"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

The Bible teaches that pride is the worst sin in the Bible because it was pride in the heart of Satan which led him to deceive Eve, it is pride in the heart of Eve to "become as gods" which led to the first sin, and it is the pride in the hearts of men which keeps them from finding the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
-James 4:6

The phrase "I'm so proud of you," is very commonly used, but most of us don't stop to consider what the Bible says about it. Our society typically views a parent being proud of their child as "good," but in fact, the Bible teaches us that is evil. In this teaching, we'll go over the Biblical details of pride, and why such simple phrases are spoken out of willful ignorance by those who have not been humbled to repentance (i.e. grief and godly sorrow of wrongdoing) before God.
(Read "Is Repentance Part of Salvation" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
-Matthew 7:13-14
(Read "Hell Is Real And Many People Are Going There" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

pride (n): a high opinion of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, rank or elevation in office
(See 'pride', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Oct 17, 2017 [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Thus, to be prideful is to elevate oneself above others in rank, station, skill, knowledge, beauty, wealth, wisdom, achievements, etc. Sadly, most Americans believe they are not prideful, but pride is one of the most common sins in American culture, and that pride leads them along the broad path to hell.

In 2014, a Gallup poll was taken in which they asked residents of each individual State in the U.S. if they thought they lived in the "best" state. The poll was called, "Which U.S. states have the most pride?" They were specifically asked if "their state was the very best or one of the best places to live." (See Jolie Lee, "Which U.S. states have the most pride?" USA Today, Apr 25, 2014, retrieved Oct 17, 2017, [usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/04/25/state-pride-gallup-montana-alaska/8140879])

Putting aside the fact that there is no definition of what "the best" means (i.e. it's a completely subjective opinion), the news article concludes that the "best places to live," or the best states to live in, are the ones who voted themselves to be the best (i.e. not based on facts, but opinions), but in reality, all this poll showed is which states are the most sinful in pride. In fact, the states with lower percentages could be considered more humble than those with higher percentages.

The Bible tells those who are born again that we ought not to think of ourselves better than others:

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
-Philippians 2:3

Although this is referring only to those who are born again within Christ's church, it still remains that a prideful spirit considers himself to be better than others. Of course, if you ask the typical American if he thinks he's better than everyone else, you will often hear him speak supposedly "humble" words, yet, if you point out their wicked deeds, you'll see them fight with strife and/or scoff at the truth, which demonstrates that they really do think incredibly highly of themselves, and thus, they are found to be liars.

vainglory (n): excited by one's own performances; empty pride
(See 'vainglory', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Oct 19, 2017 [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Despsite the individual reasonings of each participant in the above poll, America as a whole is incredibly prideful, which is why the song Proud To Be An American was so popular back in the 1990s. (It fell out of popularity for a while because it was so overplayed, but it's still popular.) Even the first American president, George Washington, encouraged Americans to maintain a prideful heart:
"Citizens by birth or choice of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations."
-George Washington, quoted by James K. Polk, Messages and Papers of the Presidents, Wildside Press, 2009, p. 2460, ISBN: 9781434451552

However, the Bible says:

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
-Proverbs 16:18

haughty (adj): proud and disdainful [i.e. to deem others worthless or unworthy of notice]; having a high opinion of one's self
(See 'haughty', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Oct 17, 2017 [webstersdictionary1828.com])

It does not matter if someone thinks being proud is good; the Lord God has told us that is what preceedes a destructive fall. Americans think so highly of themselves, and it's often not for any logical reason; rather, they just say "America is the greatest nation in the world" because they have been taught by their school, church, family, and the media to preach and believe it.

I personally believe that, after looking at other government systems around the world, that America does have a better system for the liberty of citizens in a free market, capitalist society. However, even as an American, that doesn't mean I think that Americans are better than everyone else around the world, and one of the primary reasons for that is because of how prideful and arrogant most of them are.

Often, Americans look around them at how much stuff they have, how much technology, how much food, and think that through their acquisition of material goods, they have become superior to everyone else, but the Lord Jesus Christ has said:

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
-Revelation 3:17

Don't misunderstand; Christ is not saying they have lost their eyesight, nor is He saying they don't have clothes or money. He's saying in their spirits, that is, the heart (seat of passions) and mind (seat of reasoning and judgment), they are the most lowly, wretched creatures, but because they have lots of material things, they think nothing is wrong with them; their wealth allows them to fulfill the lusts of their flesh which also helps distract them from the truth. (In that sense, you could even say that true humility is acknowledging the truth, and pride is a denial of the truth.)

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
-Romans 6:12

Often, anger comes with pride. This is not to say that anger always comes with pride because sometimes there is such a thing as righteous anger, in that a man is angry because of sin, especially if someone has done his family or neighbors wrong, or if someone deceives others, but aside from righteous anger, the malice, wrath, and emulations come from a prideful heart.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.
-Ephesians 4:26-27

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
-Galatians 5:19-21

hatred (n): great dislike or aversion, which is an opposition of mind against something which provokes evil
variance (n): difference that produces dispute or controversy, dissension, discord
emulations (n): contest; the act of attempting to equal or excel in qualities or actions; rivalry with a desire of superiority
wrath (n): violent anger; furious passion; indignation
strife (n): contention for superiority; contest of emulation either by intellectual or physical efforts
(See 'hatred', 'variance', 'emulations', 'wrath' and 'strife', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved May 25, 2019, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

With pride being at the core of a malicious heart, we can begin to see how many sins start with pride. This is also why Christ said that it was extremely difficult for rich men to enter God's Kingdom:

And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
-Matthew 19:24

Wealth brings instant fulfillment of the lusts of the flesh. All things the flesh desires can be purchased with money.

A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
-Ecclesiastes 10:19

With wealth comes pride because, typically, a wealthy man can make the outside appear beautiful and lavish, which brings a man to esteem himself more highly. That pride blinds a man, preventing him from acknowledging the truth, and in the end, on the Day of Judgment, God will bring that wealthy man down to nothing, but those who were humbled, who brought themselves down to nothing, will be lifted up, which is what Jesus told us in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican:

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon 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 every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
-Luke 18:9-14

As the Bible says, Jesus told this parable to those who trusted in their own perceived righteousness, in that they lifted up themselves that they were righteous of God, and they would not come to the grief and godly sorrow of the wrongdoing (i.e. repentance). The Pharisee boasted of his tithe (which is unbiblical in the New Testament) and his fasting, and all his wonderful works, which the publican in the back was so grieved in the repentance of his heart that he could not even lift his head, and he was so pained inwardly that he beat upon his chest in tears, pleading for the mercy of God.

