What Does the Bible say about Pride:
What does the Bible say about pride? God Hates Pride.
Before we get started, here is a short list of Bible verses directly addressing a prideful spirit. Below we will go over what they mean and how we can better address pridefulness in our own lives.
Proverbs 16:5 “Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.”
Proverbs 21:4 “A haughty look, a proud countenance, and the plowing of the wicked are sin.”
Proverbs 29:23, “One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.”
Proverbs 26:12 “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
Isaiah 2:11 “The proud look of man shall be humbled, And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, And the Lord alone will be exalted on that day.”
James 4:6 “But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5 “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Proverbs 8:13″ The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.”
What Does the Bible Say About Pride and Why We Should Avoid it:
The Bible says that pride is a sin and that it can harm us and others in many ways. It can make us think that we are better than others, which can lead to conflict and division.
Pride does not help any of your relationships. It can make us think that we don’t need God, which can lead to rebellion and disobedience. Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” This verse is teaching us that pride can lead to our downfall. James 4:6 says, “But he gives us more grace”. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'” This verse shows us that God is against pride, but He is willing to help those who are humble.
Pride can also harm our relationships with others. Proverbs 13:10 says, “Where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice.” This verse shows us that when we are proud, it can lead to disharmony and all sorts of evil. Ultimately, there are a few reasons why Christians and godly people should avoid being prideful. First, pride is one of the seven deadly sins listed in the Bible. Second, pride is often the root of other sins such as envy, gluttony, and sloth. Third, pride can lead to self-righteousness, which is dangerous because it can blind us to our faults and make us judgmental of others. Finally, pride is simply arrogant and unattractive.
Pride in the Old Testament:
The Biblical history of pridefulness can be traced back to the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve were tempted by the serpent to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This act of disobedience led to their expulsion from the Garden and, ultimately, to the fall of humanity. Throughout the Bible, there are numerous examples of prideful people who are brought down by their hubris. In the Old Testament, we see the pride in the story of Noah’s Ark as well as the tower of Babel.
Pride was evident in the story of the Tower of Babel when the people attempted to build a structure that would reach the heavens. God thwarted their plans and confused their language, leading to their dispersal across the earth. In the New Testament, we see it in the story of the Pharisee and the Publican. Jesus, Himself warned against the dangers of pride, cautioning His followers to beware of those who are “puffed up with pride.” (Luke 18:9)
The Bible is clear that pride is a destructive force that leads to our downfall. It is a sin that must be confessed and repented of if we are to experience the forgiveness and restoration of our relationship with God. The Bible is full of stories of people who were proud and ended up being punished. One example is the story of Jonah, who was so proud of himself that he refused to obey God’s command to go and preach to the people of Nineveh. As a result, he was swallowed by a whale and spent three days in its belly before being spit up on the shore.
In ancient Israel, the first king was a man named Saul. He was a tall and handsome man, and the people of Israel loved him. But Saul was a proud man, and he soon began to think of himself as better than anyone else. Saul’s pride led him to do some foolish things. For example, he once disobeyed a direct order from God because he thought he knew better than God. As a result, God rejected Saul as king.
Saul’s pride also led to his downfall. He became so afraid of losing his power that he began to be paranoid. He even had his son killed because he was afraid that his son would one day take his throne. In the end, Saul’s pride led to his demise. He lost the love of his people, and he lost the favor of God. He is a cautionary tale of what can happen when we let our pride get the best of us. 1 Samuel 8-16.
The ultimate example of pride in the Bible can be found in a story attributed to Lucifer, who was cast out of heaven for his pride. Lucifer had great pride and wanted to be worshipped like God was, this was direct disobedience to the glory of God, and he was ultimately cast out of heaven forever. Isaiah 14:12-15.
Pride in the New Testament:
In the New Testament, we see it in the story of the Pharisee and the Publican. Jesus, Himself warned against the dangers of pride, cautioning His followers to beware of those who are “puffed up with pride.” (Luke 18:9)
The Pharisees were a sect of Jewish religious leaders who were known for their strict adherence to the law. They were also known for their love of money and their tendency to look down on others. The yeast of the Pharisees was their pride and their self-righteousness. They were so confident in their righteousness that they were blind to their hypocrisy. The yeast of the Pharisees also caused them to be judgmental and critical of others.
