Pride: The Sin All Others Follow

There’s an insidious sin that everyone falls prey to. Do you know what it is?

Satan himself succumbed to this sin, and it cost him his place in heaven. Created in beauty, the Bible says he wore a robe studded with many jewels including onyx, sapphire, turquoise and emeralds. He was on God’s mountain and he “strolled in magnificence.” What happened to this angel of light? The Word of God says that his beauty “went to his head.” He ” corrupted wisdom to get worldly fame.” What was the sin behind his corruption?  Pride: the sin all others follow.

If pride could talk, what would it say? Most of its phrases would likely start with “I”:

“I need to be happy, and this behavior makes me happy … ”
” I don’t like how you’re treating me, so I will do the same to you … ”
” I want to be powerful … ”
” I don’t want to do that, even if it is the  right choice … ”

The list of “I” statements goes on and on.  Pride exalts itself, and that always leads to sin. Here’s what God’s Word says about the proud, comparing them to the righteous and faithful:

“Look at the proud; his soul is not straight or right within him, but the [rigidly] just and the [uncompromisingly] righteous man shall live by his faith and in his faithfulness” (Habakkuk 2:4).

Just as pride goes before destruction, righteousness and faithfulness go before real life. Getting what we want in our pride can seem like life, but its end is death–every time. And if the most beautiful angel in heaven could be carried away by pride, defying his Creator,  how much more should we guard ourselves against this deadly sin?

Have you ever let something “go to your head?” What would you do to achieve worldly fame? Would it be worth the price?

**The Message Bible

**The Amplified Bible

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