THE GREAT SIN

SOME REASONS WHY GOD HATES PRIDE 

“There are only two safe places for a Christian—

in the dust and in heaven. And of the two the

dust is safer, for Satan fell from heaven,” said a

wise man. Pride was the first sin to destroy the calm of

eternity. It was pride that cast Lucifer from

heaven and it was pride that cost our first

parents their place in Paradise. Pride is the first

sin to enter a man’s heart and the last to leave.

No sin is more offensive to God than the sin of pride. Pride has been referred to as the

“complete anti-God state of mind.” It militates

against God’s authority, God’s law, and God’s

rule. This is why the Bible equates rebellion with

witchcraft (1 Sam. 15:23). Pride assaults God’s

throne and asserts its independence in an attempt to dislodge God as the Sovereign of the

universe. God and pride are like oil and water— they don’t

mix! Pride is dogmatic in its antagonism to God

and God is absolute in His opposition to pride.

The Creator never has and never will

compromise with pride. Humility is the foundation of all virtue, but pride

is the essence of all sin. The world system

operates on the basis of pride for all that is in

the world is lust and pride (1 John 2:16). Pride

and lust are root sins from which all other sins

spring. Pride is the mother of evil. God detests pride. He even hates a proud look

(Prov. 6:16-17). God’s loathing of pride is

unalterable, for “Every one that is proud in heart

is an abomination to the LORD” (Prov. 16:5).

But why does God hate pride so fiercely? 

PRIDE IS SATANIC 

Never forget that God did not make the Devil—

Lucifer only became the devil when he

arrogantly became infatuated with himself. Yes,

Lucifer is a created being. God said, “Thou wast

perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast

created, till iniquity was found in thee” (Ezek. 28:15). This beautiful, powerful, intelligent, and

gifted cherub fell from his perfect estate when

his heart was lifted up because of his own

beauty and brightness (v. 17). No longer was he

willing to be subservient to the Creator.

Staggering pride was to blame for the tragedy in heaven. “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son

of the morning! … For thou hast said in thine

heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my

throne … I will sit also upon the mount … I will

ascend above the heights…I will be like the

most High” (Isa. 14:12-14). Self-will displaced God’s will, and the Devil

emerged. It has been said, “Man is never more

like the Devil than when he is full of self-will.”

The Bible strictly forbids placing a novice in

leadership, “lest being lifted up with pride he fall

into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:6). It was pride that caused Lucifer’s fall and

subsequent condemnation. The snare of pride is

a deadly peril to which new converts should

never be willfully subjected. Nothing does more

to set a person out of the devil’s reach than

humility. 

PRIDE SPAWNS PRAYERLESSNESS 

Once Solomon had completed the Temple, the

Lord instructed Israel on the proper way to

approach Him in times of judgment. If the

heavens withheld rain on account of their sins,

or disobedience caused God to send pestilence

among His people, then they were to pray toward the Lord’s house. But even before they

prayed, turned from their wicked ways, or

sought the face of God they needed to first

humble themselves (2 Chron. 7:14). God

required the people who were called by His

name to humble themselves before they prayed or repented. So why does humility precede

prayer? Why does humility come before turning

from wicked ways? The reason humility precedes prayer is because

there can be no real prayer without humility.

Proverbs speaks of the man who brazenly turns

his ear from the law, “Even his prayer shall be

abomination” (28:9). Prayerlessness is the very

first sign of pride. It has been said, “God’s power will never fall until we do.” Proud people

don’t pray. In fact, the only people who pray are

those who need God, know they need God, and

can’t go on without God. Humility is the altar on

which God wishes us to offer Him sacrifices. 

PRIDE BRINGS CONFLICT 

Why are there so many splintered relationships,

so many broken marriages, and church splits?

The Scripture gives us the short answer, “Only

by pride cometh contention” (Prov. 13:10). Just

as surely as pride erects a barrier between us

and God, it also builds a wall between us and others. Whereas love seeks to build a bridge,

pride seeks to erect a wall. Pride can keep you from apologizing when

you’ve been wrong. Pride can cause you to

defend yourself. Pride can cause you to look

down on others. If you allow it, pride can rob

you of the most treasured relationships in life.

