Pride

As an unfortunate result, like many other words having their meaning twisted and bent to the modern whims of society, the word pride has become something to celebrate. There is an element of truth in its usage today, but a focus on elevating a certain movement. Pride has now its own month of the year in which parades are held, protests are voiced, and policy is affected. However, have we forgotten the connotation of the word pride?

PRIDE, noun

1. Inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of one’s own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, rank or elevation in office, which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others.
2. Insolence; rude treatment of others; insolent exultation.
3. Generous elation of heart; a noble self-esteem springing from a consciousness of worth.
4. Elevation; loftiness.
5. Decoration; ornament; beauty displayed.
6. Splendid show; ostentation.
7. That of which men are proud; that which excites boasting.
8. Excitement of the sexual appetite in a female beast.
9. Proud persons.

This is pride defined in the dictionary of Noah Webster published in 1828. I often choose to seek definitions and meanings of words from an older source because of the rewriting and, frankly, political correctness to which our current culture is so well attuned.

As you can see, each of these meanings of the word pride connotate a rudeness to others or a selfish desire to puff oneself up but I repeat myself. In a minute I will show how this is one of the most dangerous things that we can do as an individual.

In 590 AD, Pope Gregory released his list of the seven deadly sins. After that, a list of virtues was taught to be practiced counterbalancing these temptations. I am no Catholic and I have a lot of issues with the teachings that they espouse. Honestly, most of the doctrinal teachings of the Catholic church are opposed to what Christ taught. I know that there are true bible-believing Christians in the ranks of the Catholic church as there are also in all denominations of protestant ministries. God speaks to the individual heart and that is what matters most.

This list of seven deadly sins with their countering virtues are as follows:

Sins	Virtues
Lust	Chastity
Gluttony	Temperance
Greed	Charity
Sloth	Diligence
Wrath	Patience
Envy	Kindness
Pride	Humility

I listed these because it is popular to say, “seven deadly sins” and miss the virtues. I will define virtue below again using the same dictionary.

VIRTUE, noun

1. Strength; that substance or quality of physical bodies, by which they act and produce effects on other bodies. In this literal and proper sense, we speak of the virtue or virtues of plants in medicine, and the virtues of drugs. In decoctions, the virtues of plants are extracted. By long standing in the open air, the virtues are lost.
2. Bravery valor.
3. Moral goodness; the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice, or a conformity of life and conversation to the moral law. In this sense, virtue may be, and in many instances must be, distinguished from religion. The practice of moral duties merely from motives of convenience, or from compulsion, or from regard to reputation, is virtue as distinct from religion. The practice of moral duties from sincere love to God and his laws, is virtue and religion. In this sense it is true,

That virtue only makes our bliss below.

VIRTUE is nothing but voluntary obedience to truth.

1. A particular moral excellence; as the virtue of temperance, of chastity, of charity.
2. Acting power; something efficacious.
3. Secret agency; efficacy without visible or material action.
4. Excellence; or that which constitutes value and merit.
5. One of the orders of the celestial hierarchy.
6. Efficacy; power.
7. Legal efficacy or power; authority. A man administers the laws by virtue of a commission.

As you look at the list of seven deadly sins, you can see some things there that almost look familiar. “Thou shall not…” Harkening back to the ten laws of the Mosaic texts or Ten Commandments as we are more familiar. How can a man or a woman attempt to follow these “laws?” Stay away from this and don’t do that… Even if we wanted to, we could not follow this strict way of life. This is the reason for Christ coming and shedding His blood for us. Because He is the only one who could. He is the only one who has ever lived up to God’s standard. The truth is that in today’s world, more and more people want to do what they want to do.

All the ways of a man [are] clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. – Proverbs 16:2

The point is this, when there is no basis of morality, everyone will do what he or she will. There is no right or wrong. Everything is subjective. If this is truth, then truth will fluctuate from person to person and situation to situation. How do you build a structure where each worker uses a different unit of measurement? One thing is for sure, the structure will undoubtably not be able to stand.

That brings us to today. We see all sort of different things taking place. How is it that there is so much inequality (or a specter of it) present in today’s culture? To some, stealing and burning others’ property is right. To others, pulling down monuments and attacking people is acceptable. While others show that having a hatred for someone who is a different shade of brown than they are legitimizes acts of violence or at the least graceless vengeance. In all three examples, there is a truth being acted upon. The problem is that the truth that is being acted out has a shifting foundation. You cannot reconcile these three truths. An unfortunate truth is that we will never all share the one Truth that stands unwavering.

