Pride Has No Place In a Christian’s Life

James 4:6-12

We live in a world where pride is viewed as desirable, as demonstrated by the saying, “If you don’t have pride, you’ve got nothing.” The Bible gives a different perspective of pride. Proverbs 6:16-18 lists seven things God hates. First on the list is “a proud look.” Verse 5 of the same chapter warned, “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”


Mark 7:21- 23 lists pride as an evil thing which makes a man worthless to God. Psalm 10:4 says it is what causes a man to refuse to turn to God. “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.” Solomon defined service to God as hating evil. As a result he lists pride and arrogance as two things he hated 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.”

Since God so hates pride, and deliberately destroys it, as both scripture and history tell us, but supports the humble, James advises that we set aside our pride and yield to God, allowing him to have his way. In doing so, we prevent the devil gaining influence, forcing him to flee because God occupies our heart. As Galatians 5:16 states, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Satan doesn’t exert much influence on those he has fled from.

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:6-7)

In acts 17:24-31 Paul spoke to the Athenians about how God had created the world, and provided every need of man, establishing the various empires. Acts 17:27 states God’s intent, “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.” I Timothy 2:4 tells us that God wants every man to come to him. “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” Though this is God’s desire, he will not hold the door open forever. Isaiah 55:6 advises, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:”

God has given us freedom to come to him. Hebrews 4:15-16 says Christ understands and wants us to come. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” James promises God’s blessings as a result.

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:8-10)

I will probably never forget hearing a preacher talk about hating the way people used Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” to imply it was wrong to condemn them. After all, John 7: 24 commanded. “judge righteous judgment,” making us responsible to judge them. His message completely ignored many verses like Luke 6:37, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” As Romans 2:1 says, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.”

Romans 14:4 asks who gave us the authority to judge God’s children. “Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.” They have to answer to God, not to us. In judging fellow Christians, James says we usurp God’s authority.

“Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” (James 4:11-12)

Instead of judging others, we need to examine the effects of our own actions according to Romans 14:13. “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.” Judgment of other things can wait until God makes it clear what the person was supposed to do. I Corinthians 4:5 commands, “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”