Studies

Pride and Humility

PRIDE IS A HORRIBLE SIN !

Proverbs 8:13
~ God HATES pride and arrogance.

Proverbs 13:10
~ Pride simply breeds quarrels.

Proverbs 16:5
~ The Lord detests all the proud of heart.

Proverbs 18:12
~ Before his DOWNFALL a mans heart is proud, but humility comes before honour.

Psalms 36:1-2
~ The proud flatter themselves so much they are unable to DETECT or HATE their own sin.

Isaiah 5:21
~ Woe to him who is wise in his OWN eyes.

James 4:6
~ God OPPOSES the proud but gives grace to the humble.

EXAMPLES OF PRIDE:

2 Chronicles 26:16-23
~ King Uzziah's pride can be seen in three areas:

He became disobedient to God.

He didn't listen to his friends.

He got angry when they confronted him.

• God humbled him with leprosy and he died a recluse !

1 Samuel 13:1-14
~ Saul's pride shows itself in :

He claimed victories that were not his own.

We reasoned his way into disobeying God.

He was defensive when challenged. (Looked only at the reasons for his actions rather than the CONSEQUENCES of them.)

• God humbled him by removing the kingship from Saul.

Daniel 4:1-37
~ King Nebuchadnezzar was humbled by God until he acknowledged that God is sovereign and that heaven rules.

Isaiah 10:12-19
~ The king of Assyria was punished by God for the willful pride of his heart because he refused to see that he was simply a servant or tool in Gods hand.

John 9:13-16
~ The Pharisees when in conflict with Jesus over the Sabbath issue reason pridefully (They are right and He is wrong) and thus they rejected Jesus as the Messiah.

CONCLUSION:

Recognizing pride in yourself is a difficult process because the nature of the sin is blinding. But, it is usually not difficult for others to see it, so LISTEN carefully when others point it out.

Pride is exposed most evidently in:

Conflict situations or hidden criticalness.

Your degree of independence from people and God.

Feelings of insecurity. (When your "image" of yourself is threatened you feel defensive ~ the humble person does not have an image to uphold.)

Philippians 2:2-4 ~ In TRUE HUMILITY consider others better than yourselves.

Ephesians 4:2 ~ Be COMPLETELY humble.