“He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife” (Prov. 28:25). Humbling ourselves is the only way to get the

roof off toward God and the walls down toward

our fellow man. Once offences have been

committed, whether intentional or unintentional,

they must be dealt with. “I was wrong. I am

sorry. Will you forgive me?” are healing words that only a humble soul would use. Whenever

you find a man willing to humble himself before

God and man, you have found a man who will

be exalted, because “humility comes before

honor.” 

PRIDE RESULTS IN GOSSIP 

“Thou shalt hide them … from the pride of man:

thou shalt keep them … from the strife of

tongues” (Ps. 31:20). Evil speaking, slander,

and gossip are the direct result of pride. This

comes as no surprise since the word “devil”

comes from the word diabalos which means slanderer. One of the Puritans said, “He that

receives a slander carries the devil in his ear

and he that commits a slander carries the devil

in his tongue.” Where Satan doesn’t go

personally, he sends a critic. Once a Sunday School teacher gave a lesson

on the parable of the Pharisee and the publican.

The Pharisee stood and prayed with himself

thanking God he was not like other men:

“adulterers, extortioners, and publicans.” The

teacher really blasted the Pharisee because of his proud, condemning attitude. He was glorying

in the fact that he was better than common

sinners—“not as other men.” As the class

ended the teacher said, “Students, let’s bow our

heads now and thank the Lord we’re not like that

Pharisee!” Before a man can look down on another he

must first assume he is better than the person

he is speaking against. A proud man is

suspicious of everyone else. A humble man is

more suspicious of his own heart than anyone

else. The proud heart will detect defects in others before himself. A humble soul sees the

evil in his own heart before he sees evil in

others. Wesley said, “Gossip is anything you would say

about someone that you wouldn’t say if they

were standing in front of you.” The only reason

for character assassination, or making an

unfavorable comparison, is to exalt one’s own

self. Before speaking against a fellow human being one must first establish himself as a

judge. This maligning of character can only be

explained in terms of pride. The connection

between pride and slander is clearly seen in

Psalm 101, “Whoso privily slandereth his

neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer” (v.

5). 

PRIDE IS DECEPTIVE A 

young man responded at the invitation and

told his pastor that he had come to rededicate

his life to the Lord. The pastor replied,

“Wonderful! Just kneel there at the pew and

confess your sins to God.” To which the man

replied, “Pastor, I can’t think of any sins to confess.” The pastor then said, “Son, just guess

at it.” And you know what? The young man got

it right on the first try! Pride is not just thinking

we are better than others, it is thinking we are

better than we are. Pride is the disposition to exalt self, get above

others, and conceal defects. Ever since the Fall

man has had the tendency to confess someone

else’s sins instead of his own. This is hardly

surprising since the heart of man is “deceitful

above all things” (Jer. 17:9). And the reason man’s heart is so deceitful is because of inborn

haughtiness. “Thy terribleness hath deceived

thee, and the pride of thine heart” (Jer. 49:16).

Contrary to popular thinking, we are not good

people who happen to do bad things—we are

sinners through and through. And it is the deceptive nature of pride which brings such

reluctance to admit our sins. 

PRIDE MAKES A FALSE BOAST 

Samson killed a lion with his bare hands and

didn’t even tell his parents. Spurgeon

commented if a modern Christian so much as

killed a mouse he would publish it in the gospel

gazette! Man may be reluctant to acknowledge

his wrongs, but most are quick to publicize their accomplishments. “Most men will proclaim

every one his own goodness” (Prov. 20:6). The Bible warns us about thinking more highly

of ourselves than we ought. No man has a right

to an inflated view of himself. Under the

influence of pride a man takes on the air of a

master. He is more likely to instruct others than

inquire for himself. A humble Christian wants help from everybody, but the spiritually proud

thinks everybody wants his help. The proud man believes he has accomplished

what God and others have accomplished in him.

