The Bible constantly warns us against pride because God does not like a prideful heart (Jeremiah 13:15).

Does being prideful make you a bad person?

Dictionary.com defines pride as the state of feeling proud or having a high opinion regarding one’s achievements or importance.

‘Pride’ is one of those words that carries mixed connotations. Pride can be positive when it encourages self-motivation to improve your self-esteem.

However, pride can be negative when it is extreme to the point of haughtiness, meaning snobbish or arrogance.

The latter is the kind of pride that God warns us against.

Why is God against pride?

To understand why God is against pride let us look at some Biblical facts about pride.

1. There is no pride in heaven

In fact, pride was the reason why Lucifer was expelled from heaven (Isaiah 14:12).

Read: The age of deception (Part one) and How are the mighty fallen!

Zephaniah prophesied that on the day of the Lord, He will remove pride from His people and no haughtiness will be in the Holy Mountain of the Lord (Zephaniah 3:11).

2. A prideful heart can deceive you

Deception follows pride!

When you deceive yourself you will do foolish things. I have constantly seen examples of this.

The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high;  who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’

(Obadiah 1:3 NKJV)

3. Pride goes before a fall

A person’s pride will bring him down but the humble will retain honor (Proverbs 29:23).

An example of this is shown in Daniel 4 when King Nebuchadnezzar became prideful because of all his wonderful achievements and he accredited them all to himself.

Immediately, “That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.” (Daniel 4: 33 NKJV)

The king descended to the state of an animal for a certain time and then after he repented the Lord restored him to his kingdom.

King Nebuchadnezzar “praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.” (Daniel 4:37 NKJV)

4. The crown of pride will be trampled

God categorizes pride as part of the enemies’ camp that will be trampled.

Psalms 91:13 (NKJV) states that “You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.”

5. The pride of your power will end

Those who associate with the prideful person will also fall (Ezekiel 30:6).

Even if you make your nest as high as the eagles the Lord will bring you down from there (Jeremiah 49:16)

6. Pride contaminates your heart

Pride can change your personality from beautiful to ugly. You can become arrogant and fierce.

You can also inspire terror in the hearts of others. But God will bring you down to the lowest level (Jeremiah 49:16).

7. Pride is one of the sins of Sodom

Pride, gluttonous, idleness, and unkindness are great sins in the eyes of God.

These were some of the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Ezekiel 16:4).

The end result of Sodom and Gomorrah was disastrous because they refused to repent.

Have you ever been deceived by pride?

Share with us your thoughts on pride.