Pride

Three symptoms of pride include (1) lying to protect our self-image; (2) competitiveness; (3) believing our personal ideas are more valuable than God's Truth.

John Reid asserts that God hates pride and presumptuous self-sufficiency but loves the person who is humble and trembles at His word (Isaiah 66:2). Satan is the father of pride. Pride consists of emphasizing our own personal endowments, accomplishments, or. . .

Atonement, when we are commanded to afflict our souls through fasting, is a time of self-evaluation and repentance. This is the only way to have real unity with God.

The intent of fasting is to deflate our pride—the major taproot of sin—the biggest deterrent to a positive relationship with God. Humility heals the breach.

God wants us to walk—live our lives—by faith, but our pride and vanity frequently get in the way. Critically, pride causes us to reject God and His Word.

The sin of pride underlies many of our other sins, and it is often the reason for the contentions we get into as brethren. John Ritenbaugh looks at the origins of pride and shows how it manifests itself in us.

John Ritenbaugh, affirming that one synonym of pride is arrogance or inordinate self-esteem, suggests that the woman riding the Beast in Revelation 17:9 is none other than the arrogant super power America (or modern Israel), unable to control its wealth, u. . .

People resist God because of their pride, but pride can be neutralized by humility, a character trait that allows a person to submit to God and have a relationship with Him. John Ritenbaugh provides many examples to reveal that God wants us to evaluate our. . .

Bill Onisick, identifying humility as the gateway character trait to God's Kingdom, focuses on the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, contrasting pride and humility. Any time we feel prompted to exalt ourselves, we demonstrate Satan's spirit of prid. . .

Self-exaltation was one of the sins that got Satan in trouble—and we certainly do not want to follow his lead! Conversely, we are to humble ourselves so God can exalt us in due time.

Because we are human—and want to be seen in a good light by others—we try to project an image of ourselves that people will like and respect. John Ritenbaugh explains that, unfortunately, the image we project is often based in pride. The Old Te. . .

John Ritenbaugh, affirming that God's Word is a discerner of the innermost thoughts of the heart, assures us that God, in His supreme sovereignty, has an awareness of each and every one of us. In our natural, carnal state, we are full of pride, wearing it . . .

The two men who go to the Temple to pray contrast in character, belief, and self-examination. Martin Collins shows that, although this parable involves prayer, it is not as much about how to pray as it is about how to be justified before God.

Bill Onisick, reflecting on grandiose, prideful building projects that have terminated because of cost overruns, cautions us to carefully count the cost of our spiritual building project. We are God's building, God's field, and fellow laborers with God on . . .

Pride is a perverted comparison that elevates one above another. Because of its arrogant self-sufficiency, it hinders our faith. Faith depends on humility.

Austin Del Castillo, recalling an incident earlier in his life when he allowed his pride at being the only college graduate on his crew to lead him to take his job less seriously or diligently than he should have, examines the destructive, corrosive effect. . .

The hallmark of Christian character is humility, which comes about only when one sees himself in comparison to God. Pride makes distorted comparisons.

John Ritenbaugh teaches that pride is the basis of resistance against God while humility is the vital key of forming a relationship with God. Pride is the father of all other sins and always leads to the production of the more easily recognizable sins. Pri. . .

Richard Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the popular song, "My Way," (popularized by Frank Sinatra) warns that God's Called-out ones should never emulate the haughty and self-willed attitude this song glorifies. God created us in His image, giving us th. . .

Ted Bowling, focusing on Psalm 8, marvels along with David about the majesty of God's Creation and the seeming insignificance of man in its vastness. Mankind, having been created in God's image, possessing a modicum of God-like abilities, has the awesome p. . .

David Grabbe, contending with the popularly held assumption that the days preceding Christ's return would be characterized by near-apocalyptic, cataclysmic disaster, points to the Scriptures that people will be eating, drinking, and marrying as in the days. . .

John Ritenbaugh suggests that competition is the root cause of all war, business takeovers, and marital discord. Carl Von Clausewitz observed that war is nothing more than politics brought to the battlefield. Evolution has glorified competition, enshrining. . .

Richard Ritenbaugh warns that individuals arrogating to themselves the authority to change doctrine are on extremely dangerous ground, presumptuously or boldly setting up idols in place of God. We dare not put words into God's mouth. The work of God in the. . .

John Ritenbaugh cautions that pride represents arrogating to self something that has been given to us. God gives gifts. Others invest in us. We presumptuously take the credit. Wealth, whether measured in dollars, knowledge, abilities, or spiritual gifts do. . .

Footwashing is the initial part of the Passover ceremony. Why did Christ institute it? What is its purpose?