He seeks credit for things which he cannot

rightly take credit. Talent, intellect, abilities,

health, and life itself are gifts from God. The Bible says it is of God’s mercy that we are

not consumed. It is of God’s love that we have

been drawn to Him. It is because of His

everlasting arms being under us that we are

kept. It is by His faith that we are saved. It is by

His blood that we are cleansed. It is by His righteousness that we are clothed. It is by His

power that we are kept. It is by His grace that

we are sustained. It is by His intercession that

we are delivered. It is by His goodness that we

are led to repentance. It is by His indwelling

Spirit that we are filled. All that God has for His people is from the Father, all is through the Son,

and all is by the Holy Spirit. Of what can we

boast? Once Spurgeon had preached a powerful

sermon. As soon as he had finished his

message the devil whispered to him, “That was

a fine sermon. You preached magnificently!” For

a moment he agreed with the devil. Leaving the

pulpit, a deacon met him and said, “Pastor, that was a masterpiece.” Spurgeon interrupted and

said, “You’re too late. The devil told me that a

few moments ago.” 

PRIDE BRINGS SHAME 

Culture is the externalization of religion. So

when a culture calls good evil and evil good it

indicates corrupt religion[s] dominate[s] that

society. Never doubt that all men worship

something; if not the true God, then they will

worship something else, or themselves. The President proclaimed June as Gay Pride Month.

Biblically, it should have been dubbed Gay

Shame Month. Our society glories in things of

which it should be ashamed. Three factors contributed to the sin of Sodom

and Gomorrah. “This was the iniquity of thy

sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and

abundance of idleness” (Eze. 16:49). Note

carefully that pride was the foundation from

which homosexuality sprang. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame” (Prov. 11:2). After his journey through the valley of

humiliation Nebuchadnezzar realized, “Those

that walk in pride he is able to abase” (Dan.

4:37). He surely learned the proverb, “A man’s

pride shall bring him low” (Prov. 29:23). 

PRIDE PRECEDES A FALL 

Those who built the Titanic pronounced the

great ship unsinkable. With boldness and

confidence they boasted of the great safety this

vessel afforded. But on its maiden voyage the

unsinkable ship sank. The Titanic mentality of

invincibility sets the stage for collapse. “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty” (Prov.

18:12). Repeatedly, the scripture warns of pride

precipitating a fall. “Pride goeth before

destruction, and an haughty spirit before a

fall” (Prov. 16:18). “The lofty looks of man shall

be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall

be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted” (Isa. 2:11). Uzziah was greatly blessed

and marvelously helped, “till he was strong. But

when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to

his destruction” (2 Chron. 26:15-16). He

transgressed by entering the temple to offer

incense on the altar. When confronted by the priests, Uzziah became furious. While he was

holding the censer in his hand God smote him

and leprosy rose up in his forehead. He lost the

throne and was a leper the rest of his life. God not only dwells in the high and holy place.

He also dwells with him “that is of a contrite and

humble spirit” (Isa. 57:15). The man who sits

nearest the dust sits nearest heaven. It is the

valley of humiliation that leads to the mount of

transfiguration. He that is low need fear no fall.  “Welcome

everything that helps you on toward humility.” 

TOWARD HUMILITY 

Listing the sins of pride could go on and on. Its

pervasiveness cannot be overstated.

Haughtiness, arrogance, conceit, inordinate self-

esteem, and vainglory are as common as the air

we breathe. Pride is a sin to be hated, a sin to

be confessed, a sin to mourn over, a sin to flee, and a sin to fight against. William Law

commented, “Pride must die, or nothing of

heaven can live in you.” God resists the proud,

but He gives grace to the humble. Humility is the royal insignia that marks God’s

true people even though it is the saint’s hardest

conflict. The first step toward becoming humble

is realizing we are proud. Then we must take

the witness stand against ourselves and plead

“guilty as charged.” Continually, we must bring pride to the foot of the cross to be washed away

by the blood of Jesus. Surveying the wondrous

cross surely makes it easier to pour contempt

on all our pride. Even though pride is hateful to

God, the powerful blood of Jesus can cleanse it

away. If pride is the evil of evils, then humility is the

virtue of virtues. Like the pearl of great price, it

is worth selling all to obtain. Humility is our

responsibility. Humility is a choice, and so is

pride. How do you plead?