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A Christian thought to ponder...does pride lead to destruction?
“Pride is the worst viper in the
human heart! Pride is the greatest disturber of the soul’s peace, and of sweet
communion with Christ. Pride is with the greatest difficulty rooted out. Pride
is the most hidden, secret, and deceitful of all lusts! Pride often creeps
insensibly into the midst of religion, even, sometimes, under the disguise of
humility itself!”
~ Jonathan Edwards
Have you ever had a recurring theme show up in your Bible studies, devotions, sermons, or whatever else God placed in your path to get your attention? Well, “pride” has been one of those themes that the Lord has repeatedly laid in my path over the last few months, and I went down a rabbit trail to discover what the Bible tells us about pride.
After going through this self-study, conviction followed, and I felt the Holy Spirit urging me to share what I had learned about pride. Looking back on my own life, I can see that I have fallen into the trap of pride countless times, and I still struggle with it today. I have at times been unforgiving, ungrateful, defensive, a complainer, full of self-pity - all those behaviors that can lead one down a path of prideful destruction. No matter if we try to ignore it, deny it, or not even understand all the faces of pride, if we do not seek God's forgiveness, pride will lead to our downfall.
SINFUL PRIDE has leveled nations, struck down kings, brought down ordinary people, and ejected a third of the angelic host. Pride is a toxic poison that can spread everywhere. It is on TV, in movies, in music, in schools, in organizations, in the military, it has risen and expanded into all corporations and businesses, it has been on display at our local, state, and federal governments, and it has been on display at the white house in front of the United States American flag. When Joe Biden was President of the United States, he put up a tweet: “Today, the People's House – your house – sends a clear message to the country and to the world. America is a nation of pride." A nation of pride – if this nation does not repent, pride will be its downfall. Pride always precedes a fall.
So, what is pride? Based on the American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, pride is an arrogant or disdainful conduct or treatment; haughtiness; the pleasure or satisfaction taken in an achievement, possession, or association. In other words, pride is all about oneself – me, myself, and I. Pride is self-worship, self-seeking, self-pleasing, self-indulgence, self-absorption, self-condemnation, self-degradation, self-pity – all self-sins. Pride is exalting oneself above God. Pride is never acknowledging and giving God the credit but only giving yourself the credit. Pride is focusing on doing things all by yourself without God's help. Pride is saying I can save myself; I do not need a Savior.
What does the Bible say about pride? The word “pride” is stated fifty times in the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible. God’s word warns us repeatedly about the dangers and destructive nature of pride. As is shown in Proverbs 16, God hates pride, considers pride an abomination and it will not go unpunished.
“Everyone who is arrogant in heart
is an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, he will not go unpunished.”
— Proverbs 16:5 (ESV)
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| Art created with OpenAI's ChatGPT |
Pride Comes Before the Fall
Humankind
has struggled with pride since the Garden of Eden. Pride whispered lies into
the ears of Adam and Eve, and it deceived them, leading them to the dastardly
fall in the garden as described in Genesis 3.
“But the serpent said to the woman,
“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will
be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So, when the woman saw that the tree was good
for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be
desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some
to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”
— Genesis 3: 4-6 (ESV)
Adam and Eve yearned to be wise and to be like
God. So, they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Pride can be
deadly, deceitful, and cunning. It can whisper lies into
our ears and convince us that we are self-sufficient and that we do not need
God, that we are right, that we deserve recognition, and that it is all about
“Me.”
Pride
isolates us, destroys relationships, and sets us up for a downfall. It lures us
with the illusion of strength and then leaves us empty and broken. King
Nebuchadnezzar learned this firsthand when he boasted of his power and wealth
(Daniel 4). God humbled him by taking away his sanity until he acknowledged
God’s sovereignty.
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and
extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways
are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”
—Daniel 4:37 (ESV)
Scripture consistently warns us that pride is a sin, and it separates us from God. Sinful pride started with Lucifer (Satan) as declared in the book of Ezekiel 28:12-18 and in the book of Isaiah 14:12-15. As shown in Isaiah, chapter 14, in verses 13-14, pride was the original sin that had taken hold of Satan’s heart. Pride was the root of his rebellion. Satan fell because of his pride. God, the creator of all things, created Lucifer to serve him and Lucifer thought he could usurp God's power and gain control over God's throne. He did not want to be a servant of God. He desired to be God.