As Jesus concluded, the man who lifts himself up (i.e. "exalteth himself") will be brought to nothing (i.e. "abased"), but the man who is thinks nothing of himself (i.e. "humbleth") shall be lifted up by God. I could not count the amount of churchgoers I have met who lift themselves up in their pride, thinking they are wonderful people of God, while they yoke together with the world, teaching many false doctrines in their ingorance, and when you rebuke their sin, they hold up their tithe as a banner of pride; thinking that their tithe will justify them on the Day of Judgment with the need for repentance (i.e. grief and godly sorrow of wrongdoing).

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
-Matthew 7:21-23

This is why repentance (i.e. grief and godly sorrow of wrongdoing) is so important; it is the sign that the heart has been humbled before God, and it is through that humility that a man's soul can be saved. Although, we should also remember that when there is repentance towards men without repentance towards the Christian God of the Bible, there is no salvation.
(Read "Is Repentance Part of Salvation?" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

Pride is so incredibly dangerous because God will not save the proud of heart, no matter how much they call him "Lord." This is why there are so many churchgoers who attend church buildings every week, pay tithes, and sing songs about Jesus, but will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
(Read "False Converts vs Eternal Security" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
-Psalm 101:5

Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
-Psalm 138:6

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
-Psalm 34:18

If you want to understand how to be saved, then you need to understand what a contrite spirit is:

contrite (adj): broken-hearted for sin; deeply affected with grief and sorrow for having offended God; humble; penitent
repentance (n): sorrow for any thing done or said; the pain or grief which a person experiences in consequence of the injury or inconvenience produced by his own conduct
(See 'contrite' & 'repentance', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved May 25, 2019, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Without the contrite humility of repentance, a man cannot be saved because pride is the opposite of humility, and through pride, men end up in hell. The Bible also tells us that God does not use prideful men for His purposes:

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
-1 Corinthians 1:26-29

Notice first that it says "wise men after the flesh," meaning what the world considers to be "wise" is not true wisdom; neither what the world calls "noble" is noble, nor is what the world calls "might" actually mighty. The foolish, weak, and base (i.e. lowly, those who the world considers useless) are the people who God chooses to give His wisdom, understanding, and discernment, and He will use them to preach His Word so that no one will glory of themselves.

glory (v): to boast or be proud of
(See 'glory', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Oct 19, 2017 [webstersdictionary1828.com])

The first chapter of first Corinthians continues to say:

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
-1 Corinthians 1:30-31

If a man is to boast of anything, it is only that he has the Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of his soul, while trembling in fear of God as the source of wisdom and understanding.

For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
-Isaiah 66:2

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
-Psalm 111:10

The pride of heart runs deep in many people who claim with their mouths that they are humble, and it's very similar to the phenomenon of how, all my life, I've heard about bad drivers on the road, but I've never personally met one. After hearing about so many bad drivers on the road, you would think I would have met one of those bad drivers by now, but we have to ask ourselves: It is that I've never met a bad driver, or is it that bad drivers don't confess the truth? The Bible speaks a lot about pride, and yet, when I receive letters in opposition of what I teach, it seems I am the only person who is prideful; that no one else is guilty of it, and so we have to ask if it is true that I am the only person who has ever been guilty of pride, or is it that no one is confessing the truth?

I encourage every reader to be honest and open with the Lord God in prayer; do not hide your heart from Him because He sees it all anyway. If you have pride in your heart, confess it and ask Him to help you with it; ask Him to humble you, and He will hear your prayer and answer. The reason I urgently plead with readers to do this is because there will come a day where Christ will put His humble sheep on His right, and He will put the prideful goats on His left:

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
-Matthew 25:31-40

Jesus said He would place His sheep on His right hand, and I want readers to take a moment to consider how humble they are. They did not think highly of themselves. They do not consider that they had done these things for the Lord Jesus Christ, nor that they are worthy of the least of His mercies, but are lowly and meek in spirit to the point that they believe their works are low in value and nothing to be considered, and Jesus told them that because they were charitable to those other sheep, those were also meek and lowly, who are despised and rejected by the world (i.e. the goats), that was equivalent to having charity to Christ Himself.

However, now let's look at the pride and arrogance of the goats on the left:

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
-Matthew 25:41-46

It will not be atheists or witches or Satanists who will be arguing that they did good things for Christ; rather, it will be the churchgoers, those who claimed to believe on Jesus while on the earth. You can see the arrogance of how they believed they had done all these good things in the name of Jesus Christ, but they were not of Christ because they have never had the humilty of repentance in their hearts, and again, I repeat Matthew 7:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
-Matthew 7:21-23

The goats turned their ears away from the truth, and preferred to hear the weekly humorous antecdotes from leavned preachers that would scratch their itching ears. And those who would come to them and rebuke their sin, the goats rejected them, and scoffed at the sheep for daring to question them.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
-2 Timothy 4:3-4

This is why so many churchgoers today heap (i.e. pile up) a lot of teachers in their portfolio, going from teacher to teacher to teacher, because they don't want to hear the truth of doctrine. If they loved the truth of God's Word, they wouldn't have to go find a hundred different teachers. The reason they look for so many teachers is because, in the pride of their hearts, they will not hear the truth, and instead, like a dog, they go looking for anyone who will scratch their itching ears, cherry-picking out teachers that will preach to them what they desire to hear, namely, those things which will justify their false doctrines and corrupt hearts.
(Read "The Biblical Understanding of Sanctification" here at creationliberty.com for more details; Churchgoers who heap unto themselves teachers also don't have any understanding of what sanctification is in Scripture, and how we are taught to separate ourselves from false doctrines and avoid leavened teachers.)

And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
-Luke 16:15

The Lord God had thought to pour out His wrath upon Israel in 2 Chronicles, but when Hezekiah and all of Jerusalem humbled themselves away from their pride, He showed them mercy:

But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.
-2 Chronicles 32:25-26

Thus, we can see that if the prideful are brought low, humbled to repentance, then God will have mercy on them because there is no kindness that can compare to his abundant loving mercy. However, it is only those who are humbled to repentance that are offered His grace, which means that those who believe on Jesus but are prideful in their hearts will NOT receive the grace of God.

