Should We Be Proud?

Notable and applicable verses on being proud:

"Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low; tread down the wicked in their place"  (Job 40:12, KJV).
"He is proud, knowing nothing..." (1 Tim. 6:4).
"Let the proud be ashamed, for they treated me wrongfully with falsehood..." (Psalm 119:78).
"God stands against the proud, but favors the humble"  (James 4:6b, CEB).
"The LORD detests all the proud of heart..." (Proverbs 16:5).
"Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin!"  (Prov. 21:4).
"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall"  (Prov. 16:18).
I shouldn't have to remind you that pride is one of the so-called Seven Deadly Sins of Roman Catholicism.

Paul said that he'd speak of nothing but of which Christ has accomplished through him in Romans 15:8.  The whole point of our achievements is that they amount to zilch in God's eyes:  "All our righteousness is as filthy rags..." (Isaiah 64:6).  Salvation in Christ is about God's accomplishment, not our achievement(s).  "To obey is better than sacrifice" as King Saul found out, who had manifold achievements, but only half-heartedly followed the LORD and disobeyed.  The point must be clear that God wants our OBEDIENCE (according to our opportunities and gifts),  not our achievements!

There is no place for boasting in God's presence nor in man's, because "apart from [Christ] we can do nothing" and all that we have accomplished, He has done through us (Isaiah 26:12). Bragging is a work of the flesh and has no place in the godly behavior.  That is another way of glorying in something, and all the glory goes to God unless He is sharing His glory.  Satan's sin was his pride (he lifted up his soul) and that was because he was proud in his estate, and he got booted out of heaven because of it.  God lists the sins that are an abomination to Him and that He hates in Proverbs 6:17:  "A proud look..." is mentioned first

Don't ever let God find pride in you because you will fall into the condemnation of the devil (he will probably say, "There you go, you're just like me!") and you will be severely disciplined by God if you are a believer, and punished in hell if you are not.  We do not deserve anything we have got or have achieved because if we only did it in our own strength, it is nothing:  "...' Not by power, nor by might, but by My Spirit,'  says the LORD Almighty" (Zech. 4:6).

There is a difference between taking pride in one's work and being proud or having pride.  We must do our work as unto the Lord, and our work doesn't define us, but how well we do it does.  This is the work ethic, that all work is to God's glory and work is not a curse but helps us become more like the image of Christ.  Galatians 6:4 says:  "Each person should test their own work and be happy with doing a good job and not compare themselves with others." When we are proud or boast we are comparing ourselves with others and setting up an artificial standard other than Christ.  The KJV says:  "Let every man prove his own work, then he shall have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another."  Being braggadocio is always sin but I'm not saying we think less of ourselves; we are to have good self-esteem and God-confidence too.

George Whitefield was asked what he thought of a man going to the gallows:  "There but for the grace of God, go I."  We are to think more highly of others not less of them and realize that we are all one in Christ.  He has leveled the playing field and we cannot boast, but we are blessed and should be thankful that God has made us a vessel of honor.  There is no place for an elite in Christianity, but we are one family and no one can say he has no need of another member.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Self-exaltation And Humility

Jesus said that whosoever exalts himself shall be humbled and whosoever humbles himself shall be exalted  (cf. Luke 14:11; Matt. 23:12).  "...humility comes before honor" (Prov. 15:33).  The Bible condemns selfish ambition, but not a spiritual Christ-oriented ambition in the Spirit.  Go ahead, attempt great things for God and believe great things for God--our God is big enough for all of us and our ambitions.

The problem with spiritual ambition is accomplishing it in the right way.  The brothers James and John thought that spiritual authority was theirs for the asking.  We are to serve in God's kingdom as Christ did--as servants.  "I have not come to be served, but to serve..." (Mark 10:45).  We are not Christ's buddies or sidekicks, but His servants and fellow-laborers in His kingdom.  John the Baptist had the right attitude when he enunciated:  "He must increase, I must decrease."  In God's economy, the way up is down (a paradox).  True greatness is not in how many people serve you, but in how many people you serve.

Paul had something to say about exaltation in Philippians 2 where he depicts Christ's humiliation or kenosis [Greek for "emptying"] and subsequent exaltation.  Christ was equal to God, yet could not fathom that, and humbled himself as a man, then as a servant, then went to die on a cross on our behalf though He did no wrong Himself.  He was born in a manger of poor parents (there was no room at the inn), and lived life as an itinerant preacher and when He died owned nothing except the clothes on His back.  He was exalted and glorified before birth as the Son of God, and He was shamed and humiliated by His ignominious death on a cross, meant for the worst of malefactors--not civilized people.  Christ expects no more from us than He did of Himself.  Our so-called crosses pale in comparison to His and His yoke is easy and His burden is light comparatively.

Peter said in 1 Peter 5:5 that "[God] opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."   He goes on (v. 6) to affirm that we should humble ourselves, "that he may lift [us] up [exalt us]  in due time."  "If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! (Prov. 30:32).   Or you are accused of speaking for God ex cathedra (to pontificate or speak from the chair literally) like the Pope does (we are not infallible, as he claims to be).

God knows our heart and who we are and has what is best in store for us if we simply trust and obey His Word. If Christ obliged himself to be humbled as a servant, to fulfill Scripture, how much more are we obliged.  In conclusion, let others exalt us and let's not toot our own horn ("lift up your horn on high," says Psalm75:5a), and promote ourselves, or even praise ourselves, but let others do it.

   Soli Deo Gloria!