“You said in
your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars
of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on
the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;[a]
I will ascend
above the heights of the clouds;
— Isaiah 14:13–14 (ESV)
Art created by Carol Moore with Adobe AI and Paint Shop Pro
Pride Leads to Destruction
Pride continues to be the center of Satan’s rebellion and
his hatred against God and God’s people. He was an anointed guardian cherub, blameless
in his ways, bestowed
with wisdom and beauty, and adorned with precious stones (Ezekiel 28:14-15),
but pride twisted him into a vain, wicked, and corrupt being (Ezekiel
28:15-17). He felt he was better than his Creator and should ascend above his
Creator. He wanted to be God and have God's throne (Isaiah 14:13-14). Because
of his desire to elevate himself above God, he was ejected from heaven (Isaiah
14:12-15), and we read in Revelation 20:20 that his fate is sealed, and that he
is headed for destruction, where he will be tortured day and night for
eternity.
Pride
is Satan's most effective and destructive tool. The desire to elevate oneself
above God leads to destruction. Pride is selfish ambition, and it deliberately
centers oneself over the sovereignty of God. God’s word repeatedly warns us
about pride, such as in the book of Proverbs, chapter 16, in verse 18, it warns
us about how pride can lead one to destruction.
“Pride goes before destruction, and
a haughty spirit before a fall.”
— Proverbs 16:18 (ESV)
This
verse serves as a constant reminder that pride can lead us down a dangerous
path. When we let pride take control, we may find ourselves facing dire
consequences. It is vital that our hearts remain humble and that our walk is
obedient to God.
Another
good example of how pride can lead to destruction is in the book of Exodus.
Pharaoh was a man whose heart was as stone. He was prideful man, and he refused
to heed God’s command to free the Israelites from slavery and oppression.
Despite repeated warnings, Pharaoh remained cold-hearted and stubborn. His
pride brought ten plagues upon him and his nation (Exodus 5-11) and the
destruction of his army in the Red Sea (Exodus 14:28).
There
are so many good examples of pride in the Bible. For instance, Israel was a
nation chosen by God, but they were stubborn, rebellious, disobedient, and
self-centered. It was pride and rebellion that resulted in them having to
wander in the wilderness for 40 years (Deuteronomy 8:2). It caused the people
of Babel to be scattered throughout the world (Genesis 11:1-9). It caused Jonah
to be gulped down by a whale (Jonah 1-4). It brought the Israelites' King Saul
to his destruction (1 Samuel 15:17-23). It caused the giant Goliath to be
defeated by David (1 Samuel 17:1-50).
In
2 Timothy 3:2-4, it states pride is one of the sins that will be widespread
among people in the end days. “For people will love only themselves and their
money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their
parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be
unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control.
They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be
reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.”
Art creaated with OpenAI's ChatGPT
Pride Causes Spiritual Blindness
Pride
clouds our ability to see our sins. In Obadiah 3 it states that people are unaware of their own
sinful pride. They are ignorant of their sinful condition. “The pride of your
heart has deceived you,.” There are
times when we can be blind to our sins and our need for grace. Jesus rebuked
the Pharisees not only for their hypocrisy but for their prideful hearts. They
could not see the big picture of who Jesus was because they were too
self-absorbed with their piousness.
“Jesus said, “For judgment I came
into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may
become blind.”
— John 9:39 (ESV)
The Pharisees' pride led them to spiritual blindness. When
we exalt ourselves over God, we will lose sight of the Truth. The Pharisees'
hearts were as stone. Therefore, they could not see prophecy unfolding before
their very own eyes, nor receive corrections, nor have conviction, and they had
no compassion in their hearts.
Art created with OpenAI's ChatGPT
The Cure for Pride
The
only remedy to cure pride is humility. We must be willing to submit ourselves to
God, to repent, and to walk in obedience to Him. As stated in Philippians 2:8,
Jesus, though being God, humbled Himself even to death.
“And being found in human form, he
humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a
cross.”
