“Every form of pride is wrong and ought to be condemned.” In my growing-up years, I well remember hearing this being emphasized frequently by an old brother. And to quote another, “Pride is the greatest of all evils that beset us, and of all our enemies it is that which dies the slowest and hardest; even the children of the world are able to discern this. Madame De Stael said on her deathbed, ‘Do you know what is the last entity to die in man? It is self-love.’ God hates pride above all things, because it gives to man the place that belongs to Him who is above, exalted over all. Pride intercepts communion with God and draws down His chastisement, for ‘God resists the proud.’ He will destroy the name of the proud.”
Nowhere today is the difference between the world and the believer more pronounced than in their different estimates of pride. In the Word of God, pride is condemned from one end to the other. In the list of seven things which God hates, pride heads the list: “a proud look” (Prov. 6:1717A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (Proverbs 6:17)). It was pride that brought about Satan’s fall, before the present creation and before man was created. For this reason, the believer is warned about being “lifted up with pride” and falling into “the condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:6). It was pride that led the family of Cain to go out from the presence of the Lord, rather than repenting and returning to Him. Ultimately it is pride that keeps the sinner from coming to Christ. Finally, we know that in a coming day, “the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isa. 2:1717And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. (Isaiah 2:17)).
The Last Days
The last days, in which we are living, are leading up to this condition of things that God will judge unsparingly, for Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:2 that among other characteristics, men will be “lovers of their own selves” and “proud.” Since the fall, man has been proud throughout his history, but all this will reach a zenith before the judgment of God falls. I would suggest that we are heading quickly toward that apex today. In our modern world, therapists seek to instill pride into their clients, while children are taught in school to be proud of themselves and their achievements. Our modern economy is saturated with pride, and the phrase, “You’re worth it!” is constantly used in advertising. In every way the world today is the very antithesis of what the Word of God says about pride.
Own It and Judge It
As with other vices in the modern world, pride must first of all be recognized for what it is, before it can be dealt with. Unhappily, within the influence of the world today, pride can infiltrate and become such an integral part of our being that we fail to recognize either its presence or its sinfulness. Our attitudes can be so formed by it that we fail to see how far we have come from the teaching of the Word of God. Also, Satan has done a good job of persuading us that pride is not wrong in itself, for should we not be proud of ourselves — our appearance, our work and our achievements? But I am reminded of a Christian young man who asked his godly father this same question. The father’s answer was excellent: “If you remember that in your dress and in whatever you do you are a child of God and that you belong to Christ, it will take care of a proper appearance and good work habits, but without engendering a spirit of pride.” We cannot be proud as long as we are walking in the presence of God. Rather, this will keep us both humble and happy — humble because we are so little like Christ, and happy because He loves us so much.
It Is Serious
Why, then, is pride so serious? I would suggest that there are several reasons which we should bear in mind. First of all, pride in man takes away from that which is due to God only and gives that glory to man. As a creature, man is to be subject and to recognize that God alone is worthy of glory. Man has no glory of his own, and any glory that we may have as believers is only what God is pleased to share with us. This is the main reason why pride is condemned so severely in Scripture.
Communion
Second, pride interrupts our communion with God, so that we can no longer enjoy His presence. The world system today was started by Cain, who “went out from the presence of the Lord” and who then surrounded himself with everything to make himself happy, but without God. Pride started this system, and pride carries it on today. The believer who wants to learn more of Christ and walk with Him will find that a proud spirit and fellowship with God cannot exist together.
Greed — Envy — Power
Third, pride spawns and supports a number of other serious sins, such as greed, ingratitude, envy, and ultimately a lust for power. All of these are rampant in the world today, and they essentially drive the world economy. Again, this has been true throughout man’s history, but is reaching epidemic proportions today. These sins, in turn, can lead to many other related sins, such as hatred, theft, violence and even murder. The results are seen in the way man tramples on the rights of others in order to gain advantage for himself, and in his general ungratefulness for that which he receives.
Growth
Finally, pride hinders any kind of spiritual growth for the believer, for it occupies him with himself and makes him comfortable and accepting of that which God wants to change. Proverbs 16:1818Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18) tells us that “pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall”; we also read, “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee” (Prov. 9:88Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. (Proverbs 9:8)). Judging those things in our lives which are not in keeping with God’s character is dependent on a humble and teachable spirit, so that we are willing to listen, not only to God Himself through His Word, but also to others, who may be able to point out to us what we cannot see ourselves. Elihu was used of God to do this for Job, and great blessing resulted from it. But pride will keep us from entertaining rebuke and correction, thus stifling our spiritual growth. This becomes full-blown in the aggressive and belligerent behavior we see so often in the world around us, but can be just as much part of the character of those who normally appear well-mannered and polite.
If we realized the seriousness of the sin of pride and how detrimental it is to spiritual health, we would be more and more on guard, lest the attitude and spirit all around take hold of us too. To walk in the dignity of one who is a son of God is not pride and will enable us to display the character of our blessed Master, while we exhibit that humility that is not only proper for a creature, but is also fitting for those who follow a rejected Christ. The day of glory is not far off — a day when we shall live and reign with Christ. For now, we follow Him who “made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:99Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9)).
W. J. Prost