For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
-Psalm 10:3-4

This does not mean that the wicked will not CLAIM to seek after God; meaning that they might outwardly profess to seek after God, but God has no place in his heart and mind. Such verses remind me of televangelists, men like Rick Warren or Billy Graham for example, who will go to the rich and famous, befriend them, and bless them; thereby, he blesses the covetous because of the wickedness in his heart.
(Read "Wolves in Costume: Rick Warren" & "Wolves in Costume: Billy Graham" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

As Psalm 10 says that a man will not seek God because of the pride of his heart, it is interesting to note that Romans 3 says that no man seeks after God, which means all men have sinned in pride, and that means, all must come to repentance:

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
-Romans 3:10-12

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
-2 Peter 3:9

God has said that pride is an abomination in His sight, which means he hates it with the utmost hatred, and that lies come from a source of pride in the heart:

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
-Proverbs 6:16-17

For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.
-Psalm 59:12

As I pointed out earlier, violence, rage, and maliciousness comes from pride:

For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked... They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
-Psalm 73:3-6

Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
Proverbs 13:10

Shame is the emotion you feel from guilt of wrongdoing, and by pride "cometh shame" because sin is produced through pride:

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
-Proverbs 11:2

Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.
-Psalm 119:21

So many foolish things come out of the mouth of those who have a prideful heart:

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
-Proverbs 14:3

It's very easy to see how the Bible describes pride after reading these verses. A prideful man does not keep God in his thoughts. A prideful man has a lying tongue, and does not take care with his words to put a bridle (i.e. reigns) on his tongue. (Jms 1:26) God hates (i.e. extremely dislikes) prideful men, and He does not suffer them in His Kingdom. A prideful man errs from the commandments of God. A prideful man seeks material pleasures of the world and will become violent in their behavior. Pride brings shame, contention, and foolish words. Those with prideful hearts are nowhere close to God, and thus, God sought to destroy the pride of His people because they turned terribly wicked once pride was lifted up in their hearts.

Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.
-Jeremiah 13:9-10

Because of the wealth, beauty, and status of these cities, they were lifted up in the pride of their hearts, and therefore, they would not hear the rebuke of the prophets. The Moabites, the descendants of Lot, who caused the nation of Israel a lot of problems, were lifted up in their pride:

We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.
-Jeremiah 48:29

lofty (adj): proud, elevated in high places
(See 'lofty', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Oct 26, 2017, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

In order for a man of much pride to be humbled, it takes extreme situations, like disease and death, to bring them low. In order for God to bring Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon) low and humble his heart, He made him live as cattle, eating grass like an ox, for a long period of time.

But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.
-Daniel 5:20-21

Just look at the pride of the Jewish people; because of the blindness of their pride, the Jews crucified the Lamb of God. Because of their pride, the Jews would not see nor hear the truth, and so Christ brought His Gospel to the Gentiles. Even today, it is very difficult to preach the truth of Christ to the Jewish people because of their pride, and God has allowed them to be blinded, which is why Christ spoke in parables:

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
-Matthew 13:10-15

Like the Jews, there are many churchgoers today (i.e. false converts who call themselves "Christians") who are lifted up in their pride, and blinded to what's going on around them. They take pride in their church buildings, homes, families, schools, titles, and an assortment of other works, but that prideful heart is what God hates.

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
-Mark 7:21-23

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
-1 John 2:16

Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
-Proverbs 16:5

An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
-Proverbs 21:4

And yet, people commonly walk around saying "I'm so proud of *insert name*," or saying "I'm proud to be a citizen of *insert country*. It's sad that many will speak these things, claim not to be prideful of heart, and some of those will accuse me (and have accused me) of not being able to see what's in their hearts because, as they'll claim, only God can see the heart, but Christ told us:

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
-Matthew 15:18

So yes, those of us born again with the Spirit of God for discernment, through study of His Word (Heb 5:14), can see what is in someone's heart to a certain degree by judging what comes out of their mouths. Simply put, when prideful words come out of a man's mouth (i.e. he lifts himself up and gives himself station above others), those words are coming from a prideful heart.

Prideful Words = Prideful Heart

Don't Confuse Boldness With Arrogance, Nor Shyness With Humility I have often seen someone's boldness be rebuked as "arrogant" or "conceited." arrogant (adj): assuming; making or having the disposition to make exorbitant claims of rank or estimation; giving one's self an undue degree of importance; haughty; conceited conceit (n): imagination; that which is conceived or formed in the mind; opinion (See 'arrogant' & 'conceit', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved June 1, 2019, [webstersdictionary1828.com]) An arrogant and conceited person is one who forms opinions of his own imagination, and then assumes his opinions to be true. It is the prideful heart of an arrogant and conceited person that prevents them from seeing or hearing the truth of a matter. bold (adj): daring; courageous; brave; fearless; confident confident (adj): having full belief; trusting; fully assured (See 'bold' & 'confident', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved June 1, 2019, [webstersdictionary1828.com]) A bold and confident person is one who believes what he says to be true, and is courageous not only to speak the truth, but to persuade men to it. However, there are two types of bold and confident people: Wise and foolish. Someone who has opened their ears to the truth, studied out a matter thoroughly, and had the guidance of God's Holy Spirit for his understanding, can speak boldly and confidently in the name of Christ. Such men tend to judge righteous judgment instead of judging according to the outward appearance of a matter (John 7:24), and therefore, when a Christian rebukes the sin of the wicked, especially those who, in the pridefulness of their hearts, believe they are guilty of nothing, those Christians are often called "arrogant" and "conceited" because pride produces rage. A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. -Proverbs 14:16 This is why angry people will say some of the most ridiculous things and make the most absurd arguments. I once had a lady (who claimed to be a Christian) get so angry with me in a letter, she accused me of being a sodomite, even though I have never done any such thing, and she had no evidence of her claim; it's just that when they get that angry, there's no more reason left in their words, and through their own arrogance, they think they've said something wise. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. -Proverbs 26:5 It would have been pointless to discuss the merits of that woman's arguments with her, because she simply wrote those things in a heated rage, and at that point, it's obvious she will not listen to anything I have to say. I have had many such letters over the years, in which I'm accused of being arrogant and conceited before they heard what I have to say, but that is the core definition of arrogance and conceit (i.e. assumption and opinions without understanding), and those of you who have experience in talking with such people know that they are quick to accuse you of being arrogant and conceited before you've been given a chance to reason with them. He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. -Proverbs 18:13 Jesus rightly labeled this as "hypocrisy:" hypocrite (n): one who feigns to be what he is not; one who assumes a false appearance (See 'hypocrite', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved June 1, 2019, [webstersdictionary1828.com]) The prideful man is arrogant and conceited, and the prideful man accuses his rebuker as being "arrogant and conceited" in order to cover his own embarrassment. If he can make his rebuker seem evil, he thinks he will then gain a false outward appearance of being "good." Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! -Isaiah 5:20 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. -Proverbs 17:13 I have personally witnessed this happen many times by wicked men, and I have frequent emails where people do this. Another common occurance is when a shy or timid person is automatically believed to be humble, but they are two very different things. shy (adj): fearful of near approach; keeping at a distance through caution or timidity timid (adj): fearful; wanting courage to meet danger humility (n): freedom from pride and arrogance; a modest estimate of one's own worth; lowliness of mind; a deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God (See 'shy', 'timid' & 'humility', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved June 1, 2019, [webstersdictionary1828.com]) Shyness and timidness have to do with fear, not with faith. The faithful are bold because they do not fear men. The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. -Proverbs 29:25 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. -Hebrews 13:5-6 One man can be bold and humble, having faith, while another man can be arrogant and timid, having fear. However, most people do not judge righteous judgment, but rather, they judge according to the appearance, and the reason they do it is because there is corruption of sin in their hearts. Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. -John 7:24 A righteous man will look at a person's words, actions, and doctrine to see the truth within the person's heart, and judge according to that which is within, rather than that which is without. Shy and timid people are often labeled "humble" only because their lack of outward expression gives a false appearance of submission, which might appear beautiful outwards, but inwardly, a man can be shy and timid, as well as arrogant and conceited. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. -Matthew 23:27 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. -James 1:8 A double-minded man is one who confesses one thing with his mouth, but in his heart, he believes something else, and just because someone is typically shy and timid, it doesn't mean they don't have the same heart as the arrogant raging fool. It's our job as Christians to discern between the good and evil. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. -Hebrews 5:14 Pride and fear are a dangerous combination, and I have seen many such people who are dedicated to attending a church building every week, never being rebuked for their sin. They live according to their sin, while hypocritically professing Christ, and whether they are bold or quiet, their hearts are still corrupt. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. -Matthew 15:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk [live your life] as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [charge with fault and correct] them. -Ephesians 5:8-11 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die. -Proverbs 15:10

