The sin of selfishness may be specially characterized as the sin most unlike Christ, but the sin of pride is directly of the devil. The one is anti-Christian, and the other is Satanic. Such, indeed, is the plain language of Scripture. In 1 Timothy 3:6 we read that being lifted up with pride was the cause of “the condemnation of the devil,” and in Ezekiel 28 we read the detailed account of how the heart of one who was once “full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty” was lifted up because of his beauty, his wisdom corrupted by reason of his brightness, and who therefore fell from heaven to hell.
Pride Springs From the Heart
Pride is in every human heart; all are afflicted with this disease, though by many, it is regarded rather as an ornament than a blemish. The Word of God says “a high look, and a proud heart” are sin (Prov. 21:44An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. (Proverbs 21:4)). With men of the world they are well thought off. They are hateful to God (Prov. 6:16-17; 16:516These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (Proverbs 6:16‑17)
5Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. (Proverbs 16:5)) and to Christ, typified by wisdom (Prov. 8:1313The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. (Proverbs 8:13)).
The root of all pride is in the heart: “Out of the heart of men, proceed ... pride, foolishness” (Mark 7:21-2221For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: (Mark 7:21‑22)). How can a young believer get rid of a proud heart? There is indeed but one way, and that is by sitting at the feet of Him who is meek and lowly in heart until we are ashamed any longer to cherish a quality so unlike Christ, but so like Satan.
Spiritual Pride
Let us consider two varieties of pride spoken of in the Word. We find the type of one variety, spiritual or religious pride, in the Pharisees of old, who were not ashamed to come before God with words like these: “God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are.” Surely no vestige of such an expression should find a place in our prayers.
We must remember that pride is one of the characteristics of the last days (2 Tim. 3:2), and therefore we have need to be greatly on our watch against it.
Spiritual pride is perhaps the worst variety, because it is not ashamed to show itself in connection with Christ’s name, a terrible thing when we think that such profess to be followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. Let this sin, then, be kept far from us, and let none of us sin so fearfully against God as to use His truth to help us to commit the very sin of the devil — spiritual pride. When we really get into His presence, this can never be the case. “Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto?” (2 Sam. 7:18). But when we are out of God’s presence, then boasting begins (2 Cor. 12:7).
Pride of Position
Another sort of pride arises from riches and position. We may see an instance of this in Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:13), in Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:3030The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty? (Daniel 4:30)), in Belshazzar (Dan. 5:2222And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; (Daniel 5:22)), in Herod (Acts 12:2121And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. (Acts 12:21)), and in many others. The question is, Is it seen in us? Do we in any of our acts betray this mean, debasing, and un-Christlike spirit to any who are poorer and humbler than ourselves? If we do, this clearly shows that we have never really understood the place where God’s sovereign grace has set us. It is alluded to in James 3.
Sensitive Feelings
When we talk of having very sensitive feelings and being hurt by remarks of others, it is often only pride and shows how miserably we are taken up with ourselves. Another variety of pride is shown in outward adornment, dressing after the fashion of the world and in a manner unsuited to Christian position. Another variety is being puffed up by any abilities or gifts God may have given us.
The Remedy
Having spoken of the evil, let us look for a moment at the Lord Jesus Christ for the remedy. We find, in the first place, that He Himself expressly declares that He is “meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:2929Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:29)). We find Him showing this in various ways — by taking our nature, sin apart (Phil. 2:77But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (Philippians 2:7); Heb. 2:1616For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16)), in His choice of station in life (John 9:2929We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. (John 9:29)). How many of us who profess to show His spirit, if left to ourselves to choose our place in this world, would have made such a selection? We are called to be conformed to the image of our Lord. Who among us is so? We may well ask this question when we see Christians trying to be more than their fathers were and pushing their children still higher than themselves. We strictly obey the first half of James 1:9-109Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. (James 1:9‑10), but how many rich rejoice when they are made low?
Christ or Self
There is a line made evident from heaven concerning the stand of those who are on earth. On one side are those who, be what they may, would still be something more, or seem to be something they are not. They cannot enjoy what they have, because they desire more, and cannot be gratified because they are not satisfied. These are ashamed of the position their Master chose and are proud of a place He refused to occupy. Christ and those that bear His image are on the other side of the line. It is not that we are called to change our earthly occupation or position in life, but we are called to change our attitude or mind. But having emphasized this point, we must pass on.
The Lord took a lower place even than being a carpenter and became the servant of all (Matt. 20:2828Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28); Luke 22:2727For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. (Luke 22:27)), even washing His disciples’ feet (John 13:55After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. (John 13:5)). On account of all this, He was despised (Mark 6:33Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. (Mark 6:3); John 9:2929We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. (John 9:29)), and those who follow Him will be despised too. They will be called mean or poor spirited and will be pushed aside and trodden down by the proud and ambitious. It matters not, if they have drunk at the pure spring of humility in Philippians 2; their souls will be so refreshed that they will be full of joy at bearing ever so little of the beauty of their Lord.
What God Thinks of the Humble
Hear what God has to say of them. He hears them (Psa. 9:1212When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble. (Psalm 9:12)), they enjoy His presence (Isa. 57:1515For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Isaiah 57:15)), He delivers them (Job 22:2929When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. (Job 22:29)), exalts them (Luke 14:11; 18:1411For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 14:11)
14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:14)), gives them more grace (James 4:66But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6)), while He resists the proud. Saints are exhorted to put on humility and be clothed with it (a beautiful word, meaning that on whatever side we are approached, humility is seen; 1 Peter 5:5), to walk in humility (Eph. 4:1-21I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; (Ephesians 4:1‑2)), but to beware of false humility (Col. 2:18,2318Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, (Colossians 2:18)
23Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh. (Colossians 2:23)), which is only pride in disguise.
Nothing, perhaps, shows more the transforming power of the grace of Christ than when a man that was once naturally proud and haughty becomes really meek and lowly in spirit. And nothing tells more strongly of the way in which the letter of truth held apart from the proper display of Christ corrupts, than when we see a humble, quiet person, after coming among Christians, become vain and puffed up. It is a sight, sad to say, not less common than the former.
We plead, then, in closing, that our dear readers will seek to cultivate the two graces of which we have already spoken — unselfishness and humility — and thus make progress in becoming like Christ, putting away from them, as hateful things, the anti-Christian sin of selfishness and the Satanic sin of pride.
But who is sufficient for these things? Thank God, the answer is not far to seek: “Our sufficiency is of God”; the meek will He teach His way. May we look to Him there in all meekness to put upon us more of the grace of Christ and fit us better to become humble followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Oh, may that mind in us be found,
That shone so bright in Thee —
The humble, meek, and lowly mind
From pride and envy free.”
A. T. Schofield (adapted)