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Pride, Self-righteousness and Humility

1. What does God think about pride?

A. He hates it:

Pro.6:16,17 - These...doth the Lord hate: a proud look
Pro.16:5 - Every one that is proud...is an abomination to Lord

B. We should hate it too:

Pro.8:13 - The fear of the Lord is to hate...pride and arrogancy

C. Pride is a sin, not a virtue:

Pro.21:4a - An high look, and a proud heart...is sin
Hab.2:4 - Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright
1Jn.2:16 - Pride...is not of the Father, but is of the world

2. Why is it wrong for us to be proud?

A. Because only the Lord is great; we are not:

Psa.66:5-7 - Come and see the works of God...He ruleth...let not the rebellious exalt themselves
Psa.97:9 - Thou, Lord, art high... exalted far above all
Ezk.28:2 - Thine heart is lifted up...yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as...God
Phi.2:9,10 - God hath highly exalted Him (Jesus), and given Him a name above every name...every knee should bow
(See also Psa.21:13; 57:5,11; 108:5; Isa.2:11,17.)

B. God alone should get the glory:

Acts 12:20-23 - Angel...smote him, because he gave not God the glory
1Cor.10:31 - Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God
(See also Jer.9:23,24; 1Cor.1:28,29.)

C. Pride makes us ignore and forget God:

Deut.8:14 - (When) thine heart be lifted up...thou forget the Lord
Psa.10:4 - The wicked, through...pride...will not seek after God
Hos.13:6b - Heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten Me

D. God will distance Himself from and resist the proud:

Psa.138:6 - The proud He (the Lord) knoweth afar off
Jam.4:6 - God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto humble

E. Pride makes us rebel against the Word:

Neh.9:16,17,29 - They dealt proudly...and hearkened not to Thy (Word)

F. It gives us an exaggerated sense of greatness:

Oba.3 - The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, that saith, Who shall bring me down?
Rom.12:3 - (Thinking) of himself more highly than he ought to
Gal.6:3 - If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself

G. It creates self-exaltation and a desire to be honoured:

Pro.25:27 - For men to search their own glory is not glory
Mat.23:5-7 - (Proud Pharisees) love...greetings (in public), and to be called of men, (Master, Master)
Mk.12:38,39 - Scribes...love...chief seats...and uppermost rooms
Jude 16 - Their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration

H. When we seek to please men, we often displease the Lord:

1Sam.15:30 - I have sinned: [but] honour me...before the [people]
Jn.5:44 - Ye...receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only
Jn.12:43 - They loved praise of men more than the praise of God
Gal.1:10 - If I pleased men...not be the servant of Christ

I. Pride makes us think we are "wise":

Pro.3:7 - Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord
1Cor.3:18 - Let no man deceive himself. If any... seemeth wise
1Cor.8:2 - If any think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know

J. Pride gives us a "know-it-all" attitude:

Psa.131:1 - [The haughty exercise themselves in great matters, in things too high for them]
Pro.26:12 - Seest thou a man "wise" in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him
(See also 1Tim.1:7)

K. Pride causes arguments:

Pro.13:10 - Only by pride cometh contention
Pro.28:25 - He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife
(See also Pro.14:3; 21:24.)

L. Pride corrupts us:

Mk.7:22,23 - Pride...(comes) from within, and defiles the man

M. Pride will bring about our downfall:

Pro.11:2a - When pride cometh, then cometh shame
Pro.16:18 - Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall
Pro.18:12a - Before destruction the heart of man is haughty
Pro.29:23a - A man's pride shall bring him low
Ezk.28:12-17 - [The fall of Satan happened because he exalted himself in pride] (See also Isa.14:12-15)
Dan.5:18,20, 21 - God gave Nebuchadnezzar...majesty...and honour: But when his heart was lifted up...he was deposed
1Cor.10:12 - Him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall

3. Some causes of pride:

A. Beauty:

Ezk.28:17 - Thine heart is lifted up because of thy beauty

B. Material abundance:

Deut.8:12-14, 17 - Lest when thou...art full...and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up
Ezk.28:5 - Thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches
Hos.13:6 - They were filled, and their heart was exalted

C. Being overly secure:

Psa.73:5,6a - They are not in trouble as other men...therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain

D. Being overly affected by exaltation:

2Chr.26:15,16 - He was marvellously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up
Dan.11:11,12 - [Victory over enemies causes heart to be lifted up]
1Tim.3:6 - Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall

E. Carnal mindedness (intellectual pride):

Gen.2:16-17; 3:16 - [Eve, desiring to be wise, disobeyed God and ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil]
1Tim.6:3,4 - If any man teach otherwise (than sound doctrine)...he is proud, knowing nothing
(See also Jer.9:23,24a; Rom.8:6,7; Jam.3:14-16.)

4. Warnings against pride:

A. We should avoid proud boasting:

1Sam.2:3a - Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth
Pro.27:2 - Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth
2Cor.10:18 - Not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth

B. We shouldn't exalt ourselves:

Pro.25:6,7 - Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men
Lk.14:10 - When thou art bidden...sit down in the lowest room

C. If we're proud, we're in a dangerous position:

Psa.18:27 - Thou (God) wilt bring down high looks
Pro.15:25a - The Lord will destroy the house of the proud
Eccl.7:16 - Be not righteous over much (overly righteous)...why shouldst thou destroy thyself?
Jer.48:25,26, 29 - [Exceeding proud, lofty, arrogant, haughty Moabites magnified selves against the Lord and were cut off]

5. Self-righteousness: Why is it wrong to think that we in ourselves are good and righteous?

A. Because we are not:

Job 15:14 - What is man, that he should be clean?...righteous?
Job 15:15,16 - The heavens are not clean in His sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man
Psa.130:3 - If Thou shouldest mark iniquities, who shall stand?
Pro.20:9 - Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure?
Eccl.7:20 - There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not
Isa.64:6a - We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags
Rom.3:10,23 - There is none righteous, no, not one...all have sinned
Rom.7:18a - In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing

B. Only God is good:

Mat.19:17a - There is none good but one, that is, God
Job 9:2b - But how should man be just with God?
Psa.71:16b - I will make mention of Thy righteousness, Thine only

C. Doing so causes us to be lifted up in pride:

Pro.30:12,13 - (They) are pure in their own eyes...O how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up
Lk.18:11 - God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men...unjust

D. It separates us from God:

Rom.10:3 - They...going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted unto the righteousness of God
Job 13:16b - An hypocrite shall not come before Him

E. It makes us unable to see our sins:

Job 32:1 - Job...was righteous in his own eyes (See also Pro.16:2; 21:2.)
Pro.30:12 - A generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness
Lk.6:41,42 - Why perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Jn.9:41 - Ye say, "We see"; therefore your sin remaineth

F. True righteousness means trusting God:

Gal.3:6 - Abraham believed God, it was accounted righteous ness
Phi.3:9 - Not having mine own righteousness...but...of God
Tit.3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to (because of) His mercy He saved us

6. Self-righteousness: Why is it wrong to think we in ourselves are better than others?

A. Because we're not:

Jn.8:7 - He that is without sin...let him first cast a stone
Rom.3:23 - All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God

B. We shouldn't think we are better than others:

Rom.14:2,3 - Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not
1Cor.13:4 - Charity (love) vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up
Phi.2:3b - [Not] vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves

C. A proud attitude displeases and angers God:

Isa.65:5 - (They) say, "I am holier than thou." These are a smoke in My (God's) nose
Lk.16:15 - Ye are they which justify yourselves...but...that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination (to) God

D. It makes us despise and be unmerciful to others:

Mat.23:29 - Ye have omitted the weightier matters...mercy
Lk.18:9 - (They) trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others
Lk.18:11 - God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are... unjust...or even as this publican (tax collector)
(See also Mat.9:13)

E. We only are what we are by God's grace:

1Cor.4:7 - Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?
1Cor.15:10 - By the grace of God I am what I am
2Cor.3:5 - Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves

7. The humbling of the proud:

A. God can and does humble the proud:

Dan.4:37b - Those that walk in pride He is able to abase
Gen.11:1-8 - [Men were building the tower of Babel in pride, so God confused and scattered them]
1Sam.13:8-14 - [Saul presumed to offer the sacrifice without waiting for Samuel, and lost the kingdom as a result]
2Chr.32:24,25 - Heart was lifted up: therefore...wrath (was) upon him
Job 33:15-17 - [God works on our hearts at night to remove pride]
Psa.101:5b - Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer (allow to continue)
Isa.2:11 - The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down
Isa.2:12 - Every one that is proud and lofty...shall be brought low
Isa.13:11b - I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease
Dan.4:30-35 - [King Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up in pride, was deposed by God, abased as a beast, and learned humility]
Dan.5:20,21 - When his...mind (was) hardened in pride...was deposed
2Cor.12:7 - Lest I (Paul) should be exalted above measure...there was given to me a thorn in the flesh
(See also Jer.50:31,32; Oba.4.)

B. It is a law of God: If we're proud, we will be humbled:

Mat.23:12a - Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased
Lk.14:11a - Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased
Lk.18:14b - Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased

C. Being humbled teaches us that God is in charge:

Job 42:1-6 - [After being humbled, Job said:] I know that Thou canst do every thing...I...repent
Dan.4:32-35 - Eat grass...until thou know that the most High ruleth

8. Why we should want to be humble:

A. Because God loves and delights in the humble:

Psa.51:17 - The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise
Psa.138:6a - The Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly
1Pet.3:4 - A meek and quiet spirit...is in the sight of God of great price
1Pet.5:5b - God...giveth grace to the humble

B. He is close to the humble:

Psa.34:18a - The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart
Isa.57:15a - The high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity (dwells) with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit

C. He requires us to be humble:

Mic.6:8 - What doth the Lord require...walk humbly with thy God
Col.3:12 - Put on, as the elect of God...humbleness of mind

D. Humility brings honour and blessing:

Pro.22:4 - By humility...are riches, and honour, and life
Pro.29:23b - Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit

E. If we are humble, God will exalt us:

Mat.23:12b - He that shall humble himself shall be exalted
Lk.1:52 - He put down the mighty...and exalted them of low degree

F. God helps the humble:

Psa.9:12 - He forgetteth not the cry of the humble
Psa.25:9 - The meek will He guide...and meek will He teach His way
Psa.34:18 - The Lord...saveth such as be of a contrite spirit
Psa.147:6 - The Lord lifteth up the meek: He casteth wicked down
Isa.57:15b - (I) revive spirit of the humble, and heart of contrite ones
Lk.1:48a - He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden
1Pet.5:5b - God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble

G. Humility can spare us from trouble:

1Ki.21:17,25-29 - [Wicked king Ahab humbled himself before God, so God didn't bring judgment during his lifetime]
2Chr.32:26 - Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart...so that the wrath of the Lord came not

H. God gives the humble true wisdom:

Pro.11:2 - [Pride causes shame] but with the lowly is wisdom
1Cor.3:18 - Let him become a fool, that he may be wise
(See also Lk.10:21)

I. Humility is true greatness in God's eyes:

Eccl.7:8b - The patient in spirit is better than proud in spirit
Mat.18:4 - Whosoever shall humble himself is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven
Mat.19:30b - The last shall be first
Mk.10:43 - Whosoever will be great...shall be your minister
Lk.22:26 - He that is greatest...let him be as the younger

J. God uses and exalts the humble:

1Sam.15:17 - When thou wast little in thine own sight...the Lord anointed thee king over Israel
Pro.15:33b - Before honour is humility
Jam.4:10 - Humble yourselves...and He shall lift you up
1Pet.5:6 - Humble yourselves... that He may exalt you in due time

K. Other blessings upon the meek:

Psa.37:11 - The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight
Psa.149:4 - The Lord...will beautify the meek with salvation
Mat.5:5 - Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth

9. Keeping a humble attitude:

A. Remind yourself that anything good is only Jesus, not you:

Gen.41:15,16 - Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer
Dan.2:26-30a - God...revealeth secrets. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have
1Cor.4:7 - What hast thou that thou didst not receive [from God]? Why dost thou glory?
1Cor.15:9,10 - I am not meet (worthy) to be called an apostle...but by the grace of God I am what I am
2Cor.10:17 - He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord (See also Jer.9:23,24)
Gal.6:14 - God forbid I should glory, save in the cross of Jesus
(See also Rom.2:11; Gal.6:3.)

B. Read and obey the Word:

Deut.17:19,20 - [Read and obey the Word] that heart be not lifted up

C. Realistically admit your limitations:

Rom.12:3 - (Don't) think of (yourself) more highly than (you) ought to think; but think soberly
Rom.12:16b - Be not wise in your own conceits

10. Humility with one another:

A. Follow Jesus' example of humility:

Mat.21:5 - Thy King (Jesus) cometh unto thee, meek...upon an ass
Jn.13:5,12-15 - He began to wash the disciples' feet, and wipe them...I have given you an example, that ye should do as I
Lk.22:27 - He that sitteth at meat (is greater)...but I am among you as he that serveth
Phi.2:5-8 - Let this mind be in you...Jesus made Himself of no reputation...(became) a servant...humbled Himself

B. Other examples of true humility:

1Sam.25:40, 41 - [Abigail, when asked to marry David, said:] Let (me) be a servant to wash the feet of (his) servants
Mk.7:25-30 - [Syrophoenician woman said:] Yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs
Lk.7:2-7 - [Pharisees said] he was worthy for whom He should do this. The centurion (said), I am not worthy
Jn.1:27 - (Jesus), Whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose

C. Submit humbly to one another:

Lk.22:25,26 - Kings...exercise lordship. But ye shall not be so. He that is greatest...let him be as the younger
Eph.5:21 - Submitting yourselves one to another in fear of God
1Pet.5:5 - All of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud

D. Love and honour others:

Rom.12:10 - With brotherly love; in honour preferring one another
Rom.12:16 - Mind not high things, condescend to men of low estate Phi.2:3a Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory

E. Be humble when pointing out other's errors:

Lk.6:42b - Cast out first the beam out of thine own eye
Gal.6:1 - Restore such an one in the spirit of meekness
2Tim.2:25 - In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves

11. The solution:

A. Confess your faults and inabilities and humble yourself before God:

Jam.4:10a - Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord
1Pet.5:6a - Humble yourselves...under the mighty hand of God

B. Ask others to pray for you to overcome pride:

Jam.5:16 - Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another
Mat.18:19,20 - If two of you shall agree [in prayer] it shall be done

C. Examples of humbling oneself before the Lord:

2Sam.24:2-4, 8-10 - [In pride, David took a census of his kingdom to see how great he was, then repented and sought mercy]
Job 40:1-5; 42:1-6 - [Self-righteous Job see 32:1; 35:2 - humbled himself, confessed he was vile and repented]
Psa.51:1-4 - I acknowledge my...sin...that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest
Dan.4:33-35,37 - [King Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself and confessed that only God was great]
(See also 1Sam.9:21 - about Saul; 2Sam.7:18 - about David; 1Ki.3:7 - about Solomon; Mat.3:14 - about John the Baptist.)

Special passages:

1Ki.12:1-16 - [Rehoboam "answered the people roughly"]
2Chr.26:14-23 - [King Uzziah, "lifted up", presumed to offer incense]
Dan.4:all - [Nebuchadnezzar's pride, humiliation and restoration]
Lk.18:9-14 - [The parable of the proud Pharisee and humble sinner]

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Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family International

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James Arendt
James Arendt

My name is James Arendt. I was raised in the Hegewisch neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, served in the USAF from 1970 to 1974, and became a full-time missionary for Christ living 40 years in Japan, 3.5 years in Russia, and a few months in other countries such as Finland, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, South Korea, Taiwan and mainland China where I also served the King of Kings, Jesus, as an Ambassador for His Kingdom. My full bio.

On September 24, 2023, I had an accident and broke the bone of the tip of my left elbow. A boy ran in front of my motorbike less than 2 meters from me as I was leaving home. I stopped suddenly and my front tire slid on the sandy concrete road which caused me to fall. I did not hit the boy. On October 18th I had surgery done on my elbow. The doctor put in titanium rods to hold my bones together. The entire procedure including an entire week in the hospital was roughly $4000 USD. This was done in the Philippines where my wife and I have been living since June this year.


X-rays of bone before and after surgery that inserted titanium rods to reinforce my broken bone.

Before and after one week in the hospital.

Undergoing therapy to bend my arm again.
I'm now undergoing therapy to be able to bend my arm again.

It would be a super blessing to us if any of the visitors of this website can help us cover this expense!

You don't need a PayPay account to send me a donation! Just click on the donate button and you will see an option to send through your debit or credit card.


Or if you have a PayPal account, just log into it and send to my PayPal ID:
james.arendt@jamesjpn.net

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