Jeremiah preached the Word of God to Jerusalem and made it very simple for them to understand:

Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
-Jeremiah 13:15

Jeremiah tried to give the Hebrews the truth of God's Word and they rejected him, not because of Jeremiah, but they rejected him because they rejected God, that he should not reign over them. They reject the Lord God because they are too far lifted up in the vanity of their pride to hear the truth.

And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
-1 Samuel 8:7

I've had some people write me and argue that pride is good in certain cases, just as I've had some people argue that lying is good in certain cases. The Bible clearly teaches that God hates lies and pride, and those who claim that they can be good in certain cases do not understand the Scripture they're looking at.
(Read "God Does Not Justify Lies" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

For example, Psalm 31 says:

O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
-Psalm 31:23

To say this is verse is giving a positive reinforcement of pride is an instance in which words were cherry-picked out of context, and a definition of one of these words was assumed without explanation. If we go back and read a few verses earlier, King David defines what he's talking about:

Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
-Psalm 31:17-18

David is contrasting the two different people in verse 23; that God preserves (saves) the faithful, but He does not save the prideful men, so the "proud doer" is the one who is has lying lips and holds righteous people in contempt, and for us to say that God blesses them for their wickedness would contradict the entire Bible. The word 'reward' is commonly taken to mean a good thing because it's often used in a positive context; however, it can be used in a positive AND a negative context, meaning that God rewards the righteous with good things, and He rewards the wicked with bad things; for example:

If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
-Deuteronomy 32:41

Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
-2 Timothy 4:14

And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
-Hosea 4:9

But these, as natural brute [senseless, irrational, and unsympathetic] beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot [uproar with wild and noisy festivities] in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
-2 Peter 2:12-13

The Lord God negatively rewards those who do evil. Thus, in Psalm 31:23, the Lord God rewards the "proud doer" with punishments in order to "preserve the faithful," meaning to protect the faithful from their wicked, prideful men who seek to do them wrong.

Because of our limited vision, the destruction and reward for the prideful of heart go unnoticed, not just because the mainstream media doesn't like to talk about it, but also because most people don't want to know, as such judgments call to attention their own sin. For example, Olga Pronina was a 40-year old mother who became an Instagram star by posting immodest, sexually motivated pictures of herself with her motorcycle, and she loved to show off by doing motocycle tricks at extremely high speeds, but without fear of God in the pride of her heart, she continued in her dangerous and lustful lifestyle and was killed instantly in a high speed crash in 2017.
(See Ed Wright & Richard Wheatstone, "Russia's 'sexiest motorcyclist' dies in tragic crash," The Sun, Aug 3, 2017, retrieved May 25, 2019, [http://bit.ly/2HARUei])

Seventeen-year-old Xenia Ignatyeva was lifted up in her haughty spirit, competing with her friends to take the most risky and dangerous selfies (i.e. pictures taken of oneself). She climbed onto a railway bridge to take her most risky selfie, slipped and fell from a height of 30 feet, which she might have survived if she had not reached out to grab a live electric wire to save herself, which electrocuted her with 1500 volts.
(See Don Mackay, "Teen plunges 30ft to her death after trying to take SELFIE on top of railway bridge," Mirror, Apr 22, 2014, retrieved May 25, 2019, [mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/teen-plunges-30ft-death-after-3442466])

In these instances, pride literally brought destruction and a fall:

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
-Proverbs 16:18

When I was younger, I remember hearing about an incident in which the lead singer of a band called Drowning Pool, Dave Williams, died of "natural causes" at age 30, which was a ridiculous claim because a 30-year-old person dying is not "natural." He died of heart failure (or cardiac arrest; meaning his heart just stopped), which means they don't know how he died. This is the singer/band who got famous for a wicked song called "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor," in which they scream into a microphone over and over the phrase "LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR!" and has been used in numerous TV shows, movies, and videos for destructive scenes and contexts.
(See Billboard, "Drowning Pool Frontman Died of Natural Causes," Sept 25, 2002, retrieved June 8, 2019, [billboard.com/articles/news/74078/drowning-pool-frontman-died-of-natural-causes])

These guys had quickly risen the ranks in the music industry and were becoming famous fast; being lifted up in the pride of their hearts, but after Williams' death, I remember an interview with one of Williams' best friends and member of their band, in which this supposedly tough death metal guy, with all his tattoos and piercings, was brought to tears, weeping for his friend. The fact of the matter is that it was God that struck Dave Williams dead, and I hope that his other band memebers took that as a warning of the danger, not only in pride, but in the destruction that they preached in their so-called "music," and that God is being longsuffering with them that they would come to repentance.

