Pride…it was actually the original sin, wasn’t it? Satan was thrown out of heaven because of pride. Then Satan told Eve you will be like gods and we know what happened next. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride or vainglory of life—I John 2:15—we see John gives pride its very own category of sin. Psalms 10:4 says God is not in the thoughts of the wicked who are prideful. That is how serious pride is.
What is pride? We can’t avoid pride or defeat it if we don’t understand what it is. Pride is putting an emphasis on yourself at the expense of God or others.
There are varieties of pride:
Vanity
These are people who are preoccupied with appearances; they derive self-esteem from a turn of the head, by receiving public honors, or from tokens of success.
“The vain offer their appearance as a means of seducing others into thinking well of them which in turn is a means of seducing themselves to think well of themselves.”
Taylor, G. (2006). Deadly Vices. Oxford: Clarendon Press
This type of pride relies on approval of others.
Conceit
These people have an exaggerated opinion of their own virtues and accomplishments; they are adversarial and demand preeminence. ( Remember the Pharisee in Lk 18:11-he thanked God that he was not as other men). Conceited folks diminish others to elevate themselves; they are ruined by a sense of superiority (I Cor 4:6). Sadly, they are too self-absorbed to empathize with others.
Arrogance
This is the worst form of pride. Arrogant people act superior in an overbearing manner. While vanity needs admirers and conceit needs inferiors, arrogance needs no one; they are a law unto themselves–epitome of pride.
What does pride do? It causes people not to listen. Pride keeps us from others. Pride won’t ask for help and neglects helping others. Pride brings people low; it causes shame and it deceives. (Prov 11:2; 29:23) Pride seeks revenge and leads to calamity in many forms. We all know Proverbs 16:18—read it again: Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. In Daniel 4:30f we see how Nebuchadnezzar’s pride spreads calamity.
What does pride lead to?
- Pride causes us to make exceptions to God’s Word. The wicked won’t seek God because of their pride. (Psa 10:4)
- Pride causes us to want to look good in front of others; it brings superficiality. Appearances matter too much; we become desperate for attention and the glory from men.
- Pride undermines the community. (I Cor 12:25—members should have the same care one for another).
- Pride causes faultfinding and chronic discontent.
- Pride causes people to have difficulty admitting sin; people become often easily offended and think they are indispensable.
- Pride causes a harsh spirit, being argumentative, contentious, opinionated, boasting and stubborn.
- Most seriously, pride leads to a spiritual fall. (Prov 29:23—a man’s pride shall bring him low; but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit; I Cor 10:12—to him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall). Pride causes presumption before God or no confidence. We may believe our sins are greater than His grace. This leads to self-contempt and self-pity (face-saving, excuses, depression). Pride alienates us from God and causes us to resist God (Jas 4:6).
- Pride destroys lives and relationships. Dan 4:28-33: this is my Babylon, built by my might and power for the honor of my majesty; while the word was in his mouth God’s voice from heaven said your kingdom is departed from thee; you will dwell with the beasts of the field. In Acts 12:21-23 Herod makes an oration, the people say it is the voice of a god and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory; and he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost. Pride has consequences.
- Pride takes away from God’s glory. So, you can imagine how God feels about pride.
God despises a proud heart. Prov 8:13—The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Pro 6:16—These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him; a proud look…
Paul was given a thorn in the flesh to keep him from becoming too proud. 2 Cor 12:7; Rom 11:21-23 “Be not highminded but fear..”
God says it’s a sign of foolishness. Pro 30:32. Pride invites God’s punishment. Isa 2:11-12; Ezek 7:10-11. God won’t allow elders to be novices lest they be lifted up with pride. I Tim 3:6 (The original Greek word means enveloped in smoke.)
How do we reduce the fuel of pride?
- Listen to God—Jer 13:15 (Hear ye, be not proud for the Lord hath spoken)
- Trust less in yourself—Psa 40:4 (Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust and respecteth not the proud)
- Remember what God has done—Deut 8:14f—recognize we are not self-sufficient. Often when things go well, we begin to think we did it. Remember C. S. Lewis’ words: “God is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself…”
- Associate with humble people—Rom 12:16 (Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits)
- Speak cautiously—I Sam 2:3 (Hannah—talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed); Pro 21:23-24
- Pray more.
- Work on anonymity. Gal 6:3—If any man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
- Promote God and others.
How do we grow in humility that will overcome pride?
- Reflect on the cross.
- Admit your need for help to overcome pride; self exam; confession; focus on your character, not beauty or wealth.
- Be thankful; pride can’t live in a grateful heart.
- Memorize the Word. Hide it in your heart.
- Stop worrying—I Pet 5:5-6—be clothed with humility; God resisteth the proud and gives grace to the humble; humble yourself under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time.
- Develop a holy hatred for pride—for all sin. Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence. 3 John 9
- Take the path of humility, not self-loss but denial of self, having an uncompromised loyalty to the kingdom of God.
- Be like Jesus who didn’t back down, was self confident, self possessed and properly assertive. He never caved in to the crowd or appeased His critics. Phil 2:8—He humbled himself and became obedient…
Finally, think on this: Does pride cause you to be admired? What happens to a prideful person? Does pride do anything good for us? Do we help anyone with it? Is there any way it helps us accomplish God’s will? If our mission in life is to give God the glory He is due, we will always fight against pride. Let us realize like Paul that by the grace of God I am what I am…I Cor 15:10.