed their salvation, and eternally he willed that all—good and evil—must serve their salvation. And so he works in your life. He will not let you perish in your sinful pride, and so he gives to you his heavy hands. And when he gives his heavy hand, he gives his grace, and he assures you in all your cares that he cares for you.

And he will exalt you in due time. Not in this life. It is far too dangerous for you to be exalted in this life. Now you must bear reproach and sorrow to humble you. He will exalt you in the heavens where you will live and reign with Jesus Christ world without end, a glory into which you enter along the way of much tribulation.