Don’t be Proud of Pride

Mar 28, 2017 // By:Dave // No Comment

Pride is an issue of the human heart that has plagued us since the third chapter of Genesis. It severed the relationship between mankind and his God by destroying the foundation of that relationship. Pride planted a single thought into the mind of man sounding like “there are times where you know better than God”.

Pride is the root of evil. It is the source of the creature’s rebellion against his creator. It is the creation saying ” I know what I am or what I need (to do) better than you do.” It is man saying “my wisdom is better than yours, my plan is better than yours and I would do a better job at this than you are doing.”

The sin of pride started in two places: (yes, people debate which came first here as well)

In the garden of Eden (Gen 3:6) when Eve decided to go against God’s decree to not eat fruit from the tree of knowledge
in the Heavens (Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezek 28:13-18) where Lucifer (meaning “light bearer”), the highest angel, rebelled against God and became known as Satan (meaning “adversary”)

Look at what pride did to the highest angel; it transformed his mind (thoughts, attitudes, and actions) from being the bearer of light (a reflection of His glory), to an adversary against the purposes and plans of that same God.

Look at what pride did to the human race;

shame between each other Gen 3:7, between man and God Gen 3:10
put as war with satan (who used to be lucifer) Gen 3:15
pain of childbirth Gen 3:16a
desire for Eve to control her husband Gen 3:16b
husband will have to rule over the wife Gen 3:16b
men’s work is cursed Gen 3:17 with difficulty Gen 3:18
work will be harder and draining (exhausting) Gen 3:19 (see M. Henry’s Commentary on the curse)
an innocent life is must be taken to cover the sin Gen 3:21 (a shadow of the sacrifice to come in Christ himself)
both are driven out of Eden before the eat of the tree of live and must live forever in their fallen state Gen 3:22.

bad day? Yep.

Are men not given the same choice today between doing things God’s way or our way? Matt 12:30, Luke 11:23 (there is no neutral zone in this battle between God’s glory and Satan’s pride.)

James 4:6 reminds us that God rewards pride with opposition (the word for resist here translates to “counter the actions of effects of”) basically God wars against pride in any form against Him.

1 Peter 5:5 says the same thing. (and Proverbs 3:34 gives us an OT example that God has always had the same attitude and response to pride).

Why does God respond this way to pride ? God cannot work with a prideful heart because there is no room for grace to enter as someone that is prideful often believes that they are superior to others and could not possibly learn from someone else, even God! They are by definition, contemptuous, feel disdain toward others, and have a feeling or attitude that looks down upon others. Is it any wonder that God is at war with such individuals?

Pride is also quite defensive, will protect itself (attitudes and actions) with remarkable justifications and rationalizations faster than the best defense lawyer could ever get the charges against you dropped and labeled “inadmissible in court”!!

Humility before God, on the other hand, is rewarded by God with His grace ! (look back at James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5)

Acts 26:14 shows us the point of revelation to Saul the pharisee as God literally knocks him off his high horse while he was riding to Damascus to arrest more followers of the Way (christians)

God reminds Saul (whom we now call Paul) that it is hard (some translations read “futile” or “useless”) to kick against the goads. Here is a picture of some real goads (or cattle prods as they are commonly called today)

The stick serves the purpose to prod a beast of burden to move along when it want to do something different or to stop when the owner wants it to walk on. The sharp point at the end is the actual “motivation” to the beast. The statement about “kicking against the goad” refers to what happens when the beast gets aggravated about being prodded and kicks back against the prod in an attempt to make it go away (the animal usually manages inflict a stronger prod against the back of it’s rear leg than it was already getting since it is throwing it’s back leg straight at the point already “goading” it to move forward.) Get the point?! (it’s as logical as trying to get someone to stop punching me by hitting my face against his fist to “show him who’s in charge LOL)

Pride and humility both have “I” right in the middle. hmmm ?

I think this could serve as a reminder that “I” am at the center of both inasmuch as it is my choice to surround myself with one (pride) or the other (humilty).