In this sermon on spiritual cause and effect, John Ritenbaugh, using the old cliché, "You can't put the cart before the horse," reveals that there is a definite cause and effect, "reap what you sow" principle introduced in Genesis 2:16 . . .

Bill Onisick, recollecting a terrifying youthful experience when he was carried away by a riptide, draws a spiritual analogy from the warning given in Hebrews 2:1-3 that we resist the pernicious and insidious pulls of the world and the flesh. Our pride and. . .

In the previous essay, we learned that God, in His supreme wisdom and sovereignty, carves out a singular role for rejects, off-scourings, and castaways. ...

Genuine humility is one of the most elusive characteristics a person can attain. It consists of of self-respect accompanied by a genuine desire to serve.

We can easily slide quickly down the path of spiritual self-destruction when self-will becomes dominent in our lives. Our goal is to live by God's will, not our own!

In this follow-up sermon on the antidote to presumptuousness, Richard Ritenbaugh asserts that a person who is truly content is never presumptuous. Korah and Abiram were not contented with where God had placed them in the body, but, in a spirit of pride-fil. . .

Richard Ritenbaugh asserts that the epistle of James stresses both faith and works, emphasizing those factors necessary for growth, enabling us to produce a bountiful harvest of fruit. We are to exercise humility and impartiality, taking particular effort . . .

The peace that passes all understanding comes from yielding to God's will, asking Him for a soft, pliable heart to replace the hard heart of stubbornness.

Martin Collins, focusing on the danger of pride of intellect and knowledge, affirms that knowledge of the truth is essential, but it must be God's knowledge, and not a syncretistic mixture of worldly philosophy or mystical Gnostic admixtures. Political cor. . .

In this sermon on the deadly consequences of pride, John Ritenbaugh warns that pride elevates one above God, denigrating any dependence upon God, replacing it with insidious self-idolatry. Pride is entirely about disrespect (of God, other people, tradition. . .

There is a danger that arises when the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper: trying to put God under obligation to bless us through becoming 'super-righteous'.

John Ritenbaugh, reflecting on Solomon's ruminations about life being seemingly futile and purposeless, reiterates that a relationship with God is the only factor which prevents life from becoming useless. As many celebrities and public figures withdraw to. . .

John Ritenbaugh teaches that we must have both perseverance and humility in prayer in order to keep our vision sharp and clear. Pride leads people to justify sins such as lying, fornication, adultery, and stealing. Without humility, the doorway to acceptan. . .

The apostle Andrew is a sterling example of humble service. Through Scripture contains only a little about him, his character should encourage us all.

John Ritenbaugh examines the problem of empty externalism (accompanied by no inward change) extant in the greater church of God- a problem which led to its scattering. All of us, individually and collectively were responsible for its demise. God has promis. . .

Austin Del Castillo, affirming that correction is something that children and adults find odious, points out that paradoxically the friend who offers constructive correction helps us mature and grow more than a 'friend' who ignores our faults. The very rea. . .

John Ritenbaugh, cuing in on I Thessalonians 5:16-18, gives all of us an assignment to become more appreciative by actively enumerating and writing down our blessings. Praying without gratitude is like clipping the wings of prayer. We have so much to be th. . .

Richard Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the fiery, feisty, vindictive temperament of Andrew Jackson, and his response to Presbyterian minister Dr. Edgar's question about willingness to forgive enemies, asserts that forgiving one's enemies is a defining mark of a. . .

Without thanksgiving and praise, our prayers degenerate into the 'gimmes' with the emphasis on the self. We must give God thoughtful thanks in every circumstance.

John Ritenbaugh asserts that because of our collective lack of self-discipine and our lack of willingness to guard the truth, we have allowed our theological, philosophical, and attitudinal base to deteriorate under the persuasion of the the world, hopeles. . .

John Ritenbaugh describes the process through which God perfects His image in us, linking three sub-themes: 1) God's disciplining, 2) our listening, and 3) God's watchful care. Obedience to God's Word strengthens us, enabling us to receive our spiritual he. . .

John Ritenbaugh, continuing his exposition of Ecclesiastes as he focuses on a paradox which initially provides a measure of grief and anguish to believers, the paradox which shows an unrighteous man flourishing and a righteous man suffering, points us to t. . .

Reflecting on the almost universal problem of sibling rivalry, Richard Ritenbaugh focuses upon the bitter conflict that began over 3,500 years ago in the womb of Rebekah—the enmity between the descendants of Esau and Jacob. From Esau's warped perspec. . .

In this sermon on biblical humility, John Ritenbaugh suggests that sacrifices of thanksgiving, praise, and gratitude are required of God's called out priests. By meditating on the physical creation, the human body, and God's Law, we prepare ourselves for p. . .