Another form of pride is intellectual pride. The Bible says to those who suffer from this kind of spiritual delusion,
Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that
he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
— 1 Corinthians 8:1b–2
This kind of pride manifests itself in arrogance toward the unlearned, the illiterate, and the oppressed. It forgets that our mental capacities were given by God, and that the knowledge we attain is largely the labor of others. Is this a reason for intellectual arrogance? Paul said in Romans 12:16,
Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.
The Greek philosopher Plato (fourth century BC) once entertained some friends in a room where there was a richly ornamented couch. When Diogenes of Sinope entered Plato's house, he trampled upon his carpet, saying that he "trampled on the empty pride of Plato," to which Plato retorted, "How much arrogance are you displaying, O Diogenes! when you think that you are not arrogant all."1
Intellectual pride is too often the enemy of the gospel of Christ because it gives its possessor self-confidence rather than God-confidence. We read in Proverbs 3:5,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on
your own understanding.
But the intellectually proud are not like that. They like to put God in a test tube, and if He cannot be put in a test tube, then they cannot accept Him. They do not like to lean on Him and trust Him. They cannot understand that faith goes beyond learning, knowledge, and even reason, and accepts that which may not even appear logical to the mind. To have knowledge without faith is to use only half of your mind. The psalmist said in Psalm 111:10,
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
True religion, contrary to the conception of some, increases your intellect rather than distracts from it. Paul, himself an intellectual, said in Romans 12:2,
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
The kind of intellectual pride that is given to intolerance, bigotry, and smugness, God hates. God abhors intellectual pride. He says in Proverbs 26:12,
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for
a fool than for him.
Still another manifestation of pride is the pride of material things. Material possessions, like other blessings, flow from God. The Lord says in Deuteronomy 8:18,
And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives
you power to get wealth.
In 1 Chronicles 29:12 David said,
Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all.
- In material pride, self is enthroned instead of God. Secondary things are exalted to a place of first importance, and life gets out of balance.
The individual then begins to concentrate on what he or she has rather than on what he or she is in the sight of God, and the soul begins to shrivel. Material pride tends to make one covetous. The lust for money can be more habit-forming than the thirst for drink. We are warned in Psalm 62:10,
Do not trust in oppression, nor vainly hope in robbery; if riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
The Bible again warns in 1 Timothy 6:9,
Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
- All the material things that you have come from God.
The ability to accumulate wealth comes from God. The time you are allotted to enjoy material things comes from God. So why all this unjustified human pride of your possessions? James 1:17 teaches:
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.
You have absolutely nothing that you did not receive from God. He gave you the strength to work, a mind to think, and opportunities to thrive. It all came from God.
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Yes, the Bible teaches that pride is sin. Any kind of pride is a stumbling block to the Kingdom of God. The greatest sin that will keep men and women from the Kingdom of God is the sin of pride. Pride is the sin that God seemingly hates most.
What can you do about it? Confess your pride.
Humble yourself in the sight of God.
Come to the cross of Jesus Christ, and
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. — Philippians 2:5
No person will ever get to the Kingdom proudly. No individual can walk up to God with pride in his or her heart and be received. You can only come to God when you humble yourself, acknowledge your sin, and receive Jesus Christ as your Savior.
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