The sin of ‘pride’ must be one of the most formidable opponents to the Christian faith. Show me someone who rejects the free offer of the gospel and I will show you someone who is full of pride. The opposite virtue is ‘humility,’ and this must be the greatest friend or ally to the Christian faith. Show me someone who embraces the gospel and I will show you someone whose heart is full of humility.
The sin of ‘pride’ does not allow someone to accept correction, rebuke, and a willingness to come to repentance and seek forgiveness. The sin of ‘pride’ is praises ‘self’ and is full of self-righteousness. The sin of ‘pride’ places self on a pedestal and fails to see their own unworthiness. The sin of ‘pride’ unless overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit, is the one sin, perhaps more than any other, that could so easily lead people to be lost for an eternity. When one considers the sin of ‘pride’ it is not too difficult to realize that ‘pride’ has no place in the Christian life.
Scripture has some great examples of people who were humble. Numbers 12:3 says this about Moses, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” [NIV]. Showing genuine humility doesn’t mean you are weak, for Moses wasn’t weak. Being humble means being small in your own eyes. When God was going to wipe out His disobedient people and promising to make Moses a great nation, Moses immediately intercedes, reminding God of his covenant promises to Abraham. God then God relented and did not bring on the people the disaster He had threatened.
Another great example of showing humility was John the Baptist. The Lord Jesus declared that he was a burning and shining light (John 5:35). In John 1:16-28; the Jews thought that John the Baptist was possibly the Messiah and were ready to honour him with that title. However, John quickly puts those thoughts to rest. He speaks of himself as nothing more than a voice crying in the wilderness who baptized with water. The truth of the matter was that someone far greater than himself was standing amongst them, one whose shoes he was unworthy to lose.
Of course, the greatest example is Christ himself. Paul captures it well in Philippians 2:5-11. The very Creator of all things comes to us in the form of a human being. He willingly becomes the servant amongst us, washing the disciples’ feet, suffering ridicule and scorn for us, even dying on a cross to save us from the wrath of God for our sins.
If we profess to be Christians, let us strive to be like Moses or John the Baptist and like Christ himself. It would be beneficial for our souls to study humility for this is a grace with which we all must begin if we are to be saved unto eternal life in glory. We may not all have the same gifts, but none of us has an excuse not to be humble. One day, when we are on our death-beds and preparing to meet the Judge, aside from faith in Christ, humility will be our greatest friend as we see our many imperfections in the face of His perfection and nail-scarred hands.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our pride and make us humble by the power of your Holy Spirit before it is too late. Amen. JZ