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1. WHAT DOES GOD THINK ABOUT PRIDE?

A. He hates it:

Pro.6:16,17 – These…doth the Lord hate: a proud look
Pro.16:5 – Every one that is proud…is an abomination to Lord

B. We should hate it too:

Pro.8:13 – The fear of the Lord is to hate…pride & arrogancy

C. Pride is a sin, not a virtue:

Pro.21:4a – An high look, & a proud heart…is sin
Hab.2:4 – Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright
1Jn.2:16 – Pride…is not of the Father, but is of the world

2. WHY IS IT WRONG FOR US TO BE PROUD?

A. Because only the Lord is great; we are not:

Psa.66:5-7 – Come & see the works of God…He ruleth…let not the rebellious exalt themselves
Psa.97:9 – Thou, Lord, art high… exalted far above all
Ezk.28:2 – Thine heart is lifted up…yet thou art a man, & not God, though thou set thine heart as…God
Phi.2:9,10 – God hath highly exalted Him (Jesus), & given Him a name above every name…every knee should bow
(See also Psa.21:13; 57:5,11; 108:5; Isa.2:11,17.)

B. God alone should get the glory:

Acts 12:20-23 – Angel…smote him, because he gave not God the glory
1Cor.10:31 – Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God
(See also Jer.9:23,24; 1Cor.1:28,29.)

C. Pride makes us ignore & forget God:

Deut.8:14 – (When) thine heart be lifted up…thou forget the Lord
Psa.10:4 – The wicked, through…pride…will not seek after God
Hos.13:6b – Heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten Me

D. God will distance Himself from & resist the proud:

Psa.138:6 – The proud He (the Lord) knoweth afar off
Jam.4:6 – God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto humble

E. Pride makes us rebel against the Word:

Neh.9:16,17,29 – They dealt proudly…& hearkened not to Thy (Word)

F. It gives us an exaggerated sense of greatness:

Oba.3 – The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, that saith, Who shall bring me down?
Rom.12:3 – (Thinking) of himself more highly than he ought to
Gal.6:3 – If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself

G. It creates self-exaltation & a desire to be honoured:

Pro.25:27 – For men to search their own glory is not glory
Mat.23:5-7 – (Proud Pharisees) love…greetings (in public), & to be called of men, (Master, Master)
Mk.12:38,39 – Scribes…love…chief seats…& uppermost rooms
Jude 16 – Their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration

H. When we seek to please men, we often displease the Lord:

1Sam.15:30 – I have sinned: [but] honour me…before the [people]
Jn.5:44 – Ye…receive honour one of another, & seek not the honour that cometh from God only
Jn.12:43 – They loved praise of men more than the praise of God
Gal.1:10 – If I pleased men…not be the servant of Christ

I. Pride makes us think we are “wise”:

Pro.3:7 – Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord
1Cor.3:18 – Let no man deceive himself. If any… seemeth wise
1Cor.8:2 – If any think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know

J. Pride gives us a “know-it-all” attitude:

Psa.131:1 – [The haughty exercise themselves in great matters, in things too high for them]
Pro.26:12 – Seest thou a man “wise” in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him
(See also 1Tim.1:7)

K. Pride causes arguments:

Pro.13:10 – Only by pride cometh contention
Pro.28:25 – He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife
(See also Pro.14:3; 21:24.)

L. Pride corrupts us:

Mk.7:22,23 – Pride…(comes) from within, & defiles the man

M. Pride will bring about our downfall:

Pro.11:2a – When pride cometh, then cometh shame
Pro.16:18 – Pride goeth before destruction, & an haughty spirit before a fall
Pro.18:12a – Before destruction the heart of man is haughty
Pro.29:23a – A man’s pride shall bring him low
Ezk.28:12-17 – [The fall of Satan happened because he exalted himself in pride] (See also Isa.14:12-15)
Dan.5:18,20, 21 – God gave Nebuchadnezzar…majesty…& honour: But when his heart was lifted up…he was deposed
1Cor.10:12 – Him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall

3. SOME CAUSES OF PRIDE:

A. Beauty:

Ezk.28:17 – Thine heart is lifted up because of thy beauty

B. Material abundance:

Deut.8:12-14, 17 – Lest when thou…art full…& all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up
Ezk.28:5 – Thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches
Hos.13:6 – They were filled, & their heart was exalted