Such deaths among the wealthy and famous are actually more common that many people think. They are lifted up in their pride, and again, as we just read, the Bible says destruction follows; it might not immediately follow for some, depending on the mercy of God, but for others, it comes swiftly, and not just from heart failure.

Kate Spade, 55-year-old fashion designer of her brand Kate Spade New York, killed herself in her apartment in June of 2018. Mark Salling, 35-year-old actor famous for his role in the show Glee, killed himself in January of 2017 after being caught in possession of child pornography. Chster Bennington, 41-year-old singer for the band Linkin Park, killed himself in his home in July of 2017. Chris Cornell, 52-year-old singer and songwriter for rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave, hanged himself in his hotel room in May of 2017. Christopher Boykin, 45-year-old reality TV star of the series Rob & Big, died of heart failure in May of 2017. George Michael, 53-year-old musician famous for many songs, died of heart failure and liver damage and was found dead in his home in December of 2016. Diem Brown, 32-year-old star of MTV Challenge, died from her third bout with cancer in the summer of 2014. Paul Walker, 40-year-old star of the movie series The Fast and the Furious about racing cars, died in November of 2013 in car collision with a light pole. Robin Williams, 63-year-old famous comedian and actor, killed himself in August of 2014. Cory Monteith, 31-years-old and another star of the TV show Glee, killed himself from an overdose on heroin and alcohol in July of 2013. Paul Walker, 46-year-old Oscar-winner famous for his roles in many movies, killed himself from an overdosed on heroin in February of 2014. Heath Ledger, 28-year-old famous for his role in the sodomite movie Brokeback Mountain, died of heart failure in his aparment in January of 2008. Whitney Houston, 48-year-old singer famous for her "I Will Always Love You," overdosed on prescription (psychiatric) drugs and alcohol, and drowned in her bathtub in February of 2012. Anna Nicole Smith, 39-year-old model and Playboy model, killed herself through an overdose on drugs a few months after her 20-year-old son died for the same reason. Brittany Murphy, 32-year-old star of the movie Clueless, died of heart failure in her home in December of 2009.

There are so many instances of this from big-name Hollywood (i.e. Hellywood) actors and musicians; I didn't know where to stop. I don't know hardly any of these names because I don't keep up with mainstream media, but some of you may recognize these names: I found strange and untimely deaths of actor Luke Perry (Beverly Hills 90210), rapper Mac Miller, chef Anthony Bourdain (Food Network), actress Erin Moran (Happy Days), actress Carrie Fisher (Star Wars), actress Misty Upham (August: Osage County), singer Michael Jackson, actor Bernie Mac, musician Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), rapper Tupac Shakur, TV star Steve Irwin (The Crocodile Hunter), actor Jonathan Brandis (SeaQuest), actor Chris Farley (Saturday Night Live), Phil Hartman (Saturday Night Live), actress Adrienne Shelly (Factotum), actor Brandon Lee (Kung Fu), musician Isaac Hayes, and so many more I can't list them all here; these are all strange deaths from murders, to suicide, to unexplained heart failure. These stories only get more frequent every year, and though most of them are not reported much, if you do the research, you'll find these incredibly common.

The point I'm making is that these people get lifted up in the pride of their hearts, and they are praised and glorified by the world, but God is no respecter of persons.

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
-Acts 10:34

They love to be lifted up and highly revered by men, but God judges them all. God does not repsect the person of the rich or the poor; He judges the heart of men, and because these people were lifted up in the pride of their heart, they never had the humility of repentance, and therefore, all of them ended up in hell.
(Read "Hell Is Real And Many People Are Going There" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
-Proverbs 14:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
-Hebrews 4:12

Speaking of respecting persons, one of the most common places I've seen prideful hearts are in the church buildings of America, most specifically in church building leadership. There are a number of times I have witnessed the sin of pastors and rebuked them for their wrongdoings, and many times I've received reactions of surprise and shock that I would dare to question a pastor because, after all, most churchgoers are so deep into the pride-filled sin of respecting persons, they will worship anyone with a pastoral title.
(Read "Why Are Christians Respecting Persons?" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
-Psalm 40:4

Prideful preachers have taught near-countless lies unto men, and the common narrative of church buildings removes guilt and shame while focusing solely on happiness and joy. When people are lifted up in their pride, they think they can do no wrong, causing them to feel no shame for the wicked things they do and say, which keeps them from repentance because repentance requires a lowly spirit of humility in which we acknowledge and confess our wrongdoings before the Lord.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
-Romans 10:10

For example, Rick Warren, a wolf in disguise, teaches that shame comes from the devil: "Satan uses hurt and he uses pain in your life to deceive you... if he can get you angry, guilty, or ashamed, he knows you're going to miss your true identity... All shame comes from Satan, it doesn't come from God." -Rick Warren, "Learning My True Identity In Christ," Saddleback Church, Oct 13, 2014, retrieved Jan 13, 2016, [youtube.com/watch?v=AolN3_JldmI]; Read "Wolves in Costume: Rick Warren" here at creationliberty.com for more details.

First of all, guilt is not a feeling; it's a condition. If a murderer is brought to justice for killing five people, it's not like he FELT like he killed five people, he actually killed five people, which means he is guilty of the crime.

guilt (n): criminality; that state of a moral agent which results from his actual commission of a crime or offense
shame (n): a painful sensation excited by a consciousness of guilt
(See 'guilt' & 'shame', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved June 8, 2019, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Shame is directly connected with repentance in that it is the pain one feels of wrongdoing. However, it is not repentance itself because there are many people who are guilty of wrongdoing and feel shame for their actions, but then they deny their guilt, and do whatever they can to drown out their shame. (i.e. That's why some people become alcoholics, just as an example.)
(Read "The Bible vs Alcohol" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

Warren is guilt of lying and teaching false doctrine to millions of people, and he ought to be ashamed of himself, but he glories (boasts) of himself in that which he should be ashamed:

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.
-Philippians 3:18-19

The Word of God teaches the exact opposite that Warren teaches. God gives men shame to acknowledge the truth of their guilt, but it is because of the pride in the hearts of Warren and his followers that they will not hear the truth.

Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.
-Psalm 119:78

But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.
-Psalm 44:7

But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.
-Psalm 44:9

The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.
-Psalm 89:45

Warren blasphemes against the doctrine of God by claiming that the shame He gives to men actually comes from Satan. There are many so-called "Christian" speakers and writers in the new-age movements who preach the same false doctrine; for example, Kelly Balarie regurgitates the same lines:

"We can't let shame knock us down. We can't let shame win. Because, you better bet it will try to tell us that we aren't good, holy or lovable. Shame will come to trap us under the bricks, holding us down so that we can't accomplish God's purposes. Shame is one of the devil's best tools to chisel away at our faith walk." -Kelly Balarie, "Shame in the Bible," A Cheerleader of Faith & Friends, Nov 11, 2014, retrieved Oct 25, 2017, [purposefulfaith.com/shame-in-the-bible]

It is the pride in the heart of Balarie by which she lifts herself up on a pedestal to believe that she is good, holy, and lovable, trusting in her own perceived righteousness. Once agan, I'll quote from Romans 3 that there is none good among men:

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
-Romans 3:10-12

There is none righteous and good but Christ, and for this woman to speak in her ignorance that she is a "good and holy person" simply shows that she glorifies herself in that which she should be falling on her knees in shame. The pride of her heart blinds her to her broken state, and if pride remains, she will end up in hell and the lake of fire.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
-Revelation 3:17

The deceptive organization Focus on the Family (FotF) attempts to justify pride, claiming that there are different types of it:
"We'd suggest that when a parent says, 'I'm proud of my son,' he or she is actually expressing a sense of delight in the son and a feeling of deep satisfaction with what the son has been able to accomplish. It's essentially the same thing as saying, 'I love my son.' This type of 'pride' is other-centered, and as a result there can be nothing sinful about it."
-Focus on the Family, "Parental Pride vs. Sinful Pride," retrieved June 8, 2019, [focusonthefamily.com/family-q-and-a/parenting/parental-pride-vs-sinful-pride]

This is very deceptive because I agree that when someone says "I'm proud of my son," that they are expressing pleasure in the accomplishments of the son. However, this not only ignores the sin of pride (i.e. FotF did not address it), but it also presents a false and pathetic view of true love.

Why didn't FotF simply tell their readers that they should stop saying "I'm proud of my son," and instead say "I am pleased with my son?" Would that have been so hard? The problem is that the mainstream narrative is to accept "parental pride" as a good thing, and if they spoke a negative word about "parental pride," it would turn out to be a rebuke, and that would in turn affect their sales negatively, including all the materials they sell from other authors who use that phrase. (i.e. That's why you will almost never find Biblical rebuke and correction in large-scale church-ianity organizations; if they upset their customers, people won't buy their products.)

There is also a grave error in claiming that the phrase "I'm proud of my son," is the equivalent of "I love my son," because it not only falsely connects that pride and love correlate together, but also that if the son does something that does not build up the pride of his parent, he falls out of love with that parent. Love is not this happy, warm, gooey feeling inside; love is a selfless sacrifice. Parents don't change dirty diapers for their children because they have a happy and pleasing feeling about cleaning a baby's rearend; it's a selfless sacrifice, and thus, FotF is teaching that if the child doesn't strike up pride in the parent, the child will not have the parent's love, which is beyond absurd.

I once heard a story (supposedly a real story) about a certain mother who was very proud of her son, who attended a public school. In school, the son was a bully, and the mother was called in frequently to address her son's bullying of other students.

The mother denied that her son was a bully, and repeatedly asserted, "My son is a good boy!" and insisted that he was not a bully. She was so proud of her son, it blinded her, and left her unable to see clearly what everyone else could easily see.

Eventually, the son's bullying got so bad that he was expelled from school, and on the way out, the woman hurled insults at the staff of the school. The mother quickly enrolled her son in another local school, and the following day, she was called in to address his bullying of other students.

Was the mother's response to finally start acknowledging that there was a serious problem with her son, and that he was wicked? No. She ended up claiming there was a conspiracy among the schools against her son, and was so prideful in her heart, she could not confess the truth.

In 2018, a young man walked into his local high school in Santa Fe, Texas and killed ten people. His father told the media that he was "a good boy who was mistreated at school," and again, not only does the Bible tell us that there is none who are inwardly good (Rom 3:10-12), but the father is calling his murderous son a "good boy" because he is blinded by his pride.
(See Ellen Killoran, "Father of Santa Fe school shooting suspect Dimitrios Pagourtzis says son is 'a good boy' who was 'mistreated'," Crime Online, May 22, 2018, retrieved June 8, 2019, [crimeonline.com/2018/05/22/father-of-santa-fe-school-shooting-suspect-said-son-is-a-good-boy-who-was-mistreated])

I have given many teachings discussing the sins of mankind, especially those of churchgoers, and the source of those sins was the pride of heart. For example, respecting persons is sin because it is a matter of judging in unrighteousness, meaning that the person in question is being judged based on the outward appearance, rather than being judged by his words, doctrine, and actions, and it becomes so great that after a time, anyone who questions someone with a degree or a pastoral title in a church building is almost shunned out.
(Read "Respecting Persons Is Sin" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

This is what the Bible calls 'preeminence', which is a man who loves to be lifted up in honor and have his person respected by all, or in other words, they love to be exalted in the pride of their hearts. Such men deny the teachings of Scripture, lead people astray, and scatter the sheep of Christ's flock:

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
-3 John 1:9-10

Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
-Jeremiah 23:1

The use of titles in the church is connected directly to respecting persons, and by use of titles, I mean in which a person in the church is called "Pastor [insert name]" or "Elder [insert name]" or "Brother [insert name]." They're given a fancy title which lifts them up in their pride. I cannot count the amount of times I have rebuked a churchgoer for their sin, or found a false convert that had never come to repentance, and they would not hear a word I was saying to them because they had spent so many years in a church building being called "Sister Jane" or "Pastor Bob" or "Reverend Malarkey," and that pride blinds them to the truth.
(Read "Titles Are Unbiblical in the Church" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

I can remember so many instances where I have tried to get churchgoers to understand the importance of the King James Bible and purity of God's Word. However, so many of them, and their pastors, and their fellow churchgoers have used new-age bible versions for years, and they get lifted up in the pride of their hearts, saying within themselves, "There's no way I could be decieved by this," but because of that great pride, they cannot see the deception right in front of their eyes.
(Read "Why I Use The King James Bible" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

