Pride

The Case Against Pride

Sermonette by James Beaubelle

Three symptoms of pride include (1) lying to protect our self-image; (2) competitiveness; (3) believing our personal ideas are more valuable than God's Truth.

Living in an era marked by wealth and self-sufficiency fosters an attitude of pride, which God deeply despises. This pride, whether in the rich or the poor, is a dangerous quality that can bar entry into the Kingdom if not repented of. It manifests as a resistance to authority, a desire to live by one's own rules, and a subconscious belief in self-sufficiency, diminishing the need for God. This attitude mirrors the Laodicean spirit, where individuals feel they have need of nothing, yet it is an abomination in God's sight. Pride is not merely a personal flaw but a pervasive force that affects nations and individuals alike. It leads to a reliance on external forms of worship rather than heartfelt devotion, as seen in historical attempts to build temples for God with arrogant and self-willed hearts. Such prideful actions are rejected by God, who values a humble and contrite heart over the most magnificent earthly structures. God seeks those who tremble at His Word, not those inflated by self-righteousness or haughty attitudes. The origin of pride traces back to satan, described as the father of pride, who deemed himself supreme and refused to acknowledge any superior. This spirit of pride infects humanity, driving individuals to define themselves by their possessions, achievements, and personal environments, often forgetting to be thankful to God for their gifts. Pride resides in the heart, pushing for self-justification and resisting correction, even against God's will. It defends itself at all costs, leading to destructive behaviors and broken relationships, as it refuses to submit or change. Pride manifests in various forms, from the arrogance of youth misusing their strength and beauty to adults boasting of their positions, talents, or successes. It causes unfair judgment and contempt toward others, viewing them as lesser. God warns that pride precedes destruction, and those who cling to it face inevitable downfall. For His people, God desires humility, often using trials or afflictions to humble the proud and turn their hearts back to Him. Overcoming pride requires recognizing the necessity of humility to please God. It involves self-judgment through how one views and treats others and how well one obeys God's commandments. Pride hinders submission and esteeming others better than oneself, while humility opens the heart to God's teaching. Fasting, prayer, and obedience are vital tools to subdue pride, helping to reset priorities and acknowledge human frailty. God dwells with the humble, those of a contrite spirit who tremble at His Word, promising to hide and value them as His Temple, built not with pride but with faithful, yielded hearts.

The Problem with Pride

Sermon by Ryan McClure

Pride is a deeply ingrained issue that distorts reality and inflates one's perception of self or accomplishments, often leading to thoughts of being better or higher than others or their circumstances. It is inherently self-centered, focusing on how one views and feels about oneself. God warns against pride, as seen when He declares to the Israelites that He will break the pride of their power if they disobey Him, indicating that pride in their strength could prevent repentance. The fall of he who was once at a high position in heaven illustrates pride's destructive nature. His heart became wicked, and pride puffed up his thoughts, leading him to declare intentions to exalt his throne above the stars of God, to ascend above the heights, and to be like the Most High. This shows how pride moves one to step beyond the position God has assigned, resulting in actions that follow prideful thoughts. In the temptation of Eve, pride manifests as the desire for wisdom outside of God. When she saw the forbidden fruit as desirable to make one wise, she succumbed to the pride of life, believing she could rely on her own understanding rather than God's command. This early example reveals how pride tricks individuals into thinking they do not need God, leading to actions that condemn the prideful. Pride also distorts relationships with others, as seen in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. The Pharisee's prideful assessment placed him above others, clouding his perception and causing him to focus on others' sins while ignoring his own. Removing pride and embracing humility would allow focus on personal issues to overcome, rather than comparing oneself to others. Naaman's story further demonstrates pride's effects. His inflated opinion of himself led to rage when things did not go as expected, showing how unchecked pride can manifest into destructive emotions. Had he approached the situation with humility, saying no pride, no problem, the exchange would have been simpler and without conflict. This underscores the importance of humility over prideful expectations. Pride, when left unchecked, often leads to swift destruction, as seen in various accounts where sudden judgment followed prideful actions. The solution to pride is humility, exemplified by Jesus Christ, who, despite being God, humbled Himself to serve others. He faced disrespect and poor treatment without asserting His status, choosing humility instead. Adopting a no pride, no problem perspective sets one up for success, looking to God for help and humility in every situation.

Pride, Humility, and the Day of Atonement

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Pride stands as a central barrier to unity and reconciliation with God, driving division and conflict on earth. God devotes an entire festival, the most solemn day of the year, to commanding self-affliction through fasting, aiming to instill humility and forcefully impress upon our character that pride is the root of discord. As long as the seed of pride remains alive, it holds the potential to spring forth in ugly conduct, producing a multitude of evil fruits, often called the father of all sin. The origin of pride is traced to satan, whose heart was lifted up because of his beauty, leading him into war with God. Described as the king over all the children of pride, satan has passed this destructive tendency to his followers, causing them to divide and war against each other. Pride colors thoughts, turning them away from God toward the greatness of man, fostering resistance rather than a desire to be like Him. It deceives individuals into believing in their self-sufficiency, making them think they are secure and strong enough to withstand any challenge, a deception that reaches alarming proportions when it involves their relationship with God. Pride manifests in various destructive ways. It leads the wicked to persecute the poor, showing no regard for the needs and comforts of others, running over them in pursuit of personal desires. Proud individuals often possess an unruly tongue that curses, lies, and offends, leaving others emotionally abused through abrupt, harsh, or negative speech. Such attitudes and actions prevent oneness, as pride and its fruits—arrogance, wrath, and even substance abuse—consistently drive people apart. Where pride exists, arrogance and wrath are often present, fueling conflict and excessive, unjustified anger. God's response to pride is to humble us, sometimes through pain, to drive self-sufficiency far from us. When things go well, it is easy to forget God and ascribe success to natural abilities or learned skills, but spiritual deterioration can be imperceptible, leading to a false sense of being blessed. Thus, He disciplines with pain to warn that all is not as well as vanity suggests. Humility, therefore, is the key to unity with God and with fellow man, achieved by each person cleaning up their character and humbling themselves before Him, striving to become like Him in maintaining unbroken and ever-closer relationships.

Pride

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