For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold, and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable]. – 2 Timothy 4:3-4 Amplified

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. – John 14:6

Why is our world writhing in pain and destruction? If we do not hold to the Truth, we can expect war between our own fallible truths. This is part of the spiritual battle that is raging. It is the longest war in history at 6,000 years and counting. There are those who know and see the battle but there are also those who have no idea that there is a war taking place. Both types are on the battlefield but only one is engaged. This is dangerous. Do you feel the depression but don’t know why? Do you feel anger or hatred toward a person or people group but can’t justify it? This is the battle. You have been drafted for war. We all have.

Referring to the list above depicting sins and virtues, they can be condensed down to one sin and one virtue.

Sin	Virtue
Self	Love

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves. – Philippians 2:3 Amplified

Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us]. – 1 Corinthians 16:14 Amplified

An expanded list of sins…

Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:19-21 Amplified

And virtues…

But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23 Amplified

I am sure that we can all pick out at least one of the sins in that list that we have been guilty of in the past or currently. I, personally, can pick out four or five. The point is that we all have sinned and fall short of the standard of God (Romans 3:23). Also, notice that in the virtues it states that “against such things there is no law.” If we are practicing those virtuous things, we are not judged by the Mosaic law. It has no power over us.

If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.] – 1 John 1:8 Amplified

Now back to the list of sins in the table… Notice number seven. Pride.

This is a truly relevant sin for this time of year. June has been deemed pride month for the past several years in America. This time is celebrated by the LGBTQ+ community and is used for an opportunity to parade and protest for equality and recognition. Pride; however, does not equal sexual orientation in terms of meaning. Pride is the attitude that one exudes while living or identifying a certain way. Pride is a state of mind as my brother wrote recently. I would argue that the community behind this push is also a state of mind as there are no studies confirming biological or chemical reasons for an alternate lifestyle. It has been attributed to feelings, emotion, and lifestyle choice. I can see and respect that. Just know that when you choose to travel a selfish path you are exercising free will.

For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth, because that which is known about God is evident within them [in their inner consciousness], for God made it evident to them. For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made], so that they [who fail to believe and trust in Him] are without excuse and without defense. For even though they knew God [as the Creator], they did not honor Him as God or give thanks [for His wondrous creation]. On the contrary, they became worthless in their thinking [godless, with pointless reasonings, and silly speculations], and their foolish heart was darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God for an image [worthless idols] in the shape of mortal man and birds and four-footed animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their own hearts to [sexual] impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin], because [by choice] they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

For this reason God gave them over to degrading and vile passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural [a function contrary to nature], and in the same way also the men turned away from the natural function of the woman and were consumed with their desire toward one another, men with men committing shameful acts and in return receiving in their own bodies the inevitable and appropriate penalty for their wrongdoing.

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive, until they were filled (permeated, saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice and mean-spiritedness. They are gossips [spreading rumors], slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors [of new forms] of evil, disobedient and disrespectful to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful [without pity]. Although they know God’s righteous decree and His judgment, that those who do such things deserve death, yet they not only do them, but they even [enthusiastically] approve and tolerate others who practice them.

Romans 1:18-32 Amplified

The real and dangerous problem with pride is that it will act as a hot iron. This, I argue, is the deadliest sin. The more that pride comes in and puffs up with whatever other sins that are occurring, the more one’s conscience is seared as with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2). You start to be less and less sensitive to the protection that God supplies with the Holy Spirit calling to you and those who are sent by the unction of the Holy Spirit to intercede. You become numb. Is there pleasure? Yes! But only for a season. Then the judgement comes. It will come in the form of broken dreams, broken families, and ultimately death.

Then when the illicit desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin has run its course, it gives birth to death. – James 1:15 Amplified

To celebrate “pride month” is to ultimately celebrate death. It would be no different than to announce a “murderer month” or a “pedophile month.” Have parades celebrating those who have murdered or exploited children in their past and proudly identify as such. We are starting to see even the latter of the two examples being nudged into the realm of psychological disorder. Next it will be discriminatory to deny them their free will in such activities and identification. There is a pattern. The decline of a society always normalizes the same activities that were repulsive culturally in the past.

I know that this has been a long and verbose post, but I have been thinking on the subject of pride for a while now and felt compelled to share. I know that many have not made it to the end of this. Maybe it was a case of tl;dr (too long; didn’t read) or possibly that it began to offend some. In the case of the latter, it may have proved 2 Timothy 4:4. If you have read to this point, I commend you and thank you for your time. God speaks through His Holy Spirit and inspires His people to warn those who are in danger. I hope that I have been a good servant in relaying this message. With love.