Excessive pride is everywhere condemned in scripture. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” and “blessed are the meek,” and “blessed are the pure in heart” all have in their inner parts, a denunciation of pride. For instance, you can’t have inordinate pride and be poverty-stricken in spirit; you can’t have meekness, strength under control, and excessive pride at the same time; and you certainly can’t have a pure heart when you think too highly of yourself.

Just what is pride, anyhow? Actually there are three Greek words in your New Testament which are translated with our word “pride.” The first (alozonia) is used in I John 2:15, and is indicative of the “pride of life” in the King James Version and the New King James Version, or “boastful pride of life” in the New American Standard Version, or even “the pride in possessions” in the New English Version. The second is huper phania, and is used in Mark 7:22 as “haughty.” The third is tupho which means, according to Vine (p. 802), “lifted up with pride,” and is translated with the word “puffed up” in the KJV, “puffed up with conceit” in the NEV, “conceited” in the NASV. As you can see, the concepts, in all cases are essentially the same: great care must be given so as not to let legitimate self-respect degenerate in to arrogance, or disdainful conduct based on one’s exaggeration of his own self- worth.

Pride causes problems—mostly in relationships. You can’t name a relationship where pride is not a factor, nor can you name a problem in any of those relationships where pride does not play a contributing role.

For instance: Problems in marriage are almost always related to pride. Opinions suddenly become convictions when there is too much pride. One person says hurtful things. Rather than keeping quiet long enough for the problem to cool somewhat, there is a prideful retaliation. Then another. Then another. And so on, until there is a open breach. And it all started with pride.

I suggest, too, that the method for solving most marital difficulties begins with one, or preferably both parties sacrificing their own pride long enough for a new communication—one without the aforementioned pride—to take place. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for it” (Eph. 5:23) won’t allow for much pride. “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies,” doesn’t leave much room for arrogant self- worth, does it? And neither does “wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” Now when those things are not followed, what happens? Trouble, that’s what! And what is the reason, do you think? Pride, that’s what—just sheer pride.

Problems in local churches are nearly always caused, in some way or the other, by pride. One person’s pride causes a small dissension, just a little confrontation that amounts to nothing much. The reaction takes the form of a retaliation. There is talk, first just the mention, then a full-blown accusation of some sort. Then the sequence takes an odd turn: what started out as a disagreement becomes a doctrinal difference (even if you have to search hard to find one!). There usually follows an effort to gain a following. Then sides are drawn, trouble continues to cook. There is talk—from both “sides.” First thing you know there is a full-blown confrontation, and then, in far too many cases, a division. And why did it happen? Doctrine? No, pride dressed up like doctrine. That’s what caused it. “For I say to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.” (Rom. 12:3). If that simple imperative were to be followed carefully in local churches, there’s no telling how many problems could be eliminated. Most of them, methinks.

A certain amount of pride is important—even necessary. But pride is a delicate attribute. It has to be handled very carefully or it quickly deteriorates into arrogance, impudence, and division. Pride likes few things better than unrestricted independence. It’s just a fact: pride produces problems, if we’re not careful. Let us examine ourselves periodically to make sure that it doesn’t get the “upper hand” in our lives.

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