(Note: this page is intended for Christians; if you are not a Christian you are free to read but this page is not intended for you)
Since is soo contrary to Jesus’s nature and the fruits of the spirit pride is definitely to be avoided for a Christian: Pride is such an evil nature to have that God warns about to quite a few time in the Bible: if we are truly made new creations pride no longer has a place in our lives!
But, what exactly is pride?
In a basic definition, Pride is when someone takes immense honor, pleasure, respect, and/or confidence in either a quality or thing in her/himself and/or in regards to something or someone else.[1]
In the modern definition, pride can have different meanings: in one way, pride can mean being very happy and content to have achieved, have, or been apart of something.
For example: a father being proud of his daughter for making good grades, someone being proud of themselves winning a race, someone being proud to be Irish.
This is not necessarily the Bible’s definition of pride here; thus not necessarily a sin, but the other definition definitely is:
Pride is when someone is overly confident, and takes too much pleasure in either her/himself or something/someone else to the point of being obsessed, selfish, and even thinking of yourself/ this something or someone else in a superior way in regard to others.
This type of pride would be more specifically described today as arrogance, egotistical,vain or even narcissistic
This is more than just being generally happy or feeling some confidence for your identity,achievement, or even someone else’s; it’s a constant state of mind where someone thinks very highly of something or someone and make a point of how highly they think of this someone or something.They are soo obsessed with this thing that they care about others someone or something’s little or none at all because compared to anyone else; they don’t matter or this someone/something is even superior to them: it’s getting a good high from putting and thinking down on others and doing what you can too keep it that way. This is what the Bible talks about when it talks about pride!
Pride is especially an evil sinful attitude to God; soo much soo, he lists it a one of the 7 most detestable sins he especially detests:
Proverbs 6:16-17
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:
haughty (prideful) eyes,…”
God warns he resists those who are proud: that means he does not help them, but rather stands against them and their actions and mocks their pride back!
Proverbs 3:34
“He mocks,proud mockers...”
He also promises to anyone who is prideful; he will eventually humble them and break their pride! Often in humiliation/destruction!
Proverbs 16:18
“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Proverbs 11:2
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace,…”
Proverbs 15:25
"The Lord tears down the house of the proud,..."
Psalm 12:3-5
"May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue"
That's a very serious threat that you don't want to ever happen to you!
So pride is a very serious sin to God; it's soo evil for two main reasons
Pride means Independence (thus rebellion) from God
One of the main reasons pride is such an evil sinful nature is because is it’s really about trying to be independent from God; its about taking confidence and respect in yourself and/or your achievements, your possessions etc. Over God: they’re more important to you than God and through your pride you refuse to acknowledge him for what he has given you and thus trust in him.
Pride could be considered a type of idolatry
Another reason is that pride could be considered a type of idolatry: since pride is about showing honor and respect to someone or something over God its considered a type of worship: and any worship not given to God is idolatry which is breaking the 1st commandment!
For these reasons and more not listed, pride is a very evil sin: for these reasons God wants his people to get rid of pride:
Galatians 5:26
“Let us not become conceited…[to] each other…”
instead, God desires Christians to become humble towards both him and others:
Colossians 3:12
“As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with...humility, meekness,...”
In fact, humility (and meakness) are the fruits of the spirit that will come naturally with having the holy spirit.Though it might take some work on your part: infact to be saved you allready have begun to get humbled: in order to be saved you had to relize you needed to be humbled before God: to admit you've messed up and more importantly to accept God's goft of his son's sacrifice for you and humbling yourself to accept Jesus as your king and humbling yourself to obey you.
Your allredy on the way to becoming humble before God and others, and as long as you continue to obey, learn and follow God/Jesus's and their will for you; you will get rid of this pride (or any pride you might have) and begin to produce humility like God desires.
Sources:
[1]
Merriam-Webster“pride”
Website: