THE SNARE OF PRIDE
Adapted from a sermon
preached in the PCC evening service on 20 August 2000
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an
haughty spirit before a fall.”
(Proverbs 16:18)
Pride is a universal syndrome. It was pride which brought about the fall of
Satan in the first place, because he said in his heart, “I will ascend into
heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…” (Isa 14:13–14; cf. Ezk
28:14–15, 17).
It was pride that brought the fall of man because Adam and Eve, too, wanted to be
like God. They gave in to Satan’s temptation, and brought about the ruin of
mankind. Sin, death, pain, sorrow, all came in to all man because of the Fall.
Pride continues to ravage the hearts of fallen man so that it is the common
denominator between the worst of man and the best of man. Some of the most evil
men in the Bible were condemned for their pride: Cain, Pharaoh (Neh 9:10),
Absalom, Belshazzar (Dan 5:22–23), Haman (Esth 3:5), Herod Agrippa (Acts
12:21–23), etc. Some of the best men were also afflicted by pride: David (2 Sam
24:1ff.), Hezekiah (2 Chr 32:25), Uzziah (2 Chr 26:16), etc. Nations too were
condemned for pride: Israel
(Hos 5:5–9), Judah (Jer 13:9), Moab
(Isa 16:6), Tyre (Isa 23:9), Babylon
(Jer 50:29, 32), Assyria (Ezk 31:3, 10), etc.
But the fact that it is so universal does not make it any less wicked and
dangerous, for the Word of God tells us: “Pride goeth before destruction, and
an haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov 16:18).
Nature of Pride
The nature of pride can be seen quite clearly in our text. To see it, you need
simply to know that the proverb is structured with a poetic device known as
parallelism. The book of Proverbs makes extensive use of parallelism. Usually
the parallelism involves two phrases which are either complementary or
contrasting. In the verse we are considering, the parallelism is obviously
complementary or synonymous. That is to say that “Pride goeth before
destruction” means the same as “an haughty spirit before a fall.” In other
words, “pride” is the same as a “haughty spirit.”
Now, from the phrase “haughty spirit,” we can say three things about the nature
of pride.
Firstly, we see that pride is something internal. It refers to a state of mind,
and not to the outward bearing of a person. It is an inward sentiment or
feeling. Sometimes it manifests itself in the look, in our language, or our
deportment. We call this manifestation arrogance. But arrogance is not pride.
Arrogance usually comes from pride. But pride is in the heart.
Secondly, the word translated “haughty” (Hebrew: gobah) literally
means “high,” “exalted” or “lofty.” In other words, pride involves the attitude
of looking at ourselves more highly than we really are. It is an overestimation
of ourselves; of our own powers; of our own merits; or of our own importance.
It involves a looking down upon others.
Thirdly, it may be surprising to some of us, but the word rendered “spirit”
(Hebrew: ruach) does actually refer to our spirit or soul. Let me
put it this way, it is not an abstract noun referring to our personality,
character, disposition or temperament. No, it actually refers to the soul. In
other words, pride is equivalent to having a haughty soul. Or, in other words,
pride is spiritual. We must never excuse ourselves and say: “I’m born this way:
this is the way I’m constituted. I can’t help it. It is in my genes.” No, pride
is not located in the genes. It is located in the soul. It is a sin. So Solomon
says: “ An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin”
(Prov 21:4). Pride, in other words, must be dealt with spiritually.
Causes of Pride
From the fact that pride arises from a “haughty spirit,” or soul that has too
high an estimation of itself, we may derive several causes of pride.
Firstly, pride may arise from ignorance about self. The proud soul fails to
recognise that it is a mere finite creature, that it cannot exist in and of
itself, and that nothing added to it by man,—whether by himself, or by
others,—is permanent. He is puffed up by his ancestry, titles, status,
authority or wealth (cf. Lev 26:19; Ezk 30:6; 2 Kgs 20:13). And he forgets that
these things are temporary. They do not survive death even if they are retained
for an entire lifetime. Yet, these things do tend to increase pride in man.
This is why the Apostle Paul, writing to the young pastor Timothy, taught him
to: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded [or
proud]” (1 Tim 6:17). This is why the Scriptures do not allow novices or new
believers to be made elders in the church “Lest being lifted up with pride he
fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim 3:6).