Click here to read about the Yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.
What does the Bible say about Pride: Detriment of pridefulness
Pridefulness has been around since ancient times. The ancient Greeks and Romans considered pride to be a virtue, and it was one of the seven deadly sins in Judaism. Pride was also a popular theme in literature, with many stories and plays featuring characters who were proud and ended up being punished. In more recent history, pridefulness has been linked to various negative outcomes, such as relationship problems, mental health issues, and even physical health problems. Being overly proud can be detrimental to your relationships. If you are constantly bragging about your accomplishments and putting yourself above others, it will eventually drive people away. People will start to see you as arrogant and conceited, which will make them less likely to want to be around you.
Additionally, if you are always trying to one-up others, it will create an atmosphere of competition rather than cooperation. Pridefulness can also be very harmful to your mental health. When someone is overly proud, they tend to have an inflated sense of self-importance and a need for constant admiration and approval. This can lead to unrealistic expectations, a sense of entitlement, and a lack of empathy for others. These qualities can make it difficult for someone to maintain healthy relationships and can lead to social isolation. Overly proud people may also have difficulty dealing with criticism or setbacks, which can lead to anxiety and depression. Pride may play a role in physical health too. If you are too proud, you may not take care of your physical health as well as you should. You may not see the need to eat healthily or exercise regularly, and you may not see the need to see a doctor for regular checkups. Over time, this can lead to physical health problems. These are all possible detrimental health issues that can arise from what the Bible calls one of the ‘Seven deadly sins’ It may not seem like a big deal from the outside, but as you can see, pride can be oh so deadly.
What does the Bible say about pride?
In conclusion, Pride can lead to several negative consequences in a Christian’s life, including a loss of humility, a focus on self instead of God, and a feeling of superiority over others. including estrangement from God, fellow Christians, and the Church. Additionally, pride can lead to a sense of entitlement and an inflated sense of self-importance, which can make it difficult to empathize with others and see the world from their perspective. Ultimately, pride is a hindrance to spiritual growth and can prevent Christians from living humble, Christ-like lives. We must humble ourselves and seek to further the kingdom of God instead of focusing solely on increase in our own lives.
How to Get Ride of Pride?
However, there are a few biblical principles that can be useful in counteracting pride:
1. Humble yourself before God. One of the best things you can do to counter pride is to humble yourself before God. This means acknowledging that you are not perfect and that you need God’s help and guidance in your life. It also means submitting to God’s will for your life, even when it is difficult or doesn’t make sense to you.
2. Recognize your limitations. Another way to counter pride is to recognize your limitations. This means acknowledging that you are not all-powerful or all-knowing. It is important to remember that we are all human and that we all make mistakes. Accepting your limitations can help you to be more humble and to let go of any unrealistic expectations you have for yourself. Recognize pride and its source. Resist the temptation.
3. Seek to serve others. One of the best ways to counter pride is to focus on serving others instead of yourself. When you serve others, you are putting their needs above your own and recognizing that they are just as important as you are. This can be a humbling experience and it can help you to see the world from a different perspective.
4. Give thanks to God. Another way to counter pride is to give thanks to God for all the good things in your life. This includes both the big things and the small things. When you take the time to be thankful, it can help you to remember that everything you have is a gift from God. This can help you to be more humble and to focus on what is truly important in life.
5. Pray for help. If you are struggling with pride, one of the best things you can do is to pray for help. Ask God to give you the strength to overcome your pride and to help you to become the person He wants you to be. Trust that God will help you to overcome any challenges you are facing.
A PRAYER TO COMBAT PRIDE IN YOUR LIFE:
Dear God, I pray that I may be less prideful and have more humility. I know that pride is a sin, and that humility is a virtue. I want to be more like Jesus, who was humble and obedient to You. Help me to follow His example and to be less concerned with my ego. I know that true greatness comes from being humble and serving others. I want to be a person who is known for my humility and my willingness to help others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