C. Being overly secure:

Psa.73:5,6a – They are not in trouble as other men…therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain

D. Being overly affected by exaltation:

2Chr.26:15,16 – He was marvellously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up
Dan.11:11,12 – [Victory over enemies causes heart to be lifted up]
1Tim.3:6 – Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall

E. Carnal mindedness (intellectual pride):

Gen.2:16-17; 3:16 – [Eve, desiring to be wise, disobeyed God & ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good & evil]
1Tim.6:3,4 – If any man teach otherwise (than sound doctrine)…he is proud, knowing nothing
(See also Jer.9:23,24a; Rom.8:6,7; Jam.3:14-16.)

4. WARNINGS AGAINST PRIDE:

A. We should avoid proud boasting:

1Sam.2:3a – Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth
Pro.27:2 – Let another man praise thee, & not thine own mouth
2Cor.10:18 – Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth

B. We shouldn’t exalt ourselves:

Pro.25:6,7 – Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, & stand not in the place of great men
Lk.14:10 – When thou art bidden…sit down in the lowest room

C. If we’re proud, we’re in a dangerous position:

Psa.18:27 – Thou (God) wilt bring down high looks
Pro.15:25a – The Lord will destroy the house of the proud
Eccl.7:16 – Be not righteous over much (overly righteous)…why shouldst thou destroy thyself?
Jer.48:25,26, 29 – [Exceeding proud, lofty, arrogant, haughty Moabites magnified selves against the Lord & were cut off]

5. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS: WHY IS IT WRONG TO THINK THAT WE IN OURSELVES ARE GOOD & RIGHTEOUS?

A. Because we are not:

Job 15:14 – What is man, that he should be clean?…righteous?
Job 15:15,16 – The heavens are not clean in His sight. How much more abominable & filthy is man
Psa.130:3 – If Thou shouldest mark iniquities, who shall stand?
Pro.20:9 – Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure?
Eccl.7:20 – There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good & sinneth not
Isa.64:6a – We are all as an unclean thing, & all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags
Rom.3:10,23 – There is none righteous, no, not one…all have sinned
Rom.7:18a – In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing

B. Only God is good:

Mat.19:17a – There is none good but one, that is, God
Job 9:2b – But how should man be just with God?
Psa.71:16b – I will make mention of Thy righteousness, Thine only

C. Doing so causes us to be lifted up in pride:

Pro.30:12,13 – (They) are pure in their own eyes…O how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up
Lk.18:11 – God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men…unjust

D. It separates us from God:

Rom.10:3 – They…going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted unto the righteousness of God
Job 13:16b – An hypocrite shall not come before Him

E. It makes us unable to see our sins:

Job 32:1 – Job…was righteous in his own eyes (See also Pro.16:2; 21:2.)
Pro.30:12 – A generation that are pure in their own eyes, & yet is not washed from their filthiness
Lk.6:41,42 – Why perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Jn.9:41 – Ye say, “We see”; therefore your sin remaineth

F. True righteousness means trusting God:

Gal.3:6 – Abraham believed God, it was accounted righteous ness
Phi.3:9 – Not having mine own righteousness…but…of God
Tit.3:5 – Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to (because of) His mercy He saved us

6. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS: WHY IS IT WRONG TO THINK WE IN OURSELVES ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS?

A. Because we’re not:

Jn.8:7 – He that is without sin…let him first cast a stone
Rom.3:23 – All have sinned, & come short of the glory of God

B. We shouldn’t think we are better than others:

Rom.14:2,3 – Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not
1Cor.13:4 – Charity (love) vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up
Phi.2:3b – [Not] vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves

C. A proud attitude displeases & angers God:

Isa.65:5 – (They) say, “I am holier than thou.” These are a smoke in My (God’s) nose
Lk.16:15 – Ye are they which justify yourselves…but…that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination (to) God

D. It makes us despise & be unmerciful to others:

Mat.23:29 – Ye have omitted the weightier matters…mercy
Lk.18:9 – (They) trusted in themselves that they were righteous, & despised others
Lk.18:11 – God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are… unjust…or even as this publican (tax collector)
(See also Mat.9:13)

