Introduction
Many years ago I was at a church service given by David Wilkerson’s Teen Challenge ministry. It was a great service. David Wilkerson has inspired many with his spiritual strength and savvy when working with youth of all ages along with prisoners of addiction. A part of this service included testimonies of teens who were introduced to Christ. However, during the testimony, I noticed something strange among some, not all, of the participants. It seems as though they were competing as to whose history was the most alarming among them before salvation. Then I began thinking, can pride even exist in our testimonies? And, where else does pride unknowingly lurk in Christian lives? My studies have revealed many.
Definitions of Pride
My Definition
Pride is the root of all sin.
“Wisdom pours into you when you begin to hate every form of evil in your life, for that’s what worship and fearing God is all about. Then you will discover that your pompous pride and perverse speech are the very ways of wickedness that I hate!” (Proverbs 8:13) TPT
Dictionary.com
Pride is a high or inordinate opinion of one’s dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.
Britannica (gives conflicting definitions)
1. Pride is a feeling that you respect yourself and deserve to be respected by other people. (Why? There is no entitlement here.)
2. Also, pride is a feeling that you are more important or better than other people.
Truth
“For The one who boasts (whether in himself or others) must boast in the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 10:17) TPT
The Obvious
We are well aware of Satan’s (Lucifer’s) fall described in Isiah 14:12-17
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’
The four I’s mentioned in the scripture certainly remind us where Lucifer’s heart was. Pride was his downfall. This is surely the source of the following scripture.
“Your boast becomes a prophecy of a future failure. The higher you lift yourself in pride, the harder you’ll fall in disgrace.” (Proverbs 16:18) TPT
“Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.” (Ezekiel 28:17) ESV
So this is the beginning, it is the obvious, at least to Christians. Others continue to boast about their beauty and importance.
The Subtle
Now we have the not-so-obvious.
Pride From Our Tongue
“For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips, let them be trapped in their pride. For the cursing and lies that they utter,…” (Psalms 59:13) ESV
Have you said, “If you want something done right you need to do it yourself”? What other prideful pronouncements of the tongue have you uttered? Whenever the word “I” comes from your mouth be sure to understand its source. Are you proud of your accomplishments as in “self-pride” or others as in your family and what they have achieved if not by the grace of God?
Pride From Our Actions
Have you ever said, admired, or given assent to these words:
I did it my way. (Frank Sinatra song)
I pulled myself up by my bootstraps.
I am self-reliant. I take care of myself.
What have you ever done without the assent and assistance of our Lord, God Almighty? I repeat the truth mentioned above.
“For The one who boasts (whither in himself or others) must boast in the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 10:17) TPT
Not boasting in the Lord is the pride of self.
The Hidden
Often we seldom see or understand what we are doing.
Pride in Speech
Have you ever said…
1. You don’t know pain unless you have been in childbirth or had a kidney stone.
2. You could not suffer the pain (sickness, etc.) I suffer or you would collapse.
3. Nobody has been through what I’ve been through.
4. I’ve been doing this for X years. I know what I’m doing.
5. You’re stupid. (Meaning I’m smarter.)
6. Let me do that, you don’t know what you’re doing.
7. Or, even something like this: “I am alone and sick and no one cares.” A statement such as that reveals pride in your suffering and a lie that may even lead to suicide but for the Grace of God.
Many of these examples may be true statements but, what of the pride in saying them? Are you boasting about your sin as the Teen Challenge disciples were? You are boasting in yourself and not in the God who brought you where you are. Where is your humility? STOP!
Add some of your examples, they are limitless.
“For what makes a distinction between you and someone else? And what do you have that grace has not given you? And if you received it as a gift, why do you boast as though there is something special about you?” (1 Corinthians 4:7) TPT
Can You Be Proud of Good Things?
This is tough. In answering these questions we must consider God’s point of view and not ours. See my paper on “Perception” by clicking here.
I will use our family as an example. We have a modest size family. Three biological and, 3 adopted. I often say I am proud of my family. Isn’t this a good thing? We’ve had many “hiccups” but, they all know the Lord through salvation. I’d like to think we had a part in this. And, we did, following Biblical precepts we knew of and administering them as faithfully as we could. But all these things came about by God’s hand. We are blessed rather than proud. Each member made their own choice and we are not responsible for that choice any more than we are responsible for their sins. It is their salvation. We made our own choices. But, we were parents and teachers and by the Grace and guiding mercy of the Holy Spirit, they made the right choice.
Wate, I am proud of my family among other things. But, it is not self-pride. I know where my allegiance lies and, it certainly is not in my abilities. The pride you carry must reflect your Savior Jesus Christ by Whom all things are made possible.
For the third time in this paper, I quote,
“For The one who boasts (whither in himself or others) must boast in the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 10:17) TPT
To combat pride perhaps we should commit this scripture to memory.
Conclusion
We are not here to judge sin. Sin has already been judged on the Cross. We are here to expose sin and to speak against it as John the Baptist did. We can indeed point out pride even as Jesus did when speaking to the Pharisees.
“Everything they do is done for show and to be noticed by others. They want to be seen as holy, so they wear oversized prayer boxes on their arms and foreheads with Scriptures inside and wear extra-long tassels on their outer garments.” (Matthew 23:5) TPT
“But you are to be different from that… Remember this: If you have a lofty opinion of yourself and seek to be honored, you will be humbled. But if you have a modest opinion of yourself and choose to humble yourself, you will be honored.” (Matthew 23:8, 12) TPT
The bottom line is this: Without repentance, many will go to hell. The world says we are judging. We are not judging. The world has already been judged. We must expose sin but we seldom do. Why? Because of fear itself, we are found lacking. We know better. Fear is never an option. In the end, only Faith will win.
All of the above examples, actions, and statements come from pride. Sin comes from pride and pride comes from sin. Buck up! Get it together! You will pass through this life only once. You have all the instructions and help you need. Never follow the ways of the world, others, or the crowd. There is only one Way – the Way of the Cross.
Enough said
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.” (Jeremiah 15:16) ESV
