Lesson 48

"Being proud" is defined as:

"Living a life that is not totally dependent on God for everything in life and that does not give God all the glory what God has done for us, with the result that a person who is proud will boast of his own abilities and exalt himself over others."

The three aspects of pride are therefore as follows:

In this lesson we will study mainly the third aspect of pride, namely, the exaltation of a person over another.
[The other aspects of pride are dealt with in Lessons 1-8 of this series]

A few Greek words are used in the New Testament for describing "proud" and words synonymous with it, including "to be conceited", "to be puffed up", "to be high-minded", "to exalt oneself", etc.

(a) HPEREPHANOS (from HUPER, above, and PHAINOMAI, to appear, to manifest), translated as "proud" in Luke 1:51; Romans 1:30; 2 Timothy 3:2; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5.

(b) TUPHOO (from TUPHOS, smoke), means literally to wrap in smoke; and figuratively translated as follow:
1 Timothy 3:6: "puffed up" (RV) or "lifted up with pride" (KJV) or "conceited" (NIV);
1 Timothy 6:4: "proud" (KJV) or "conceited" (NIV);
2 Timothy 3:4: "high-minded" (KJV) or "conceited" (NIV).

(c) PHUSIOO means to "puff up," "blow up," and is used in the New Testament in the sense of being "puffed up with pride," and is translated as "puff up" or "take pride in" or "proud" in 1 Corinthians 4:6,18,19; 5:2; 8:1; 13:4; Colossians 2:18, in the KJV and NIV.

(d) HUPSOO means to lift up or to exalt.
The word is used in a good sense when it speaks of

However, it is also used in the negative sense of self-exaltation over others in pride (Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14).

A person who is proud likes to think highly of himself above others.
In other words, such a person will boast about the qualities or possessions that he has, and he will speak with arrogance about the great thins he has done.

A proud person is one who will value himself above others, a person who exalts himself above others, a person who is puffed up before others.
Conversely, he looks down on others, despises others and is disdainful of what others has or can do.

Pride can be subtly expressed and we must watch out for its expression and kill it before it becomes full-blown in our life and destroys us.

Examples of the expression of pride in relationship to men are as follows:

"Don't worry, I don't have any pride in me, I won't fall.
"In fact, I think I am the most humble person in this church."

"Ah, you don't have to teach me about this ministry.
"I know all about it.
"In fact, I pioneered it in this church."

"Sister, you should not talk on this subject of healing.
"I know many things you do not know about.
"You speak out of ignorance.
"I am from the Hong King Seminary and I know things better than you."

"If you need prayer for healing, come to me, don't go to others.
"I am the best in town."

"Look at my son and see how well I have trained him.
"He is the best pianist in New York, if not the whole US."

Of all the evil characteristics of fallen man, pride is the most destructive.
Thus God warns us repeatedly of the destruction consequences of pride in our life.

To be proud of our possessions and abilities is ultimately do declare to God that we are what we are because of our own strength, and not because of Him.
It is to declare to God that we do not need Him at all.

In fact when we are proud, we make God our enemy.
God declares that He will oppose you if you are proud.
He hates those who boast of what they have or what they are and who despise others.
God is no longer on the side of those who are boastful and puffed up.

Thus God warns:

Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility towards one another,
because,
     "God opposes the proud
          but gives grace to the humble."                      (1 Peter 5:5; Proverbs 3:34)

When we are proud, we are taking away the glory of God.
God hates a proud person and will withhold His blessings from such a person.
Instead, God will bring about his downfall and destruction.

Pride goes before destruction,
     a haughty spirit before a fall.                                                  (Proverbs 16:18)

A man's pride brings him low,
     but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.                                  (Proverbs 29:23)

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.                                                                        (Luke 18:14)

A person's boasting won't last long in the face of God's opposition.
God's grace and blessings no longer come upon his life.

In his beauty and wisdom caused the archangel Lucifer to think that he was greater than God, leading him into rebellion against God.
As a result, he was cast out from the presence of God (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-17).

In God's judgment upon Lucifer, God declared:

So  drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
     and  expelled you, O guardian cherub,
     from among the fiery stones.
You heart became proud
     on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
     because of your splendor.
So I threw you down to earth;
     I make a spectacle of you before kings.                            (Ezekiel 28:16-17)

Satan continues to stir man to walk in pride, so as to cause him to fall likewise from the grace of God.
When we are proud, we are allowing ourselves to be controlled and be led astray by Satan.
A person with pride has begun to partake of the character of the devil rather than that of Christ.