To give an example from our "Wild Emails" section of our website (where I publish some of the discussions I have with various scoffers), I had a man write me who hated the King James Bible, and also hated the grief and godly sorrow of repentance. Towards the end of the discussion, he said to me:
"The fact that a man [i.e. he's talking about me], with little to no formal seminary training, can thumb his nose at over 500 years of biblical scholarship and then teach a subject in error (that almost no one else teaches) is outlandishly arrogant. You are bound as a servant of Christ to examine your teachings and we will all answer for what we teach. May the Lord rebuke you sir, if you do not correct your abhorrent teaching of repentance."
-Christopher from Las Vegas, "Respecter of Persons Despises Repentance," Mar 13, 2019, retrieved June 22, 2019, [creationliberty.com/forum/index.php?topic=586.0]

If you look up the reference I provided and read the entire letter, you can see where he rejects those who have come to godly sorrow of the sin. He abhors those who are meek and poor in spirit, and instead, he honors those who are high, lofty, pretigious, and noble, but if you remember earlier in this teaching, the first chapter of 1st Corinthians teaches us that rarely does God ever call the mighty, wise, and noble; rather, God calls the weak, foolish, worthless, and despised, to put to shame those who would try to glory in His presence. (1Co 1:26-29)

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
-Matthew 5:3-5

That man rejects the poor and needy, and rolls out a red carpet for the high and lofty. Why? Because he's lifted up in the pride of his heart, and those who have a prideful heart will yoke together with one another; therefore, he rejects the sheep and kneels in worship of the goats who lead him astray because he has been blinded by his pride.

Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
-Psalm 40:4

The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.
-Psalm 119:69

Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
-Proverbs 16:5

Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
-Proverbs 16:19

Therefore I responded to him with 1Co 2:14, and I said the following:
"You go ahead on your way and reject the poor, the needy, the foolish, the base, the despised, and all those who don't have lofty seminary degrees and fancy titles you respect so highly, but please let those simple people know that they are welcome among our church, as you would be also if you come to grief and godly sorrow of your wrongdoing."
-Christopher J.E. Johnson, "Respecter of Persons Despises Repentance," Mar 13, 2019, retrieved June 22, 2019, [creationliberty.com/forum/index.php?topic=586.0]

Someone's pride in their pastor is also very common, in which they won't hear a matter because if what I tell them is true, then their pastor is in error in his teachings, and in the pride of their hearts, they refuse to hear the truth of a matter because not only would it force them to rebuke their pastor (which they are too cowardly to do), but it's a direct insult to them because they have been following that pastor in blindness themselves, and thus, they take an insult to their pastor as a direct insult on themselves, and that's when railing accusation comes out. This is why I can barely get any churchgoer to hear the truth on matters like the "The Dangers of Lexicons and Concordances," or "The 'Original Greek' Scam" (in which pastors are deceiving congregations about the meaning of Scripture), or the truth about "501c3: The Devil's Church" to understand there is wicked leaven at the core of all these things, but because of the pride of their hearts, not willing to hear that anything could be possibly wrong with their quaint little worlds, upsetting the status quo, they choose to remain in their willful blindness along with the rest of the world.

It should be noted that, if you read the Gospels thoroughly, you'll find that Jesus did not go seeking out the prideful of heart to preach to them. The prideful of heart followed him to ensnare Him and falsely accuse Him, and He rebuked them, but He did not go looking to try and preach to them because, if we consider the matter, pride blinds a man, and thus, if a man is blind, how can we make him see?

Therefore, Jesus said to leave them alone:

But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
-Matthew 15:13-14

This is precisely why I don't evangelize to church buildings and pastors anymore. I've gotten tired of wasting my time on those who will not hear, and thus, even though in my heart I yearn for them to hear, there is no recipe of special words I can say to break open a heart of stone.

See then that ye walk circumspectly [i.e. watchful, cautious], not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
-Ephesians 5:15-16

When you speak to gibberish cultists (i.e. those who claim they "speak in tongues," but they really don't), it's amazing how highly they exalt themselves; they pride themselves in a "gift" that they were not given in the first place. The last man I remember rebuking face-to-face for his Satanic gibberish, his response was "Lord, forgive him, he knows not what he does!" which is from Luke 23:34, in which Christ was going to the cross. All I did was ask the man questions and correct his ignorance of Scripture, and he was so lifted up in the pride of his heart, he acted like he was being persecuted unto crucifixion!
(Read "Charismatic Gibberish vs Speaking in Tongues" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

I made a youtube video series for this teaching (which you should find by clicking the green audio button at the top of this article), and most people probably didn't notice the thumbnail image I made for it; it's Steven Anderson, one of the wolves in sheep's clothing I exposed in our "Wolves in Costume Series." If you look closely at the thumbnail, it is an image of a video he did in which he was comparing himself to Barack Obama (former U.S. president), and how Anderson was showing off that he had a much more rigorous workout routine than Obama, but the video is nothing but the pride of Steven Anderson's heart, in which he shows himself doing pullups with chains around his shoulders behind an American flag right next to a wall full of his worldly awards and achievements, and seeing this, should it be any wonder why Anderson is such a hateful, warmongering preacher who trust in in own perceived righteousness?
(Read "Wolves in Costume: Steven L. Anderson" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)


I think that many of our listeners did not catch that I selected this screenshot from his video for not just the literal evidence as shown above, but also for the metaphorical significance. A man like Steven Anderson, who trusts in his own perceived righteousness, is bound in chains and working to lift himself up by his own strength; I could not have found a better photo for the cover.

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
-1 Timothy 4:8-10

In fact, that struggle for superiority (i.e. Anderson tries to show how much better he is than Obama) is called "strife" in Scripture, and the Bible says that they which do such things shall NOT inherit the Kingdom of God, not because they didn't do enough good works, but because it is a result of the corruption of pride in their hearts.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
-Galatians 5:19-21

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
-1 Timothy 6:3-5

Often, from the mouth of a prideful person comes railing accusation:

rail (v): to speak accusations of fault in severe language, to use prideful language, to attempt to find some fault or blame in contempt rather than truth
(See 'rail', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Oct 26, 2017, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

A railer is someone who, in their wrath and emulations, start accusing people of all sorts of things of which they have no evidence. Again, this is coming from the prideful heart, attempting to make others look bad so they can make themselves look better.

