How many times is pride mentioned in the Bible? (What does the Bible say about pride?)

Even as a born-again minister of the gospel, I still find it difficult to apologize. That’s mainly because I think I’m always right. This prideful attitude is completely annoying to my wife. Over the years, I’ve learned the art of humility, yet I still feel proud of the life I’ve built for my family. These conflicting ideas got me wondering; how does God feel about different types of pride, and how many times is pride mentioned in the Bible?

In this article, we will learn how pride affects our relationship with God and other interpersonal relationships in our lives. Join me as we explore the different types of pride and how they appear in the Bible.

What is pride in the Bible?

According to the Bible, pride sets in when someone thinks they’re better than others. Prideful persons think they are more deserving of good things, and this attitude causes them to look down on others. The Bible talks about the consequences of pride in Proverbs 11:2, where scriptures warn Christians about the shame that results from pride. The Bible also uses words such as arrogance, haughtiness, egotism, and conceit to mean pride. Proverbs 13:10 says that pride is the root of most conflicts. If you are not willing to seek advice when dealing with a sensitive issue, it is a sign of an inherent pride that often causes disaster.

That being said, the Bible does not always view pride negatively. When you are reasonably proud of your accomplishments or those of your loved ones, this is not a bad thing. Good pride shows a positive sense of self-confidence which is important for a successful ad healthy lifestyle. In the book of 2^nd Corinthians 7:4, the apostle Paul talks about taking pride in how strongly the Corinthians held on to their faith despite the many challenges.

What does the Bible say about pride?

There’s a certain kind of pride that thoroughly annoys God. Proverbs 8:13 lists several things that the Lord hates. These things include evil plots, arrogance, and a proud spirit. This refers to the kind of arrogance that stems from a conceited attitude. Self-righteous people are driven by pride to commit other sins, such as telling lies to protect their images.

The Bible teaches that it is Jesus who makes us righteous in the eyes of God. Psalms 104:4 illustrates how pride gets in the way of worshipping God and relying on His goodness. This scripture teaches that proud people are self-centered and unwilling to recognize the power of God over their lives. That’s why coedited people are always bragging about their accomplishments instead of giving God the glory He deserves.

The word of God encourages believers to adopt a spirit of humility in everything they do. This is emphasized in Mathew 5:5, where the Bible clearly states that God’s favor is readily available to those who are humble in spirit. This is evident in James 4:10, where the word urges Christians to humble themselves because it is the only way God will exalt them.

Instances of Pride in the Bible

Matthew 23:6-12

Some of the most conceited people in the Bible were the Jewish leaders during Jesus’ lifetime. That’s why they were among the first people to reject the gospel of the Kingdom of God as it was taught by Jesus Christ. They could not wrap their heads around the fact that someone else understood God’s will more than they did. This passage illustrates the pride exhibited by the Pharisees in public places and synagogues. These Jewish leaders demanded honor even though their actions were not always aligned with the word of God.

Galatians 6:3

It is dangerous to think more highly of yourself than you truly are. This scripture warns against the sin of lying to ourselves. We should always be aware of the weaknesses that accompany the sinful nature of human beings. The only way to overcome our shortcomings is to recognize them and seek God’s help through Jesus Christ.

Isaiah16:6

The prophet Isaiah talks about the arrogance of the people of Moab. These people hated the Israelites and would constantly mock them. They did not think that the God of Israel could overpower them. The Moabites put their faith in their riches. The Bible tells us that all their bragging was in vain because took away their wealth and humbled them severely.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

As mentioned earlier, there are certain instances when pride is a good thing. However, we must have the wisdom to know the difference. The prophet Jeremiah gives a great example of this by telling believers that they should not boast too much about their wisdom and abilities. Instead, they should boast about knowing God and understating His will.

1 John 2:16

Certain attitudes pull us further from the nature of God. According to John, the pride of life is one of them. This is when you accomplish so much in your life that you start thinking that you don’t need God. In doing this, Christians gave room to sins of the flesh and other evils.

Galatians 6:4

This bible verse talks about self-worth and self-awareness. Here, Christians are encouraged to take stalk of their actions. If those actions are aligned with the will of God, they can be proud of themselves. The scripture state that it is pointless to compare ourselves with others.

Isaiah 23:9

In this stern warning, Isaiah notifies the believers that the day is coming when God will humble the lofty and arrogant people in society.

James 4:6

God is never pleased with the selfish actions of proud people. His intentions toward the proud come out clearly in this verse. God’s grace and favor are available to the humble. However, the Bible says that God will contend with conceited people at every turn.

Philippians 2:3

A common characteristic among the proud is toxic ambition and selfishness. In this verse, the Bible urges Christians to be selfless in everything they do. It also emphasizes the need to value others and consider their needs before our own.

Psalm 44:11

The Psalmist is great at thanksgiving and worship. He constantly writes about God’s love, protection, and glory. In this particular verse, the word of God speaks about the joy of taking pride in God. The almighty God is a great father, which is why we should always boast about Him and give Him all our praise.

Different Forms of Pride in the Bible

Self-exaltation

The first toxic type of pride manifests when people are overly focused on their accomplishments. Self-exaltation is rampant among elite performers such as athletes or movie stars (not all of them). These types of people continuously talk about their prowess to the point of annoying others. Some brilliant scientists have been known to refer to themselves as “the smartest” in the world. Such an attitude leaves little room to give God gratitude since he is the giver of all the talents we enjoy.

Self-promotion

Self-promoters are so proud that they don’t wait for you to praise them naturally. They constantly demand praise from other people, such as friends and family. They like to be the center of attention even when others have done equally impressive things. Again, this kind of attitude can cause you to forget that you still need God for your next victory.

Pride in others

This type of pride is not as bad as the ones mentioned above. When your child performs well in school, you are inclined to take pride in that. When Christians behave well in the world, God is also proud of that. This is illustrated in the book of God when God boasts about his faithful servant Job. You can read this in Job 1: 8.

Consequences of Pride in the Bible

The Bible is very clear about the consequences of pride. In Proverbs 16;18, Christians learn about the downfall that often comes after pride. Several other scriptures mentioned earlier teach that pride is a recipe for disaster.

Arrogant people rarely accept correction, even when they are wrong. This has a negative toll on interpersonal relationships among friends and family members. The inability to recognize one’s mistakes can cause you to lose a valuable person, such as a husband or a wife.

Pride also triggers God’s anger. The proud tend to do sinful things such as gossiping or mistreating others. Conceited people are also reckless in their speech, which can stir up God’s anger, as seen with the Moabites in Isaiah 16:6-8.