A Sign of What's Inside
Temper is a significant issue that reveals the deeper, unchristian sins within us, and needs to be addressed.
Henry Drummond emphasizes the destructive nature of human wrath, explaining how it does not align with the righteousness of God. He delves into the deeper implications of temper, highlighting how it can reveal underlying issues such as jealousy, anger, pride, and other sinful traits that lurk within individuals. Drummond likens temper to a warning sign of a deeper spiritual disease, a manifestation of hidden sins that need to be addressed and surrendered to God.
Text
"For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God"
(James 1:20).
Only temper," they call it: a little hot-headedness, a momentary ruffling of the surface, a mere passing cloud. But here the passing cloud is composed of drops, and the drops betoken an ocean, foul and rancorous, seething somewhere within the life--an ocean made up of jealousy, anger, pride, uncharity, cruelty self-righteousness, sulkiness, touchiness, doggedness, lashed into a raging storm.
This is why temper is significant. It is not in what it is that its significance lies, but in what it reveals. But for this it were not worth notice. It is the intermittent fever which tells of unintermittent disease; the occasional bubble escaping to the surface, betraying the rottenness underneath; a hastily prepared specimen of the hidden products of the soul, dropped involuntarily when you are off your guard. In one word, it is the lightning-form of a dozen hideous and unchristian sins.
Sermon Outline
- The Significance of Temper
- What Temper Reveals
- A hidden disease that needs to be addressed
- A glimpse of the rottenness underneath
- A specimen of unchristian behavior
Key Quotes
“For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” — Henry Drummond
“It is the intermittent fever which tells of unintermittent disease” — Henry Drummond
“It is the lightning-form of a dozen hideous and unchristian sins” — Henry Drummond
Application Points
- We need to address the deeper issues of unchristian sins within us, rather than just treating the symptoms of temper.
- Temper is a warning sign that there is rottenness underneath, and we need to take action to deal with it.
- By recognizing the significance of temper, we can begin to work on becoming more Christ-like and less like the world.