David fell into the trap of the devil and he became proud of his army and victories.
As a result, he numbered his fighting men, in spite of objections from his friends.
Thus we read:

Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, "God and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are."
But Joab replied, "May the LORD multiply His troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel? 
                                                                                                       (I Chronicles 21:1-3)

Because of David's pride, God caused a plague to come upon the people of Israel, and 70,000 men of Israel died (1 Chronicles 21:6-5).
The pride of a leader can bring harm to those under him.

He is considered the greatest ruler among men who raised up earthly kingdoms.
Because of his achievements, he became proud, although he had been warned by God in a dream to humble himself and give glory to God (Daniel 2:36-45; 4:1-27, 30).
One day, as he was boasting of his own greatness, God judged him and he became mad, eating grass like a cow.

Later, God restored his sanity, and he repented and humbled himself before God, acknowledging the righteousness of God in His judgments.
He said:

"At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisors and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything He does is right and all His ways are just. And those who walk in pride His is able to humble."                                                                                            (Daniel 4:36-37)

Jesus warned His disciples not to boast of their religious performance, and look down on others, as the Pharisees like to do.
God's pardon and mercy are not bestowed on those who are self-righteous.
Instead, as the tax-collector humbled himself before God, God forgave him and exalted him.

Thus we read the words of Jesus:

The Pharisees stood up and pray about himself: "God, I thank you that I am not like the other men - robbers, evil-doers, adulterers - or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get."

But the Tax-collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but heat his breasts and said, "God have mercy on me, a sinner."

I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself with be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.                                         (Luke 18:11-14)

God hates pride.
When the Spirit of God convicts us of pride through the inner witness or through the counsel of others, do not be defensive, but quickly repent.

Pride that is not renounced with bring destruction to your ministry, your life, your family, your business, and the church.
Constant meditation on the following revelation will keep us from falling into pride:

We must constantly remind ourselves that no one is good, except God alone.
The goodness that we show in our lives has been imparted into our Spirit through the Holy Spirit.
Natural, unredeemed man has no inherent goodness in himself.

No one is good - except God alone.                                                (Mark 10:18)

All have turned away,
     they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
     not even one.                                                                                 (Romans 3:12)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.           (Galatians 5:22)

Thus we are able to do good things only because of the goodness of God imparted into our lives through the Holy Spirit who comes into our lives after we have believed in Jesus as Savior.

Without Christ, we are not good and are not capable of doing good things.
Thus all glory should go to God for the good works He has done through us.
We are only instruments of His goodness.

All out talents, giftings, and abilities have been given to us by God, including

We cannot manufacture or buy any of these gifts, no matter how rich we are, even if we wanted to.
Thus God's word teaches us as follows concerning the source of all our abilities, possessions and blessings:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos, for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying,
"Do not go beyond what is written."
Then you will not take pride in one man against another.
For what makes you different from anyone else?
What do you have that you did not receive?
And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
                                                                                                       (1 Corinthians 4:6-7)

God's word commands us to give Him the glory for every good thing and blessing we have received, and for every good work we have done, because He is the source of all this goodness.

To take the glory from ourselves by boasting of our talents and achievement is to rob God of His glory.
This brings God's discipline and judgment upon our lives.

God's word declares:

I am the LORD, that is my name.
I will not give my glory to another
     or my praise to idols.                                                                      (Isaiah 42:8)

Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones,
     ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
     worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.             (Psalm 29:1-2)

It is because of God's grace, mercy and love, that we are what we are today:

As such, no one should boast of his own abilities; instead, all our boasting should be in God and God alone.

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.                                                                                  (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.                                                                                                (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Specially, God's word teaches us that we are to boast only of the cross of Christ, for it is through the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross that we are be partakers of the divine live of God, today and for all eternity.

Thus Paul declared:

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
                                                                                                             (Galatians 6:14)

Your thought

1. In what areas have we been proud or puffed up?
   

2. Why is pride wrong?
   

3. What is the right attitude we should adopt concerning the blessings we have received?
   (Our successful careers, our higher education, our "mega-ministry," our special talents, our smart children, our strong "church-unity," etc?)
   

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page