Pride (Part 2)

These six things doth the Lord hate: Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, Feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.

Seven things God hates, and the number one is pride.

That ought to give us pause and open our understanding of how serious pride is to God.

We see in proverbs 16 and 5 that God sternly rebukes the sin of Pride.

Proverbs 16:5 KJV 1900

Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: Though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

“though hand join in hand” meaning: Though sinner strengthen sinner, though sinner join with sinner, they shall not escape God’s judgments.

though man bind together in agreement.

though we have convinced ourselves that it is not true, sin shall not go unpunished...

Again we see in the scriptures where it says: “Let God be true and every man a liar”

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible (Chapter 16)

Though sinners strengthen themselves and one another, they shall not escape God’s judgments.

We see time and time again that pride is an attitude God hates.

Why, we ask, does God hate pride so much? Pride became the downfall of the devil.

Pride turned Lucifer, the son of the morning, into Satan, the father of the night.

Among Paul’s standards for a preacher, in 1 tim. 3.6, was that he must be “not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil”

We see that the fate of the devil is condemnation and eternal separation from God.

Proverbs: An Introduction and Commentary (The Sovereignty of the Lord (16:1–9))

The proud man is placed in the very worst company in Proverbs, heading the ‘seven abominations’ in 6:17, and assured of judgment, in company with the adulterer (6:29), the perjuror (19:5), and similar scarlet sinners whom he doubtless thanks God he does not resemble.

We see pride as an attitude that is so important and warned against in the word of God along with the warning of judgement to those who allow this in their lives.

The abomination of pride.

We see the ruin of humanity through Pride.

As I mentioned before, In the Garden of Eden, do you think the temptation was to taste a particular kind of fruit? No—the temptation was, “You will be like God.” (See Genesis 3:5.)

1 Peter 5:5 KJV 1900

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

God lines Himself up in battle against the proud!

Perhaps, if we feel resistance, so to speak, from God....It may be a sign that we need to get a little pride under subjection to the spirit.

Pride Can Ruin the Heart

The seat of pride is the heart

Proverbs 21:3–4 KJV 1900

To do justice and judgment Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. An high look, and a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked, is sin.

That is, a man who plows his field without giving God thanks for sun, rain, and germination is proud. He is “self-sufficient.”

We were born with pride and selfishness in our hearts.

Mark 7:21–22 KJV 1900

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

These things are not learned; they are part of human nature.

If God resists the proud, then the proud man is out of fellowship with God. Any man, woman, or child who is out of fellowship with God will also be out of fellowship with other people.

Often times with people, we are not trying to solve the problem—we are trying to win the argument.

That is pride. You might be right and still be the problem because of your attitude.

Because of this, mankind can see their undeniable need for God…for God to change our hearts and minds....and this is exactly what he does.

Jesus’ Example of Humility

Jesus showed us that the way up is down. that by being humble..we shall be exalted.

Of course, not exalted as he was but but in the light of the Example of humility.

Philippians 2:5–10 KJV 1900

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

God is going to give to His saints, who follow Christ in genuine humility, a greater position than Satan had before he fell.

The Bible says that we will judge angels (see 1 Corinthians 6:3)—and Satan is a fallen angel.

Satan know this and this is why he loves it when people are prideful....because he knows that God hates that and that it could separate us from God

He knows that Pride goeth before destruction, And an haughty spirit before a fall.

Satan is out to destroy all that is God especially his children.

The book of Job says that they shall cry out, but he does not answer because of the pride of evil men

God does not want any to be lost but that all would come to repentance

When we find ourselves guilty of harboring pride in our lives we must, with a sincere heart, repent before God and allow him to change us

every sin in our lives must be fought against with all our might....this including PRIDE.

This lesson has forced me to examine my life and realize that I have pride that must be put under the blood....its a battle we must fight daily if we wish to be victorious and be in total subjection to the spirit.

The attributes of God are listed in his word in which, all his children should aspire to these “fruits of the spirit”…and not to the attributes of our adversary.

For if we bear the traits of our adversary....So shall we be.

If we remember the resemblance of pride to self will.....

Self-will is a close relative of pride.

A. W. Tozer

And according to James Montgomery Boice:

The root of pride is saying that we can do without God.

James Montgomery Boice

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