Pride: The Sin That Destroys
(Formerly titled Pride: Man's Greatest Sin)
Pride is inordinate self-esteem in one's own self. It is the unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in natural physical gifts, intelligence, skills, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, rank, or position. Pride manifests itself in an overbearing manner, and often shows contempt for others.
Pride goes before destruction, it dines on vanity, feeds on contempt, sinks men to their lowest condition, and divides. Material pride from a lofty position looks down on the poor, the weak, the sick, the working man and his family.
Pride is insolent, rude, treats others with disdain, and respects nothing. Pride as a piece of jewelry or an ornament to be displayed is something with which many grace themselves.
Pride with some is often blended with nothingness and with some, dignity. Proud men are wrapped in their own importance; yet when speaking, make others feel junior to, or inferior to themself. It is the opposite of dignity, which consists of just, great, and consistent actions all in the name of God.
The proud will scratch and claw for the applause of others, yet hold in contempt those who praise them. It becomes enraged when slighted or contradicted. When in full bloom, proud men and women will oppose God and His standing, as did their father the devil.
The evil effects of pride are beyond calculation. Pride will spread itself universally in every direction, to all people and nations. The author of Mein Kompf, Adolf Hitler led the German people, supported the Japanese, incited the Russians, and threatened the Italian people in that era of hatred. This led the world into a new era of strange bedfellows in both politics and religion.
Hitler was full of self pride. He is one that I believe Satan himself indwelled. Because of this, millions died, were displaced, incarcerated, tortured, mutilated, all this without precedent. The reason? Proud and evil men thought they were of a superior race, opinions and judgements.
The pride of evolution is the thinking that one race has evolved to a position of superiority over another, this is evil from its root. Slavery is a fruit that buds forth from the corrupt root of pride.
Man would find through much investigation that all who were, and are slaves today, have come from princes, and all princes have come from slaves. Bandits, thieves and murderers of generations past, now sit on the thrones of kings. These sons of disdain are honored and graced by the people today.
Pride, the first sin having entered the world, will remain the last evil to be conquered.
Pride is the father of discontent, war, passion, extravagance, bigotry, persecution, ingratitude, poverty, and covetousness. To be proud of knowledge is to be blind in spiritual truths. To be proud in one's own strength, is to poison one self with the antidote that can save. To be full of pride when one rises in authority or rank, is to make that rise, their personal downfall.
The imperfections marking man's nature, are his limited knowledge, restricted powers, narrow conceptions, and moral inabilities. These however should be the motives that drive him to humility. We must always keep in our mind, then teach our children concerning the horrors that pride has inflected upon the world throughout history.
In the N.T. there are three Greek words for "Pride". The first is,
Huperephania: from the Hebrew which means, arrogance, with the contributing idea of a negative way of ungodliness.
Mark 7:21-23, Jesus said, "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man."
Pride seems to be the bedfellow of other great evils.
Ps.59:12, "For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride."
God will overrule both people and nations who are ungodly, and filled with themselves. The proud will is due time know that there is One who is a higher power and that His vengeance will not always be still. Jesus Christ upon His return shall scatter and destroy the nations, and all their proudful ways.
Moses said to Pharaoh, "Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, let my people go." Pharaoh replied, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice?" Pharaoh speaks scornfully of God, "Who is Jehovah?" I know him not, nor do I care concerning him. Nor do I value him, or fear him, for I am Pharaoh.
From his ignorance, arrogance and for the contempt Pharaoh had for God and His people, he demands to know,
Why should I obey your God? I rule over the people of your God, therefore why would I obey your God? We know the end results of this Biblical truth. The violent end of Pharaoh can be a lesson for all men to consider. To draw a sword against God is to inflict upon yourself a deadly wound.
Prov.8:13, "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the forward = (perverse) mouth, do I = (God) hate."
Prov.16:18, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty = (proud and disdainful) spirit before a fall."
1 Pet.5:5, "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."
Prov.29:23, "A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit."
The second Greek word for pride is,
Tuphoo, meaning conceit, proud, arrogant, lifted up with pride.
1 Tim.3:5-6, "If a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? Not a novice = (new Christian convert), lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil."
Satan fell first, and many have followed. Promotion to leadership in religious or political circles too quickly can be fatal.
1 Tim.6:4, "He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting = (obsessed with disputes) about questions and strifes = (arguments) of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings."
The Lord's doctrines are food for our souls. His doctrines are according to, and coming from the will of His Father. The fulfillment of the Father's will by His Son has secured the honor and glory that has been bestowed upon our Lord. Also has the Holy Spirit bestowed upon Christian's, His peace, happiness, salvation and the sharing of heavenly rewards.
The truth of God's words are not preeminent to a proud man, he being filled with his own self-conceit, yet knowing nothing. According to the Scriptures, those filled with pride are said to be,
2 Tim.3:4, "Traitors, heady = (reckless) high-minded = (proud) lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God."
The third Greek word is,
"Alazonela." It means to display with vanity one's works, or to be boastful. To be fond of presenting one's own endowments or works to others, in a gainful and opportune way reveals the ultimate pride.
James 4:6, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."
1 John 2:16, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."
Prov.14:3, "In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them."
When a man's heart is full of pride and in his head he has no knowledge of God, the thoughts of his heart will be spewed forth in his words. From one's mouth comes scorn and boasting, which is spoken of in the Scriptures as the rod of the mouth. This form of pride comes from the root of bitterness, its bursting forth comes from the heart.
Job 9:13, "If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers = (allies of the proud) do stoop under Him = (lie prostrate beneath God)."
How disgraceful is pride in the sight of God, it having become a barrier to happiness, prosperity and blessings. Pride will hinder our communion with God, will bear no fruit, will restrain our usefulness, and renders every word, action, deed and thought contemptible.
We are to humble ourselves, because heaven is a place of humility. Much humility greatly influences Christian works and prayer life. The idea of humility allows exercise in moderation of all things and is as a great tributary of a river to internal worship. The effect of Divine grace through humility is working in the inner-most body, soul, and spirit of believers. Humility practiced, preserves peace and contentment for a person, a family, and a nation.
Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com