Pride And Scripture

The Bible describes pride as sin. Pride goes before destruction (Prov. 16:18), puts one inch an undesirable relationship with God (1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6), and will yield a regrettable end (Prov. 29:23). Nebuchadnezzar was judged for his proud spirit (Dan. 4), Haman was beset with pride (Esther 5), and Pharaoh fell because of it. God promises to humble the proud (Matt. 23:12).


Christian theologians have addressed the concept of pride mainly from the tradition of Augustine, who viewed pride because first sin and so spent a considerable amount of his energy on discussing it. The keystone of his argument was a text in Ecclesiasticus that reads, “pride could be the beginning of sin.” The verse has later been viewed as questionable in meaning. Nonetheless, about this basis Augustine proceeded to view nov Satan as portrayed in Ezekiel and Isaiah as principally motivated by pride. “Your heart became proud because of your beauty” (Ezek. 28:17, NIV). What led Satan to his fall was likewise the undoing in the people from the garden of Eden. Augustine felt that pride rolling around in its extreme will be the unpardonable sin (Green, 1949). He wrote extensively about his own struggles with pride, describing becoming his greatest temptation.

The study of pride has also been the topic of great interest to Christians in monastic traditions and later on for the Pietists. Bernard of Clairvaux inside the Steps of Humility declared people can take steps upward should they pursue humility; however, if they pursue pride, their steps will lead downward, following a length of Satan. Bernard points too you’ll find 12 steps that could lead one from your beginnings of pride-curiosity-to its most unfortunate expression, habitual sin. The intervening steps are frivolity, foolish mirth, boastfulness, singularity (going to all ends to show oneself superior), conceit, audacity, excusing of sins, hypocritical confession, defiance, and freedom to sin. The first step of pride (curiosity) is the last step of humility (downcast eyes). The past step of pride (habitual sin) medicine basis of true humility (driving a car from the Lord).

Bernard’s outline is undoubtedly sermonic in tone and designed as a possible instructive tool for aspiring monastics. Though its medieval format, his description of pride rings true. Modern psychology doesn’t have much to add to his outline. Pride elevates the self, seeks to possess one’s worth recognized by others, which is unaware of obvious personal faults. The proud person has difficulty functioning interpersonally, since he or she will not receive or process feedback from others in a satisfactory manner. Nor does the proud person fare well within the task to be other-centered. Pride forms an important aspect in the psychological construct of narcissism.

Pride, psychologically considered, is defensive in nature. By definition pride is very little fair and true estimate of self; it’s an overestimate. Which means the proud body’s motivated to disguise a subconscious a feeling of inferiority or is motivated to overcompensate for actual inadequacies. Pride might be a part of an ill-formed method of social interaction; the proud person may genuinely feel her or his pride is the best approach to dealing with self and others and could be unacquainted with flaws that preclude the pride. Pride endures deference and praise from others. It may have its roots in parental overindulgence or perhaps a credentials that created deep personal insecurities that the pride is compensating.
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