The Believer’s Pride

Let’s look at how pride can lurk within Christians. Jesus spent a good portion of His ministry calling out religious people.

Examples of pride in Christians include proving oneself better than the next Christian, such as when the Apostle Peter withdrew from eating with Gentiles for fear of what "the circumcised" would say about him eating with "the uncircumcised."

The church in Corinth was divided, with some members boasting that they followed figures like Cephas, Apollos, or Paul, while others claimed, "I follow Christ," as if that made them superior.

They also divided based on giftedness, thinking certain members were more important to the body of Christ than others.

Similarly, Christians may use an understanding of theology to prove themselves better than the next Christian.

Entire ministries, churches, and organizations build their identity on being better than others, boasting of better theology, songs, structure, and sermons. The focus should be on God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the gospel.

Leaders and believers are warned to be wary of pride. Everyone who "thinks that he stands, take heed lest he fall," remembering that "God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble."

Questions to consider:

• How does pride manifest in my own faith journey?
• Have I ever separated from others in the church out of pride rather than conviction?
• How do I respond when I see pride in others within the church?
• Am I aware that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble”?