— Philippians 2:8 (ESV)
If
Christ, the King of Kings, humbled Himself, how can we do any less?
Let
us not allow pride to cause us to stumble, blind us, or destroy us. Instead, let
us heed the words of John the Baptist in the book of John, Chapter 3, verse 30:
“He must become greater; I must become less.”
Pride can lead us away from God and to our
downfall. Humility can lead us to God, who lifts us up in our time of need.
Are You Prideful?
I discovered during this study
that there are numerous types of pride. The prideful are arrogant, braggarts, self-centered,
vain, ungrateful, defensive, unsubmissive, selfish, greedy, unforgiving, prejudiced,
cynical, indifferent, unteachable, conceited, pompous, smug, haughty, or
inconsiderate. Overall, pride is the object of worship of oneself or selves. If you search online, you will
discover that there are between 12 to 50 or more signs of pride that we
manifest in our everyday actions, thoughts, or behaviors.
How do you know if you are
struggling with pride? Pray about it. Ask God to reveal any areas in your life
where you are being prideful. If you have a pride issue, ask God for
forgiveness to help free you from the pride that has a grip on your heart, and to
give you a humble heart.
Below are a few signs of pride,
ones that I have struggled with, or seen others struggle with.
Ungrateful. Instead of
thanking God for all the blessings He has given you, you are ungrateful. You
grumble and complain about your circumstances. You do not thank people who
serve you; instead, you nitpick, grumble, and complain about them.
Ask God to search your heart for
any areas of ungratefulness, to help you have a more grateful heart, and seek
His forgiveness. We should be thankful to God for all things, whether good or
bad.
“But Hezekiah did not make return
according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore, wrath
came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.”
—2
Chronicles 32:25 (ESV)
Constructive
Criticism. Do you struggle to accept constructive criticism? Are you easily offended and angered when anyone points out anything that needs correction?
Most people who struggle with this prideful behavior are in denial that they
are in sin.
Ask
God to search your heart and reveal any areas that may show this prideful
behavior, to help you accept constructive criticism, and seek His forgiveness.
Be thankful towards the people who are trying to help you grow and improve.
None of us is perfect. There was only one perfect human who walked this earth,
and his name was Jesus.
“Listen
to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”
—Proverbs
19:20 (ESV)
The Center of Attention. One sign of being proud and arrogant is when you always want to be the center of attention for selfish reasons. You want to be the center of the show and crave and love the attention from people.
Self-centered
behavior is also a primary characteristic of narcissism. Narcissism, according
to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, is a
personality disorder characterized by self-preoccupation, need for admiration,
lack of empathy, and unconscious deficits in self-esteem.
Both
behaviors focus on oneself and have a lack of empathy towards others.
If
you struggle with this prideful behavior, seek God’s forgiveness. God should be
the center of our attention and the center of our lives. Focus on God and on
serving Him, not on how righteous you may be, or how many people purchase your
new devotional, or how many people attend your church to hear you preach.
“Beware
of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by
them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”
—Matthew
6:1 (ESV)
Vanity.
Do you continually look in the mirror? Are you
obsessed with always wanting to look your finest? If you do, you could be
struggling with pride. Vanity makes you want to flaunt your body. You hope that
everyone will admire you and be in awe of you. God wants us to take care of our
bodies. But real beauty comes from within, not from our outward appearance.
Ask God to help you with the
struggle of vanity and seek His forgiveness. Ask Him to help you revere and
fear Him and shine like Him from within.
“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is
vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
— Proverbs 31:30 (ESV)
Unteachable. You are prideful if you do not listen to someone who is rebuking you, trying to teach you, or giving you advice. You have the mentality that you know everything, no one knows more than you do, and you do not need anyone’s advice. Therefore, you disregard all teachings and the counsel of others. You have an unteachable spirit.
If you struggle with this sin,
seek God’s forgiveness. Ask God to give you a teachable and humble heart, help
you become a more attentive listener, and not get angry when someone rebukes
you or gives you advice.
“Poverty and disgrace come to him
who ignores instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is honored.”
