| The Sin Of Pride |
The word, "pride" and the adjective "proud" are found over one hundred
times in the Bible. Connected with this word are many solemn warnings.
Psalm 101:5 says, "Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I
suffer."
Psalm 12:3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that
speaketh proud things.
Psalm 138:6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the
lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
In Proverbs 6:16-17, among the seven things which the Lord hates we find
first, "a proud look."
Proverbs 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold
the humble in spirit.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit
before a fall.
Daniel 4:37b says, "Those that walk in pride he is able to abase."
Proverbs 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the
lowly is wisdom.
To this we could add scores of other quotations.
The same warnings we find in the New Testament.
"The pride of life," says the Spirit of God through John "is not of the
Father." In Romans 1:31, we read of the condition of the unsaved--
"haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters," etc.
Pride is one of the leading characteristics of the apostates of the Last
Days-- those who have a form of godliness but deny the power of it (2
Tim. 3:1-3). James writes, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto
the humble," (James 4:6). Peter adds the same testimony (1 Peter 5:5).
Link to these exhortations and warnings the many exhortations to be
lowly; to be humble; to be clothed with humility as a garment, and to
be self-effacing; and every Christian should realize how God must hate
pride and cannot tolerate His children being proud.
And why does God hate pride? Pride is the crime of the devil (1 Tim 3:6).
The self-exaltation of the erstwhile lucifer is mentioned in several passages
in the Old Testament (See Isaiah 14:12-14). Pride is the very essence of
sin. It links the child of God with the enemy of God and opens the
way to all other forms of sin. It robs God of the glory of His Grace and
makes true worship of praise and adoration impossible. Grace, such
as we need, and still more grace, can only be obtained by humbling
ourselves in the dust before Him, confessing our nothingness.
And how many forms of pride there are! Pride of intellect, pride of
learning, pride of achievement, pride of religion, pride of reputation, pride
of ancestry, pride of character, pride of popularity, pride of relationships,
and many more.
Pride and self-exaltation are the stamps everywhere of the world. Pride is
the hallmark of liberalism. Nebuchadnezzar's pride (Daniel 4) brought his
great humiliation. And so will this age be humiliated when God deals with
the proud world, including the great religious world.
Child of God, shun pride! Pride knows no real rest, nor real faith in
God; it leads to envious ambitiousness. True rest, sweet rest, blessed
rest, are found in true humility.
Especially should young servants of the Lord take these words to heart.
Dependence on the Lord means the eradication of pride. Ambition to
be something, to have a name in the Lord's service, to gain
popularity, is obnoxious to God and to His Spirit. Commit it to
memory-- "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."
Written by A.C. Gaebelein
Taken from Our Hope Magazine, April 1943.
----------------------------------------------------
Further Reading:
"HELP, LORD" - The Prayer of Every Christian
Beware of the Sin of Flattery
Beware of The Passion Play at the "Holy Land" Theme Park in Florida
We Are His Instruments
Repentance
Advice For Those In Ministry by CHM
times in the Bible. Connected with this word are many solemn warnings.
Psalm 101:5 says, "Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I
suffer."
Psalm 12:3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that
speaketh proud things.
Psalm 138:6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the
lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
In Proverbs 6:16-17, among the seven things which the Lord hates we find
first, "a proud look."
Proverbs 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold
the humble in spirit.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit
before a fall.
Daniel 4:37b says, "Those that walk in pride he is able to abase."
Proverbs 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the
lowly is wisdom.
To this we could add scores of other quotations.
The same warnings we find in the New Testament.
"The pride of life," says the Spirit of God through John "is not of the
Father." In Romans 1:31, we read of the condition of the unsaved--
"haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters," etc.
Pride is one of the leading characteristics of the apostates of the Last
Days-- those who have a form of godliness but deny the power of it (2
Tim. 3:1-3). James writes, "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto
the humble," (James 4:6). Peter adds the same testimony (1 Peter 5:5).
Link to these exhortations and warnings the many exhortations to be
lowly; to be humble; to be clothed with humility as a garment, and to
be self-effacing; and every Christian should realize how God must hate
pride and cannot tolerate His children being proud.
And why does God hate pride? Pride is the crime of the devil (1 Tim 3:6).
The self-exaltation of the erstwhile lucifer is mentioned in several passages
in the Old Testament (See Isaiah 14:12-14). Pride is the very essence of
sin. It links the child of God with the enemy of God and opens the
way to all other forms of sin. It robs God of the glory of His Grace and
makes true worship of praise and adoration impossible. Grace, such
as we need, and still more grace, can only be obtained by humbling
ourselves in the dust before Him, confessing our nothingness.
And how many forms of pride there are! Pride of intellect, pride of
learning, pride of achievement, pride of religion, pride of reputation, pride
of ancestry, pride of character, pride of popularity, pride of relationships,
and many more.
Pride and self-exaltation are the stamps everywhere of the world. Pride is
the hallmark of liberalism. Nebuchadnezzar's pride (Daniel 4) brought his
great humiliation. And so will this age be humiliated when God deals with
the proud world, including the great religious world.
Child of God, shun pride! Pride knows no real rest, nor real faith in
God; it leads to envious ambitiousness. True rest, sweet rest, blessed
rest, are found in true humility.
Especially should young servants of the Lord take these words to heart.
Dependence on the Lord means the eradication of pride. Ambition to
be something, to have a name in the Lord's service, to gain
popularity, is obnoxious to God and to His Spirit. Commit it to
memory-- "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."
Written by A.C. Gaebelein
Taken from Our Hope Magazine, April 1943.
----------------------------------------------------
Further Reading:
"HELP, LORD" - The Prayer of Every Christian
Beware of the Sin of Flattery
Beware of The Passion Play at the "Holy Land" Theme Park in Florida
We Are His Instruments
Repentance
Advice For Those In Ministry by CHM
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