E. We only are what we are by God’s grace:

1Cor.4:7 – Who maketh thee to differ from another? & what hast thou that thou didst not receive?
1Cor.15:10 – By the grace of God I am what I am
2Cor.3:5 – Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves

7. THE HUMBLING OF THE PROUD:

A. God can & does humble the proud:

Dan.4:37b – Those that walk in pride He is able to abase
Gen.11:1-8 – [Men were building the tower of Babel in pride, so God confused & scattered them]
1Sam.13:8-14 – [Saul presumed to offer the sacrifice without waiting for Samuel, & lost the kingdom as a result]
2Chr.32:24,25 – Heart was lifted up: therefore…wrath (was) upon him
Job 33:15-17 – [God works on our hearts at night to remove pride]
Psa.101:5b – Him that hath an high look & a proud heart will not I suffer (allow to continue)
Isa.2:11 – The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, & the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down
Isa.2:12 – Every one that is proud & lofty…shall be brought low
Isa.13:11b – I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease
Dan.4:30-35 – [King Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up in pride, was deposed by God, abased as a beast, & learned humility]
Dan.5:20,21 – When his…mind (was) hardened in pride…was deposed
2Cor.12:7 – Lest I (Paul) should be exalted above measure…there was given to me a thorn in the flesh
(See also Jer.50:31,32; Oba.4.)

B. It is a law of God: If we’re proud, we will be humbled:

Mat.23:12a – Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased
Lk.14:11a – Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased
Lk.18:14b – Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased

C. Being humbled teaches us that God is in charge:

Job 42:1-6 – [After being humbled, Job said:] I know that Thou canst do every thing…I…repent
Dan.4:32-35 – Eat grass…until thou know that the most High ruleth

8. WHY WE SHOULD WANT TO BE HUMBLE:

A. Because God loves & delights in the humble:

Psa.51:17 – The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken & a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise
Psa.138:6a – The Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly
1Pet.3:4 – A meek & quiet spirit…is in the sight of God of great price
1Pet.5:5b – God…giveth grace to the humble

B. He is close to the humble:

Psa.34:18a – The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart
Isa.57:15a – The high & lofty One that inhabiteth eternity (dwells) with him that is of a contrite & humble spirit

C. He requires us to be humble:

Mic.6:8 – What doth the Lord require…walk humbly with thy God
Col.3:12 – Put on, as the elect of God…humbleness of mind

D. Humility brings honour & blessing:

Pro.22:4 – By humility…are riches, & honour, & life
Pro.29:23b – Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit

E. If we are humble, God will exalt us:

Mat.23:12b – He that shall humble himself shall be exalted
Lk.1:52 – He put down the mighty…& exalted them of low degree

F. God helps the humble:

Psa.9:12 – He forgetteth not the cry of the humble
Psa.25:9 – The meek will He guide…& meek will He teach His way
Psa.34:18 – The Lord…saveth such as be of a contrite spirit
Psa.147:6 – The Lord lifteth up the meek: He casteth wicked down
Isa.57:15b – (I) revive spirit of the humble, & heart of contrite ones
Lk.1:48a – He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden
1Pet.5:5b – God resisteth the proud, & giveth grace to the humble

G. Humility can spare us from trouble:

1Ki.21:17,25-29 – [Wicked king Ahab humbled himself before God, so God didn't bring judgment during his lifetime]
2Chr.32:26 – Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart…so that the wrath of the Lord came not

H. God gives the humble true wisdom:

Pro.11:2 – [Pride causes shame] but with the lowly is wisdom
1Cor.3:18 – Let him become a fool, that he may be wise
(See also Lk.10:21)

I. Humility is true greatness in God’s eyes:

Eccl.7:8b – The patient in spirit is better than proud in spirit
Mat.18:4 – Whosoever shall humble himself is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
Mat.19:30b – The last shall be first
Mk.10:43 – Whosoever will be great…shall be your minister
Lk.22:26 – He that is greatest…let him be as the younger

J. God uses & exalts the humble:

1Sam.15:17 – When thou wast little in thine own sight…the Lord anointed thee king over Israel
Pro.15:33b – Before honour is humility
Jam.4:10 – Humble yourselves…& He shall lift you up
1Pet.5:6 – Humble yourselves… that He may exalt you in due time