—Proverbs 13:18 (ESV)
Belittling. You are prideful if you belittle others. You will point out other people’s flaws and not look at your own. By focusing on other people’s flaws, one can feel better about oneself and boost one’s ego. You tend to have feelings of resentment towards others who are more successful than you are, and you will verbally attack, belittle, or make snide or dismissive comments about them.
If you are struggling with this
pride, ask God to forgive you, to help you be kind to others, to be glad and
thankful for those who are doing well and are successful, and ask Him to help
you not to compare yourself to others and be content with where He has placed
you in your life.
“Whoever belittles his neighbor
lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.”
— Proverbs 11:12 (ESV)
If you struggle with this pride, ask God to help you overcome being defensive and seek His forgiveness. Ask him to help you to be patient, kind, humble, and self-controlled.
“…let every person be quick to
hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;”
— James 1:19
Unforgiving. You are prideful if you are not willing to forgive those who have offended you or hurt you. You are more focused on carrying your burden of excess baggage of pain and hurt from the past than on God. You have allowed the weight of bitterness to capture your heart. You are holding onto past resentments, past let-downs, unjust dealings, or overlooked efforts and accomplishments, unresolved wounds of the heart, rejection, hurtful words, money owed to you, and the list goes on and on.
We are commanded in Scripture to
forgive others (Mark 11:25). But, forgiving someone does not mean you condone
their behavior or actions; it means you have placed that burden that has been
lying upon your heart into Jesus' hands. The burden of unforgiveness weighs
heavily on the heart. You cannot forgive someone on your own who has deeply
hurt you; you must surrender all your pain and hurt over to God.
Ask God to heal your heart from the pain and hurt you are enduring and seek His forgiveness for the bitterness or hatred that may reside inside your heart. Surrender all to Him and ask Him to help you to forgive those who have offended or hurt you and set you free, and God restore you to wholeness for His glory. Extend grace and choose to love instead of hate and set yourself free. Free to move forward from the burden of bitterness and an unforgiving heart and draw closer to Him.
“For if you forgive others their
trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not
forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses.”
— Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV)
Prejudism. A proud person will not associate with people who are different. They are prejudiced and judgmental against those who are different in appearance, have different lifestyles, or different viewpoints, or are of a different race, or different religion, or have different political stances.
Ask God for forgiveness, and help
you have a supernatural love for everyone, and be an example of Christ.
“But if you show partiality, you
are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
—James 2:9
Jealousy. You are prideful if you are envious of others who have wonderful things, have outstanding accomplishments, or good fortunes. You get jealous, bitter, and upset over their successes, and you will belittle or criticize them.
Ask God for forgiveness and to
cleanse your heart from all jealousy. Surrender it all into His hands and ask
Him to help you overcome this sin and be content with what He has blessed you
with.
“For where jealousy and selfish
ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.”
—James 3:16 (ESV)
Fear. Are you fixated on
your insecurities and your fears? Do you have a fear of trying new things or a
fear of stepping out of your comfort zone? Pride can be the root of our fears
and anxieties refusing to trust in God. If insecurities and fear have a hold of
your heart, you are struggling with pride. Your primary focus is on yourself,
and not on God. These insecurities and fears will rob you of any precious
blessings God might have in store for you. Do not be fixated on yourself and
your fear; instead, be focused on God. Rely on His strength and His power to
help you overcome the obstacles the enemy has laid in your path. God has called
each of us to a role and path that brings Him glory, not ourselves. If we trust
in Him, He will equip us with what He has called us to do.
Ask God for forgiveness, and to
help you stay focused on Him, and to give you the strength and courage to
overcome your fears and insecurities.
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help
you,
I will uphold you with my righteous
right hand.
—Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)
Inconsiderate. Are you inconsiderate towards others? Do you fail to think about how your actions might affect other people? Are you always late for work or meetings? Does someone else have to pick up your slack at work? Do you fail to complete things you have agreed to do? If you say yes to any of these things, you are dealing with a pride issue. An inconsiderate person tends to be self-centered. They expect other people to wait on them, complete their job tasks, or accommodate their needs, time, and desires.
The Lord calls us to care about
the needs of others and to be considerate towards others. However, our actions
and words do impact others. We must do unto others as we would have them do
unto us. We must be respectful and mindful of others.