Secondly, pride may arise from mental superiority, whether real, supposed, or
imagined. This is intellectual pride. It is a pride that is fed by unsanctified
knowledge. But “Knowledge puffeth up,” says the Apostle Paul (1 Cor 8:1). Those
who are proud in this way not only look down on those they consider to be less
intelligent than them, but regard the ways of God to be foolish. This is the
kind of pride that characterises the Greeks of Paul’s days, the liberal
rationalists of today, and the unbelieving philosophers of every age. The
intellectually proud soul believes that his assessment is always right, and he
often relies on his power of reason to the point that he is unwilling to submit
to the revelations of God in His Word. Thus, they say: God could not exist; or
there could not be miracles; or there could not be such things as angels and
demons; or the virgin birth could not have occurred; or the resurrection could
not have occurred. So the intellectually proud would not heed the preaching of
the Gospel. They say of the preacher it is his opinion. It may be good for him,
but I know what is good for me.
Thirdly, pride may arise from an undue estimate of our own goodness or
righteousness. This is religious pride. The Jews, especially the Pharisees, had
this kind of pride. They regarded themselves as so much better than other men,
that they said: “Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than
thou” (Isa 65:5a); and they prayed: “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other
men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican” (Lk
18:11). This is a pride that, I have no doubt, is found in varying degree in
every religious person, including ministers of the Gospel; for we all have a
tendency to compare ourselves with others and think ourselves better than
others. Often, we would see the speck in other’s eyes but fail to see the beam
in our own eyes. Even acts of self-abasement can become means of
self-exaltation as we begin to regard ourselves as more humble than others. I
have even heard one man said: “I am proud of my humility!”
Fourthly, pride may arise from ignorance of or apostasy from God. The proud
soul underestimates the holy requirements of God. He judges by false standards
of excellence. He judges according to his own standard. Ultimately, pride is
I-dolatry. It places self in place of God, and makes self god. It is the most
subtle way of breaking the first commandment, but it is such a breaking of the
first commandment that brought about the fall of Satan and the fall of man.
Danger of Pride
Proverbs 16:18 says: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit
before a fall.” The ultimate danger of pride is that if it is not checked, it
will lead to destruction or fall. Let’s consider these two terms.
To fall is to be brought to shame or to be brought low or humbled. Another two
proverbs say: “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is
wisdom” (Prov 11:2), “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall
uphold the humble in spirit” (Prov 29:23). In other words, pride does not only
result in shame and lowliness, but pride will actually bring these about. The
proud man with an over inflated ego will be humbled when men discover that he
is not as great as he puts himself to be. The ultimate fall occurs when the
proud man comes face to face with his Creator. On that day, he will surely fall
on his knees as he acknowledges his nothingness and nakedness.
What about destruction? It is synonymous with a fall. But it is more
descriptive and intense. It speaks of devastation. It speaks of more than being
brought to shame or being humbled. It speaks of punishment. Pride is extremely
hateful to God. Proverbs 16:5 makes it very clear: “Every one that is proud in
heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be
unpunished.” The wages of sin is death. God will punish every sin. How much
more a sin that is specifically called an “abomination to the LORD.” We need
not doubt that every proud person who remains proud will one day face eternal
damnation and destruction. Pride, in other words, must not be looked at
lightly.
How does pride lead to such terrible consequences? It does so because it is a
snare. It gets a person more and more entangled as long as he remains proud.
How so? Let me suggest three ways:
Firstly, the proud heart would not listen to the Word of God through God’s
ministers. There is a very sad incident recorded in Jeremiah 42–3 in which the
leaders of the remnant of the Jews in Bethlehem came to Jeremiah to consult him
on whether they should go down to Egypt. They said to Jeremiah: “The LORD be a
true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things
for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us. Whether it be good, or
whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God” (Jer 42:5–6a).
Ten days later, Jeremiah came back with the answer from the Lord that they
should not go down. But what happened? The leaders refused to believe him. We
are told: “Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of
Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest
falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to
sojourn there” (Jer 43:2; italics mine).
You see, pride had shut their ears. They had already made up their minds, and
they were not at all prepared to listen to anything contrary to what they had
already decided. Such is the danger of pride. The proud soul listens to a
sermon and will only receive what is not against him and what he can agree
with. Tell the proud man that he is living his life wrongly, and he would
reject the teaching a priori. Tell the proud man that he is a
sinner heading for damnation, and he would shut his ears.
Secondly, pride hardens the mind so that it is no longer open to hearing reason
or hearing the Gospel. It was said of Nebuchadnezzar that “his heart was lifted
up, and his mind hardened in pride” (Dan 5:20). The more proud a soul gets, the
more hardened will be his mind to reason. Preach the Gospel to a proud mind.
