Continuing our study in I. Cor. 13:4-7, we will look at pride. Love is not proud, so being filled with pride will prevent us from truly loving others. As we will see, pride produces quite the opposite of love.
Pride- is exaggerated self-esteem. Conceit, arrogance, and haughtiness are associated with pride also, which will give us a clearer understanding of pride.
Conceit- is an exaggerated opinion of oneself.
Arrogance- is an offensive attitude of superiority shown by excessively confident or rudely dismissive behavior.
Haughtiness- great pride in oneself and disdain, contempt, or scorn for others.
Haughty- blatantly and disdainfully proud: having or showing an attitude of superiority and contempt for people or things perceived to be inferior.
Pride, as we see here, is being so confident of oneself that one feels superior to everyone around them, and treats everyone as inferior to them. In their own estimation, they are better than everyone else. We see this is taking healthy self-esteem and blowing it up to unhealthy proportions. How can a person filled with pride, conceit, arrogance, and haughtiness love others that, to them, are so far beneath them or inferior to them? Simply? They can't.
As Christians, let's commit to never acting this way!! Such repulsive behavior!! Yuck!! Nobody is better than anyone else. Why? "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Rom.3:23. We're all equal. So, let's never act like that. We can't love people if we're like that.
Okay, let's look at scriptures pertaining to pride, conceit, and haughtiness.
Proverbs 6:16-19 NIV
[16] There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: [17] haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, [18] a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, [19] a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Proverbs 11:2 NIV
[2] When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 13:10 NIV
[10] Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
Proverbs 16:5 NIV
[5] The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 16:18 NIV
[18] Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 21:4 NIV
[4] Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin.
Proverbs 28:26 NIV
[26] Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
Ecclesiastes 7:8 NIV
[8] The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.
Isaiah 2:17 NIV
[17] The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
Jeremiah 13:15 NIV
[15] Hear and pay attention, do not be arrogant, for the Lord has spoken.
Jeremiah 48:29-30 NIV
[29] “We have heard of Moab’s pride— how great is her arrogance!— of her insolence, her pride, her conceit and the haughtiness of her heart. [30] I know her insolence but it is futile,” declares the Lord, “and her boasts accomplish nothing."
Matthew 6:1-4 NIV
[1] “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. [2] “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. [3] But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Mark 7:20-23 NIV
[20] He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. [21] For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, [22] adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. [23] All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”
Luke 11:43 NIV
[43] “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV
[1] But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. [2] People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, [3] without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, [4] treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— [5] having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
Proverbs 3:7 NIV
[7] Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
Proverbs 18:12 NIV
[12] Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 23:4 NIV
[4] Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.
Proverbs 26:12 NIV
[12] Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.
Proverbs 28:11 NIV
[11] The rich are wise in their own eyes; one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.
Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 NIV
[16] Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise— why destroy yourself? [17] Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool— why die before your time? [18] It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.
Isaiah 5:21 NIV
[21] Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
Romans 12:3 NIV
[3] For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
Romans 12:16 NIV
[16] Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
1 Corinthians 3:18 NIV
[18] Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise.
1 Corinthians 8:2 NIV
[2] Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.
Galatians 6:4-5 NIV
[4] Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, [5] for each one should carry their own load.
Wow!! Great stuff. So no pride, arrogance, conceit, or haughtiness!! Let's be nice and pleasant to be around Church!!
Love you all dear readers,
Jeffrey Post
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