SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1289

“The Pride of Life”

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. – 1 John 2:16

I take pride in my work. I am proud to have served my country in the US Navy. I am proud of my children and grandchildren. So where do you draw the line between good pride and the pride of life that God’s Word calls sin?

The line is crossed when we consider ourselves better than others.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. – Philippians 2:3

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? – Matthew 7:3

The pride of life is self-exalting and boastful. We see ourselves as a king when we are a mere pawn. Jesus taught a parable that illustrates this.

Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off… beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. – Luke 18:10-14

Our reference Scripture states that the pride of life is from the world. It is inexorably linked with the lust of the eyes and of the flesh. This triple threat of sin is found first in the Garden of Eden when Eve was tempted by the devil.

For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. So, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. – Genesis 3:5-6

We are tempted with the triple threat of sin through the advertising that we are subjected to at every turn from billboards to television and social media targeted ads.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. – 1 John 2:15

The pride of life takes on different characteristics: It can be boasting about a title, political position, pedigree, net worth, number of patents or books published.

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth, a stranger, and not your own lips; As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. – Proverbs 27:2; James 4:16

Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. – Proverbs 16:5

It can be the judgmental and covetous attitude of a single income parent toward those families with dual incomes and many possessions.

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” – Luke 12:15

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic…- James 3:14-16

The pride of life is evident in the heart of a Christian who is self-righteous and considers others as ‘less spiritual’.

For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself; Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. – Galatians 6:3; 1 Corinthians 10:12

For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. – 2 Corinthians 10:18

How do we defend against the pride of life? To put it simply: we must die to this world. When we are baptized in Christ Jesus, we symbolize our death to this world and our resurrection into a new life as Jesus’ disciple.

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. – Galatians 6:14; Romans 6:4

This is not a once and done battle. The struggle is real, and it is a daily denial of the flesh and walking in the abiding presence of Jesus.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. – Luke 9:23

This Easter season, reflect on how Jesus, fully God and fully man, was subjected to the same temptations while in the wilderness following His baptism and yet He remained true to His mission setting an example for us to also deny the flesh, take up our cross and follow Him.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. – Philippians 2:5-8