Ask God to show you any areas in
your life where you are being inconsiderate towards others. Ask God for forgiveness
and ask the people you have been inconsiderate towards for forgiveness.
“And as you wish that others would
do to you, do so to them.”
— Luke 6:31 (ESV)
Refusing to Serve Others. A
prideful person will refuse to serve others. They think they are above others.
They believe their own needs far exceed others' needs. They feel that serving
others is a menial task or will disregard the needs of others. We are told in 1
Peter 4 to use our gifts to serve others.
Ask God for forgiveness, extend
love towards others, ask Him to show you where He wants you to serve, and be an
example of Him.
“As each has received a gift, use
it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:”
— 1 Peter 4:10 (ESV)
Unapologetic. None of us is perfect, and we are all certain to make mistakes in our lives. However, an excessively prideful person will not admit when they have made a mistake nor apologize to a person when they are in the wrong. They do not want to tarnish their self-image. They have let pride grip their heart, and to apologize, in their eyes, would be a sign of weakness and imperfection.
If you struggle with this prideful
sin, ask God for forgiveness. Ask Him to help you tear down this excessive,
prideful wall that you have surrounding yourself, and to be humbler and more
obedient. Apologizing to others humbles our hearts, and it is a good reminder
that none of us is perfect, and we all need forgiveness from God and from
others.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord,
and he will exalt you.”
—James 4:10
Cynicism. Being cynical is
a negative, prideful attitude. You constantly distrust others and their
motives. Cynics pride themselves on not being fooled or deceived. They are
often very harshly critical of others, use pessimism to condemn others, are
fault-finders, and are sarcastic. They view themselves as more discerning and
more insightful than others and do not give God the credit for any insight or
wisdom they have received from Him. Due to their distrust of others, they miss
out on God's blessings and possible meaningful relationships.
If you struggle with this prideful attitude, ask God for forgiveness and to help you have a supernatural love for people, to help you not to be overly cynical, harshly critical of others, and to place your trust in Him.
“Trust in the Lord with all your
heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
—Proverbs 3:5
Self-Pity. Self-pity is a prideful behavior that focuses on yourself and not God. The center of your life is your personal struggles and how the world has wronged you, or that no one cares about you, and what happens to you -” Woe is me.” But God does care for you, and He wants to be the center of your life and be the chief focus of your life. Rest your struggles in His care.
Ask God to reveal any unseen roots
of self-pity in your heart and seek His forgiveness. Trust in God that He will
work everything for the good and be grateful for all the blessings God has
given you.
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for
you.”
—1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)
Spiritual Pride. This type
of pride focuses on oneself. Spiritual pride is considered one of the most
harmful sins in faith. Spiritual pride can lead to one’s downfall. People who
are spiritually prideful brag about their biblical wisdom, all the good things
that they do, and their spiritual strength and godliness. They have a
holier-than-thou attitude and a judgmental attitude towards others. They are
defensive when rebuked or corrected. Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee in Luke 18
is a good example of spiritual pride.
If you struggle with spiritual
pride, seek God’s forgiveness and ask Him to help you be humbler and to stay
focused on Him.
“The Pharisee, standing by himself,
prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners,
unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I
give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would
not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be
merciful to me, a sinner!’”
— Luke
18:11-13 (ESV)
References:
ESV Bible https://www.esv.org/
Bible Gateway Resource https://www.biblegateway.com/
Three Images created
with Open AI ChatGPT and some ideas for written content assisted by AI using OpenAI's ChatGPT, a language model developed
by OpenAI.
One image was created with Adobe AI and Adobe Photo Shop.
One stock image from https://pixabay.com/
“Narcissism.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers., https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=Narcissism. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.
“Pride.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers., https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=Pride . Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
“Self-pity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-pity. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
“30 MANIFESTATIONS OF PRIDE”. Margaret. Blog post. Aug. 15, 2015
https://ministryinwords.wordpress.com/2015/08/15/30-manifestations-of-pride/
“50 Forms of Pride.” Pastoral Staff. Grace Church. Greenville, SC; Jan 17, 2020.
https://grace.sc/resources/articles/pride/
GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/.