K. Other blessings upon the meek:

Psa.37:11 – The meek shall inherit the earth; & shall delight
Psa.149:4 – The Lord…will beautify the meek with salvation
Mat.5:5 – Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth

9. KEEPING A HUMBLE ATTITUDE:

A. Remind yourself that anything good is only Jesus, not you:

Gen.41:15,16 – Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer
Dan.2:26-30a – God…revealeth secrets. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have
1Cor.4:7 – What hast thou that thou didst not receive [from God]? Why dost thou glory?
1Cor.15:9,10 – I am not meet (worthy) to be called an apostle…but by the grace of God I am what I am
2Cor.10:17 – He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord (See also Jer.9:23,24)
Gal.6:14 – God forbid I should glory, save in the cross of Jesus
(See also Rom.2:11; Gal.6:3.)

B. Read & obey the Word:

Deut.17:19,20 – [Read & obey the Word] that heart be not lifted up

C. Realistically admit your limitations:

Rom.12:3 – (Don’t) think of (yourself) more highly than (you) ought to think; but think soberly
Rom.12:16b – Be not wise in your own conceits

10. HUMILITY WITH ONE ANOTHER:

A. Follow Jesus’ example of humility:

Mat.21:5 – Thy King (Jesus) cometh unto thee, meek…upon an ass
Jn.13:5,12-15 – He began to wash the disciples’ feet, & wipe them…I have given you an example, that ye should do as I
Lk.22:27 – He that sitteth at meat (is greater)…but I am among you as he that serveth
Phi.2:5-8 – Let this mind be in you…Jesus made Himself of no reputation…(became) a servant…humbled Himself

B. Other examples of true humility:

1Sam.25:40, 41 – [Abigail, when asked to marry David, said:] Let (me) be a servant to wash the feet of (his) servants
Mk.7:25-30 – [Syrophoenician woman said:] Yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs
Lk.7:2-7 – [Pharisees said] he was worthy for whom He should do this. The centurion (said), I am not worthy
Jn.1:27 – (Jesus), Whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose

C. Submit humbly to one another:

Lk.22:25,26 – Kings…exercise lordship. But ye shall not be so. He that is greatest…let him be as the younger
Eph.5:21 – Submitting yourselves one to another in fear of God
1Pet.5:5 – All of you be subject one to another, & be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud

D. Love & honour others:

Rom.12:10 – With brotherly love; in honour preferring one another
Rom.12:16 – Mind not high things, condescend to men of low estate Phi.2:3a Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory

E. Be humble when pointing out other’s errors:

Lk.6:42b – Cast out first the beam out of thine own eye
Gal.6:1 – Restore such an one in the spirit of meekness
2Tim.2:25 – In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves

11. THE SOLUTION:

A. Confess your faults & inabilities & humble yourself before God:

Jam.4:10a – Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord
1Pet.5:6a – Humble yourselves…under the mighty hand of God

B. Ask others to pray for you to overcome pride:

Jam.5:16 – Confess your faults one to another, & pray one for another
Mat.18:19,20 – If two of you shall agree [in prayer] it shall be done

C. Examples of humbling oneself before the Lord:

2Sam.24:2-4, 8-10 – [In pride, David took a census of his kingdom to see how great he was, then repented & sought mercy]
Job 40:1-5; 42:1-6 – [Self-righteous Job see 32:1; 35:2 - humbled himself, confessed he was vile & repented]
Psa.51:1-4 – I acknowledge my…sin…that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest
Dan.4:33-35,37 – [King Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself & confessed that only God was great]
(See also 1Sam.9:21 – about Saul; 2Sam.7:18 – about David; 1Ki.3:7 – about Solomon; Mat.3:14 – about John the Baptist.)

Special passages:

1Ki.12:1-16 – [Rehoboam "answered the people roughly"]
2Chr.26:14-23 – [King Uzziah, "lifted up", presumed to offer incense]
Dan.4:all – [Nebuchadnezzar's pride, humiliation & restoration]
Lk.18:9-14 – [The parable of the proud Pharisee & humble sinner]

24. Pride, Self-righteousness & Humility, Copyright © 1998-2012, The Family International