Articles
The Danger of Pride - 10.1.2023 Bulletin
The Danger of Pride
If you look up the word “pride” in Webster’s dictionary, two definitions stand out. Pride can be “inordinate self-esteem” as in conceit, being overly appreciative of one’s self-worth. Or pride can be “a reasonable or justifiable self-respect.” One of these definitions is good to have, while the other, not so much. It is good for us to have some level of pride. It is healthy for us to have pride in our accomplishments, a job well done, or our growth, either spiritual or as a person and so on, these are all good. But there is also a reason it is listed among the “seven deadly sins.” We can have too much pride, even arrogance, this is where the danger sets in.
One danger of pride is it leads a person to think they are better than everyone else. They begin to look down on others and think they are untouchable. Maybe they feel this way because of their status in life, how rich they have become, how knowledgeable they are. Or maybe they have none of this, but just walk through life with a superior attitude. In book of Obadiah, pride was one of the things that lead to Edom’s downfall. They trusted to much in their location as a nation among the mountains, Edom thought they were untouchable, but God said, “the arrogance of your heart has deceived you” (Obadiah 1.3), and goes on to say, “From there I will bring you down” (Obadiah 1.4). This type of superior attitude has no place in the heart of a disciple of Christ. Instead, Paul writes in Philippians 2.3-4, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
A person who is full of pride runs the risk of thinking they are always right and never acknowledges the wrongs. This type of attitude will fail to recognize the sin in their lives because they don’t realize they have done anything wrong. It is impossible to teach someone the gospel who won’t first accept they have sin in their lives that needs to be corrected. Disciples of Christ maybe even more so need to make sure we don’t have the kind of pride that never acknowledges the wrongs. Each of us must be willing to accept correction if we have done wrong in anyway. No one likes being wrong, and no one likes having to be the person doing the correction. But if someone comes to us, we must remember they are coming from a place of love. A good example is Apollos in Acts 18.24-28. Although he was “competent in the scriptures” and “spoke boldly in the synagogue” he only knew of the baptism of John. Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and “explained to him the way of God more accurately.” By all indications Apollos graciously accepted the correction and then continued to help his fellow brethren. Apollos was not offended, or too proud to acknowledge the wrong. No matter who we are, what position we hold in the church, or how long we’ve been following Christ, we need to be willing to accept we can be wrong, and humbly receive the correction when it comes.
A person cannot be “Christ-like” and be filled with pride because it is the opposite of Christ. If anyone ever had a reason to be prideful it was Christ. He was with God in heaven, but He left that for a time to come to live on earth. While on earth Christ did not carry Himself in a prideful manner, instead He became a humble servant. Mark 10.45 says, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Christ did not come to be an earthly king, He did not come for people to worship Him while on earth, He came to serve and He displayed the ultimate act of service by giving His perfect life to be the atoning sacrifice to save mankind from their sins. If Christ is our example, and this is how He lived while here on the earth, then what right do we have to carry ourselves with a prideful attitude? We need to live a life of service to one another just as Christ did.
Pride is a detriment to unity. Jesus prayed in John 17.21, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Pride will prevent God’s people from being united as we should be. God’s people are to be united so that the world may believe that God sent Christ. Pride will lead to division, pride harms discipleship, and pride hurts the spread of the gospel. We cannot be the disciples we should be with pride in our hearts. Therefore, let us “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4.10).
- Glad_Tidings_10.1.2023_PDF.pdf (0.00 B)
