Church of God and Saints of Christ

Posted By Ministers of the Gospel on December 4, 2009

Woe unto them that hath pride and  those that be  of  a proud spirit. Hath God granted his people permission to be proud? Before we start, let us all pray to receive the spirit of Apollos.

The scripture tells us in Acts 18:24-26 “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.  This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.  And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly” .

Thank God that he had listened to them. For it says in Proverbs 9:9 “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning”. I pray that his spirit may be upon us all.

First of all, let us look into the meaning of the word proud which is  arrogant, full of or characterized by excessive pride or self esteem, overbearing, haughty. Also let us look up the word pride, which means undue sense of one’s own superiority, arrogance and conceit.  Proud and pride are synonyms, they are spelled differently but they both have the same meaning.  Therefore the answer to the question is nay.

Now let us ask God (search the scriptures) for the perfect answer.  He tells us in Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate”. If God says he hates pride; how can we come behind God and say it is alright to be of a pride spirit: when God has condemned it? Do we know more than God?  The scripture says in Acts 5:29 that we ought to obey God rather than men. Also the scriptures tell us in I John 2:16, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”.

Now, some may say you can be proud in the spirit and not proud in the flesh. This is confusion. You cannot separate them because they are the same. For the scripture says in Ecclesiatis 7:8 “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit”. The scripture says  “it is plain to them that believe”. The scripture  tells us again that because the Preacher was wise he sought out acceptable words. Why do we keep on challenging God’s word? To give us better understanding , it tells us in Proverbs 16: 5 “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished”.  Says in Proverbs 29:23 “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit”.

So then, therefore to have pride and to be proud is not honourable. and are  not acceptable words in God’s eyesight.  We should avoid speaking of such behaviour as if it is alright.  Now let me tell you why was Lucifer (Satan) cast out of heaven, because of pride (Isaiah 14:12-14).  Also remember how God gave Nebuchadnezzar a heart of a beast for seven years because of his pride , read (Daniel 4:37).

Above all, don’t forget what it says in Jeremiah 50: 31-32 “Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.  And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him  .  Let us not forget Malachi 4:1 “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch”.  Psalms 119:21 “Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments”.

Now, if you really want to know how bad it is to be of a proud spirit, listen it  says in Romans 1:29-30 “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents”. Also Proverbs 21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. Above all, don’t forget Proverbs 6: 16-17 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.

We hear the word “proud ” used so much in the world by educators, politicians, executives, professional athletes but does it make it right? Sometimes you may hear a person say  you must take pride in yourself. But God says in Proverbs 28:26, He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. So what the person said about  taking pride in yourself was wrong.  Again you may hear people say I am proud of my job, home, accomplishments, rewards, my church, car, and other things.  The scripture says in Psalms 12: 3-4 ” The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?”

Again Psalms 10: 4 “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts”.  That’s why they say words out of their mouths which displease God. But God tells us in Ecclesiates 12:10  “The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth”.

So then, what words should we use instead of “proud” or “pride”? Here are a few suggestions such as glad, happy, delighted, blessed, thankful, excited, grateful, very pleased, and other good words. Now, let us be obedient children and say what the Lord wants us to say  and not what the world wants us to say. For as the scripture says in Acts 5: 29 “we ought to obey God rather than men” .

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