Reason with him that his pride will bring him to doom, but it will not move
him. This is why one who is rich or self-sufficient despises the Gospel. But
was there no pride in all of us? Were it not for the grace of God in Christ, we
would all have perished in our hardness of hearts and minds.
Thirdly, pride deceives a person as to his true spiritual condition. This snare
of pride is mentioned by two prophets, Jeremiah and Obadiah: “Thy terribleness
hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the
clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest
make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith
the LORD” (Jer 49:16); “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that
dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his
heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?” (Ob 1:3).
The result is that the proud soul does not think he needs salvation, and so
will not seek after God. He is self-confident and self-reliant. He does not
need God. So we are told: “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance,
will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” (Ps 10:4).
Remedies Against Pride
Having seen how pride deceives and blinds, I do not ask you to consider if you
are proud. I believe that even the best of saints are, more or less, afflicted
by pride because of the remnant of their corrupt nature. And ironically, the
proudest persons are often those who think themselves to be humblest! May I
therefore urge the application of the following remedies upon you regardless
whether you consider yourself to be proud:
(a) Cultivate a sense of insignificance, dependence and unworthiness. Do not
think yourself too highly. Do not dwell on your own superiority, real or
imaginary. Always humble yourselves. Remember that no matter how good you may
be, you are never good enough. Remember that you are but dust and made of the
same material as earthworms. Remember that you will die one day. Ask yourself
these two questions: Who made you to differ in your riches and honour? How long
will there be a difference?
Take heed to the call of the Apostle Paul: Do not think of yourself more highly
than you ought to think; but to think soberly. Mind not high things, but
condescend to men of low estate. In honour prefer one another. Be not wise in
your own conceits (Rom 12:3, 10, 11, 16). In other words, learn to become like
little children, for the Lord Jesus says: “Except ye be converted, and become
as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3).
Unless you come to appreciate your nothingness, your soul will be in danger of
final destruction, for by your pride you testify of your allegiance with Satan
for he was condemned for his pride (1 Tim 3:6). Humility, on the other hand, is
a necessary quality of every soul that enters the kingdom of heaven, for our
Lord, when He was painting a portrait of a true saint, begins by saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3).
(b) Consider the glory of God in all that is done. Seek not your own but the
things of Jesus Christ, and how you may do good to others. “Let nothing be done
through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other
better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man
also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ
Jesus” (Phil 2:3–5). And learn to “be subject one to another, and be clothed
with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1
Pet 5:5). The proud person who considers his own good above the glory of God or
the good of his neighbours immediately becomes the enemy of God.
(c) Bear in mind God’s hatred for pride. If God hates pride so much that He
spared not the angels, but cast them into hell, when they lifted up their
hearts in pride; how much less shall He spare proud dust and ashes which we
are? Joseph Hall has well said: “Let us be cast down upon our knees, that we
may not be cast down upon our faces.”
(d) Pray: Grant me a humble heart to know my nothingness and Your greatness.
Grant me a lowly mind to see that I am nothing, have nothing and deserve
nothing but Thy wrath and curse. Pray:
Lord, be pleased to shake my clay
cottage before thou throwest it down. Make it totter a while before it tumbles.
Let me be summoned before I am surprised (Thomas Fuller).
And take heed to the exhortation of Richard Greenham:
The more godly a man is, and the
more graces and blessings of God are upon him, the more need he hath to pray,
because Satan is busiest against him, and because he is readiest to be puffed
up with a conceited holiness.
(e) Seek to know Christ. Listen to the words of God to Habakkuk: “Behold, his
soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his
faith” (Hab 2:4). The proud soul is not upright. It will be cast down. It will
die. Only those who recognise their nothingness and humbly trust in the Lord
will be justified and have eternal life.
In other words, the ultimate remedy for pride is the fear of God and knowing
Christ. If you do not fear God in this life and so be humbled to dust and so to
embrace Christ as your Saviour and Lord, you shall be brought to your knees in
fear one day before the God of Wrath. Therefore count all your achievements and
all your self-righteousness as dung so that you may attain unto the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus (see also 2 Corinthians 10:5).
Conclusion
There are some sins which are against self, some against men, some against God.
But pride is against all. It is self-destructive, it tends to tear down others,
and it exalts itself above God. May the Lord deliver us all from pride and its
dire consequences. Amen.
— J.J. Lim
