Text:            2 TIMOTHY 3:2

By:               Eyanrin, Sunday (Evangelist)

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THE PERILOUS TIME IS HERE

WHAT IS PROUD?

To be “Proud” is the same word as “Pride”.  An attitude of self- exaltation which, in its conceit of Superiority, Arrogantly tramples on  others.  And  in  its independence of Spirit, Self- sufficiently rebels against God.

The Old Testmanet usage of nine Hebrew  words indicates the Universality, Nature, Effects, and Condemnation of “Pride” as stated in Young’s  Analytical  concordance to  the Bible. While the N/T revelation concerning “Pride” is conveyed by Three Greek words which indicate much about the nature and operation of “Pride”. They occur together in an alternate form in Rom.1:30 -32.

THE GREEK WORD FOR PRIDE AND MEANING

1. Alazoneia (Boastful in   words) refers to the Pretentious and Arrogance of a boaster.
2. Hyperephania (Proud and overbearing in thoughts) Describes the man who exalts him-self above others.
3. Hybris (Insolent and injurious in action) Is the “Pride” which a man act with violent.

Most  people  do  not  consider  themselves proud or  vulnerable  to  pride. Yet,  this  is one of the major categories of sin the Bible says is in each of our hearts.

1 John 2:15-17 (NASB) “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in  him.  For everything in  the  world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but  from  the  world.  The  world  and  its desires pass away, but the  man who does the  will  of  God lives  forever.”

Pride  is  the first sin and the most serious sin. Pride is our greatest problem. Not the devil. Not low self-esteem. Not our upbringing or injustices suffered.

God Hates Pride:

God hates pride; we must learn to hate what  God  hates  and  to   love  what God loves. How much do you hate pride?

Proverbs 8:13 “To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”

The Problems and Dangers of Pride

The Scriptures have much to say about pride and none of it is positive. Pride is sin and therefore nothing positive can be said about it. It is true   that the term pride is not always viewed in a negative way. It is most often used as a term of acclamation, usually representing our feelings toward the accomplishment of someone we have some affiliation with, e.g.

“I  was  proud  of  them”  or  I  am  proud  of  you”. Webster defines the use of the term in this way as- “satisfaction with your (or another’s) achievements.” Webster also defines the word pride used in relation to oneself as simply “a feeling of self-respect and personal worth”. However, let us caution ourselves  in making the Biblical term and it’s meaning archaic. That approach has caused so many to lose sight of the   problems   and   dangers   associated with pride.

Let us consider some of these problems and dangers that are associated with pride. Pride is often the motivator for other sins…The first sin to be committed in the earth was due to pride (Genesis 3:1 – 6).   It was also the motivator for the first murder ever committed upon the earth (1 John 3:12). Take note at what Ezekiel says about Sodom and her pride (Ezekiel 16:49). 

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18 KJV). The idea here is that prides leads to destruction and causes one  to  fall.  Solomon  says  a  “haughty spirit comes before a fall”. One will fall because he walks with his nose in the air thus not watching where he’s going. We must be able to recognize and see the stumbling blocks that Satan places before us or we will trip and fall over them.

Pride makes one blind…

We become blind to our own condition and state before God. The Pharisee’s are a prime example of those who were infected with pride and spiritual blindness. In the parable of the Pharisee and Publican, Jesus addresses pride and spiritual blindness (Luke 18:9-14).  n the parable the Pharisee could not see his spiritual condition because of pride resulting in his self righteousness.

This parable also shows the danger of comparing ourselves to others. We should strive to  be  acceptable  to  God  and  not  just  “better” than  others.  Christian’s  must  understand  that we are saved by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-10) The Pharisee of Luke 18 was not praying to God but to himself. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble (James 4:6 , 1 Peter 5:4) which  humility  was  clearly  displayed  by  the publican who was despised by the Pharisee!

Some Bible Characters Who Struggled with Pride

1. Adam and Eve’s struggle with pride led to the fall of humanity when they  entertained  the devil’s deceitful promise that the apple would give them the same ability to discern good from evil as God. (Genesis 3:5 – 6).

2. King David  struggled with  pride  when  he called  for  an unnecessary census of Israel’s army. “He seemed inclined to trust in a strong army rather than in an all-powerful God.”

3. King Uzziah presumed himself worthy of priestly duties, and was cursed with leprosy. (2 Chronicles 26:16 )

4. King Hezekiah’s pride prompted disobedience (2 Chronicles 32:25).

5. Nebuchadnezzar was driven from his kingdom for taking credit for building Babylon (Daniel 4:31 – 34).

What Causes Pride?

Adam and Eve fell for the temptation to believe they could be like God. Ever since, people have an innate problem relinquishing control of life and circumstance into the capable hands of God, our Creator and Father.

Our sinful nature manifests itself in three ways: self-reliance, self-centeredness, and self-condemnation. Witnesses to Jesus’ miracles led to people believing He was who He said He was, but “But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.  He  did  not  need  man’s  testimony about  man,  for  he  knew  what  was  in  a man” (John 2:24-25)

CONCLUSION

Healing Pride by Praying for Humility

The only way to heal Pride is by going to God with humility of heart. In James 4:10, James declared: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up”. Humility is the antidote to pride.

James  admonishes,  “Do  not  merely listen  to  the  word,  and  so  deceive yourselves.  Do  what  it  says”  (James 1:22) . We walk a humble path when we follow Christ. His life is our example. He was confident in God’s purpose for His life. The Word made flesh, Jesus chose humility even to the Cross.

How can we take our prideful thoughts captive and steer them into humble obedience? Paul gives us a major tool in Philippians 4:8 – 9, Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there  is  any  virtue  and  if  there  is  anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.

9  The  things  which  you  learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

NKJV

MAY GOD BLESS HIS WORD IN JESUS NAME AMEN.

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