“The LORD detests all the proud of heart.” (Prov. 16:5, NIV)
In Prov. 6: 16-19 seven things are mentioned that irk the Lord, but the first primal sin is “a proud look”. John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible provides a beautiful example of the Biblical reach of this expression: “A proud look … Or, ‘eyes elated’ … scorning to look down upon others; or looking upon them with disdain; or reckoning them as unworthy to be looked upon, having an high opinion of their own worth and merit. Pride is the first of the hateful things mentioned; it being the first sin committed, as is probable, the sin of the angels, and of the first man; and is a predominant evil in human nature, and is directly opposite to God and to his nature, and against which he sets himself; for ‘he resisteth the proud’, Jam. 4:6; the pride of the heart shows itself in the eyes, or by the looks of a man; Gersom says, the phrase denotes impudence and haughtiness …” Thus this transgression is clearly the original sin.
Pride slips into a non-suspecting heart (Obad. 3), and pollutes man’s perspective and functioning. Yet the almost invisible state evokes a very negative reaction with God: “The LORD detests all the proud of heart.” (Prov. 16:5, NIV). The Aramaic Bible in Plain English translates it as follows: “Everyone that is exalted in his heart is defiled before Lord Jehovah …” Therefore He does not answer, according to Job 35:12, when the proud call on Him.
The root of pride is self-righteousness, and God hates all self-righteousness, as it does not honour Him “and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33) – “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” (Ps. 104:4, NIVUK).
Pride is always based on comparison of some or other nature, and the proud heart then often finds that he/she is in a better or more important position because of some or other attribute that he/she uses as a measure of comparison. Paul provides the church in Galatians with the following guideline on this matter: “we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse” (Gal. 5:26, MSG).
Make this an absolute principle in your spiritual walk. It is absolutely true that there is always someone who is more intelligent than you are, although there certainly is always someone less intelligent than you, too. You may be exquisitely beautiful, or very athletic, or make more money than someone else, but there will always be someone more beautiful than you, more athletic, and with more money. And there are always people who have received much less than you! 1 Cor. 4:7 is always a guideline that makes me very humble: “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”
In the following teaching we will look at a few examples of pride in particular Biblical characters, and God’s handling thereof.
- Selah: Do you compare yourself to others?
- Read: 6-7; 2 Cor. 9.
- Memorise: 2 Cor. 9:6-7 (Which of this is true of you?)
- For a more in-depth understanding: Read C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity.
