Pride – Self Idolatry

The cycle of pride

Insecurity >> Need for external validation>> Believe in the false external validation>>Pride>>Self-Idolatry>>Narcissism >>Demonic Operation>>Cult Leader

This is a sin that sets us up, for a confrontation with God, it is at the top of the list of the sins God hates i.e. haughty eyes

There are six things that the Lord hates,seven that are an abomination to him:
   haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,  a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,  a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. Proverbs 6: 16-9

I have seen this sin manifest differently in our society, and it is normally the hardest to identify and call out. This is because a proud person does not know that they are proud, it is only when the motive behind their actions has been examined carefully through God’s word will their actions point to self-idolatry. The sin the devil was first guilty of was pride

Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings Ezekiel 28:17

It is easy to identify pride that comes from reputation, beauty, wealth, affluence, success, family name, education background and career. There is a healthy pride that comes for example from the school or family you come from, the problem is when this things define a person . If these things are used to cover up our insecurities, this always leads to pride, which if left unchecked leads to full blown narcissism.

The bible divides pride into two categories, pride because of material things and pride because of spiritual things i.e. self-righteousness

Material Pride

Hezekiah received the envoys and showed them all that was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices and the fine olive oil—his armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them. 2 Kings 20:13

Hezekiah carelessly allowed a Babylonian envoy access to visit all of his treasures, weapons, and goods. Isaiah prophesied that this people, the Babylonians, would one day take away the sons of Hezekiah to Babylon . Second Chronicles 32:25-26 called this an act of pride on Hezekiah’s behalf, though v. 26 notes, “But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.”

I normally discourage people from posting their success on social media, although there is always the possibility that their motive is not to show off (but remember the heart is deceitful).  I will always ask.. are you looking for external validation? will you be ok if you get zero likes? why take the risk? why take credit for the work of God in your life, the words ‘glory to god’ at the end of a post will not erase the pride in your heart or hoodwink the one who searches the hearts and minds of man.

Wait for God’s time, God has a way of glorifying himself, through your life at the right time..he always exalts the humble.

 Spiritual Pride

Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else. “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers – or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’  The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’  I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts he will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14

Self-righteousness is pride that is based on one’s good works. It is confidence in self, or what Paul calls the flesh. This kind of pride is most common with Christians and religious people, the Galatians and Philippians are a good example

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:  circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;  as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless…. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. Philippians 3:4-9

When you look at yourself in the mirror what do you see? Do you see a sinner who has been saved by grace and is now a son, or do you see a righteous self?

I’m training myself, to count myself as one of those who are unrighteous, adulteress and the tax collectors so I can qualify for the grace of God through the blood of Jesus. Remember he came to save the sinner, I therefore know what I deserve -death, and that I’m no better than a pimp, murderer or thief, only the blood of Jesus separate’s me from that past, therefore I have no reason to boast.

 When we look at the cross we should always remember.. that is what we deserved, the cross is the only route to having genuine humility.

Symptoms of spiritual pride

In the article the narrow road I cover a few things that are indicators of spiritual pride. Spiritually proud people are always the first to cast a stone, they are judgmental and always the last ones to extend grace to those who fall short. They also require external validation therefore, advertise their ‘good works’, because their commendation comes from man and not God.

Proud people are unable to apologies because in their eyes they are not able to make a mistake. This also makes them unteachable, and unable to learn from their mistakes

Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.  John 12:42-43

Finally, prideful people are entitled and easily get wounded when exposed; at the core of the condition known as narcissistic disorder is pride. The folly of Lucifer, was that he wanted to be worshiped by other angels, in fact he went as far as asking Jesus to worship him in exchange for the kingdoms of this world. That is why the defining character of a narcissist is what psychologists call narcissistic supply i.e. the need to be worshiped. A narcissist is always looking for followers, to buy into their twisted believe systems that put them at the center of it. A study of Cult leaders of the last century, has consistently concluded that they were all extremely narcissistic e.g. Charles Manson, Hitler, Stalin

The Power of HUMILITY

I once worked as part of a team that ministered to prisoners in Nairobi, the thing that puzzled me is how we prayed and witnessed murders, rapists and violent thieves set free. Their court processes would supernaturally be dismissed or brought to conclusion; the innocent on the other hand remained more often than not in the same state we found them bitter, entitled and resentful.  The difference between this two set of prisoners was, humility. The guilty prisoners did not have a spirit of entitlement; they humbled themselves before God and genuinely repented and asked for forgiveness. I still marvel when I recall those encounters, it turned my theology upside down and taught me the power of humility.

My experience is backed up with scripture, I can’t recall a story in the bible where God rejected a humble sinner, in fact  there is King called Ahab, who had murdered God’s prophets and turned Israel to baal worship, including the practice of sacrificing children, he was  the benchmark of sin in the bible

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.” 1 Kings 21:27-29

Truly our God is merciful, there is no sin he cant forgive

“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.  None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.  Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? Ezekiel 18:21 -23