And when we consider the countless amount of people who erupt in railing accusations out of the pride of their hearts as soon as you begin to tell them the truth about the witchcraft of Christmas; I wouldn't know where to begin talking about all the prideful people I've run into on that topic alone. It's not just me either, a number of Christians have written and talked to me about how often they get called a legalist, Pharisee, and an assortment of other false accusations just for bringing up the topic.
(Read "Christmas: The Rejection of Jesus" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
-Proverbs 21:23-24

We need not ever return their railing accusations to them. You can wish (i.e. expression of desire) them well, pray blessings unto them, and depart in peace.

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful [tender, compassionate], be courteous: Not rendering [to pay back] evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: [deceit]
-1 Peter 3:8-10

It's pride that closes peoples' ears, and if their ears are closed, how will they hear the truth which will lead them to repentance and eternal life through Christ?

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
-Romans 10:14

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
-2 Peter 3:9

Yet, many will perish because, as we've already seen, God will NOT save the proud of heart. This is why there are many Jews who will end up in hell with their hopes in their bloodline, falsely believing that they are justified simply for being born a Jew, but the seed of promise was in the faith of Abraham, giving to those who believe, not those who are born of a bloodline, and most Jews close their ears because of the pride in their hearts.

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
-Matthew 13:13

And it further amazes me how often that, when we reprove the sins which come from the prideful heart, we are accused of being prideful. Don't misunderstand; I take such accusations inwardly to judge myself, but so often I've found that the accusation of pride is not based on any merit of what I have said or done, but rather, they are (in the sin of strife) attempting to create a superiority of themselves.

For example, in 1 Samuel 17, David's father sent him to bring food to his brothers, and when he arrived, he saw Goliath the Philistine mocking the Lord God openly. David questioned why no one was doing anything about it, why Goliath was allowed to continue mocking the Lord God openly, and then his oldest brother falsely accused him of being prideful:

And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
-1 Samuel 17:28

What we need to understand about this is that Eliab was embarrassed by David's words because what David said proved that Eliab was unfaithful and cowardly. What Eliab accused David of was not true, otherwise, God would not have been with David. Thus, Eliab immediately lifted himself up in the pride of his heart, and in himself was saying, "How dare my little brother come in here and tell us what to do; he doesn't know anything!"

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
-2 Timothy 3:1-4

highminded (adj): proud, arrogant
heady (adj): to rush forward in an enterprise without thought or deliberation; hurried on by will or passion
(See 'heady' & 'high-minded', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved June 15, 2019, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

The heady and highminded attitude comes from the prideful heart, and they often aim their rage, railing, and false accusations at those who rebuke their sin. I have experienced this so many times just in the letters I've received on a regular basis that I could not share them all here (because it would be far too long), and so if any readers would like to see some of those examples, you can go to our "Wild Emails" section of our website and read more.

And why beholdest thou the mote [i.e. tiny splinter of wood] that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam [i.e. large plank of wood] that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
-Matthew 7:3-5

The sad part about this teaching is that those who really need to read it will almost never read it. In fact, sending someone an article called "The Biblical Understanding of Pride" and saying, "You really ought to read this," will typically anger them because they're so lifted up in their pride, they get angry at you before they have heard the matter. (It's sometimes known as a "Catch-22," that is, a situation in which the solution causes the problem.)

He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
-Proverbs 18:13

This is one of the reason that I rarely ever accuse someone of being prideful, and those of you who have listened to my teachings for a long time can recall me very rarely accusing anyone of pride. It's not that there are not many prideful people out there, don't misunderstand, but that the accusation often triggers their pride to such a degree, it becomes almost impossible to talk to them any further.

This is why, many times, at the beginning of the teachings (i.e. the downloadable teachings on our audio section), I will pray that the Lord God would take the pride from our hearts and humble us. If pride is in the way, we will not hear the truth of His Word.

If I tell a man he's being prideful, that typically only ignites his pride, and that's also why you'll notice that Jesus Christ taught about the danger of the prideful heart, but He never directly accused an individual of being prideful. There is really no need to individually accuse because, to those who have the Biblical understanding about pride, the prideful hearts can be seen by the words that proceed out of their mouths.

And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
-Mark 7:18-23

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
-Matthew 15:18

The following is a video that is from my teaching, "Respecting Persons Is Sin," which shows a pastor named Jim Standridge blowing up on his congregation, and it is a perfect example of man who is lifted up in the pride of his heart, having evidence of it coming out of his mouth.
In the video, you'll notice that he approaches a man who is sleeping during the sermon, and he starts to verbally tear the man apart for daring to insult the presitious pastor. Standridge walks around the auditorium telling everyone "I'm important! I'm somebody!"

Why didn't Standridge go to the man who was sleeping, gently wake him, and say, "I know how hard you've been working to provide for you and your family, and I know your very tired; why don't you find a room in the back and lay down for bit and get some rest?" (After all, they video tape the sermons, so he could watch it later.) I'll tell you why Standridge did not approach him that way: Because he is prideful in his heart, and he has not ever come to the grief and godly sorrow of repentance of his sin. (In a news interview later, Standridge stated clearly he stood behind everything he said and was unrepentant of anything that happened in that video.)

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte [i.e. convert to his religion], and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
-Matthew 23:15

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
-Matthew 23:13

Standridge is just one instance of many. He's only an example I use to demonstrate the point because the amount of pastors I've seen do the exact same things (and the amount of letters I've received of Christians testifying of pastors doing these same things) is staggering.

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
-Luke 7:47

No matter who you are, or who you think you are, do not be deceived. God's Word is clear:

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
-Galatians 6:7

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
-Isaiah 2:11-12

And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:
-Isaiah 5:15

Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough [cut off the branch] with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn [i.e. cut] down, and the haughty shall be humbled.
-Isaiah 10:33

It is vital in our day that mankind understands that repentance is the process by which men are humbled to salvation. I say this to everyone: Shed your vain pride, be humbled, and repent to the Christian God of the Bible before it's too late.
(Read "Is Repentance Part of Salvation?" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
-Hebrews 9:27-28

For those of you humbled, the poor and needy souls, I say to you that the Lord God provided and preserved His Word for you in the King James Bible. It is there as a shield of protection against the prideful and deceptive men of this world, and it is there as a light to guide you into truth and salvation.

Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth [i.e. pridefully lifting himself to high esteem] at him. The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
-Psalm 12:1-7

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