Pride is it the root of all sin?

In the bible we are told that pride is one of what has become known as the seven deadly sins. There are many ways it is phrased, I personally like Galatians 5:19-21 where it is phrased as selfish ambition. The other six sins are Lust, Gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, and envy. It has been said that pride is at the root of all of these sins. I wondered if this is true. On the surface without any work or research I can yes it is a true statement. Pride in the negative sense of the word can be the root of all the other sins.

A person can be slothfully because they feel they are above working; a person can be greedy or gluttonous because they feel they deserve more then others. Selfish ambition is where the impression that we deserve more comes from.

Language is a many layered and textured thing, one word can have many meanings some similar and some very different and what context the reader takes depends in part by the context and in part to the readers interpretation. The ancient languages tend to have more words and fewer definitions then the English language. An example of what I mean is the word love, we have one simple word that covers what really is a wide range of feelings. The Greeks on the other hand had 3 words to cover those same feelings, eros, philos, and agape. John 21 had a whole new meaning to me when I went back and realized that Christ was using the word agape and Simon Peter was using philos. A whole new layer to the text was unveiled to me. Since I had thought of pride in the sense of it having a negative meaning I thought I should look a little deeper into the words the bible uses and the words that we use.

The first question to answer is what is the definition of pride. Since I can be pretty sure based on the context that a bunch of lions living together or the best looking bull in a bunch is not what the writer was talking about I eliminated those from my list of definitions. I was still left with a pretty long list. Twelve definitions one word. I closely read the definitions and really they all boil down to this basic sentiment.

"a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc."

There is having pride in your ability to do something or being proud of someone for their ability to do something. I don't think that is what the bible is talking about either. I don't think it is a sin to feel good about accomplishing something or to feel good about doing something well. In fact I think the bible encourages us to strive to succeed it is when that good feeling turns into a feeling of being superior that pride becomes the sin that we are warned so often in the bible to avoid. For the sake of simplicity in this paper I am going to go with the above definition of pride as the one that bible is referring to.

I think that the key word that I have come across is superior. We are called to be humble as Christ was humble. He was the son of God and yet he lived with the poor. A king that put his subjects before himself. He live a life of humility and poverty ministering to the sick and the needy. Placing all the glory on God not on himself. Since we are called to to live our lives as Christ did based on his model there is no room for being superior. I think we all struggle with this, a need to be better then everyone else. It is how we feel good about ourselves. I also think that Christians fall on this more then they are willing to admit.

The feeling of superiority comes from knowing the truth about God. Knowing that we are his makes us feel superior to those who do not. We preach and insist that others live by how we are called. We judge others for choices that they make they do not line up with the teachings of the bible. It does not matter if the person believes the bible or not they should do as we do because we say they should and we know better, we are better, we are God's. I have heard every excuse in the book for the superior behavior but the truth is if Christ walked this earth today would he handle the situations the way we do? The answer is no. I don't recall Christ condemning the adulterous women or the Samaritan woman at the well. He treated them with love and they changed through his love.

I don't think any of us are exempt from this sin, we all struggle with it most likely on a daily basis, but is it at the root of all of our sin? I don't think so. I have been examining my own sin closely over the past few days and I don't think feeling superior is at the root of it. Mainly because I don't feel superior. I feel inferior to everyone and every thing. I don't feel I deserve the blessings I have been given and even though I long for other blessings in the deepest part of my heart I don't feel I deserve them or should have them. Simply put I am not worthy.

There must be something more to the thought that Pride is the root of all sin so I went back to the Greek. I looked closely at the word hubris. On Wikipedia I found Aristotle's definition of hubris.

to cause shame to the victim, not in order that anything may happen to you, nor because anything has happened to you, but merely for your own gratification.

What jumped out at me is "own gratification". Our own gratification and being superior are closely linked. In face it is for our own gratification that we need to feel superior. What reason is there for giving into lust, greed or gluttony besides our own gratification? When we do things for our own gratification to meet our desires we are putting ourselves above God. A place none of us belong. We can not be there in actuality and we sure should not have that in our hearts. God should be first in our hearts not second behind what we desire or what would gratify us.

That is why we are called to be humble and warned about the seven deadly sins. When we toot our own horn we are raising ourselves to a dangerous place. If you write something with the intention of inspiring people or blessing people you are taking the credit. To say come read this it will inspire you is not living a humility and giving God his credit. If something inspires someone it will be because God used those words to inspire. In some of our everyday activities we take credit for what God has done. Nothing I have ever written has inspired anyone. When God uses me to write something those words have impacted others. I know because they have said so. I have been criticized for not accepting compliments on my writing, but I can not take credit for something that is not of me. I know when the words come from my head and heart and when God has put them there. In that sense I think we are all aware of when God is working through us to some degree and that can give a real sense of gee I am special look at how God has used me.

That is a dangerous first step to allowing pride to take over and elevating ourselves about our God in our hearts. Pride is certainly a dangerous sin, possible the greatest of the seven deadly sins. I do not think it is at the root of all sin, the root of all our sins is our own desire for self gratification. The only way to avoid the trap of self gratification is to be humble give God the credit for all the things in your life that he has blessed. In this you draw yourself closer to God. Isn't that what it is all about anyway. Waking up each day to draw closer to God.

Pet Peeve Rant and a long day

I find myself annoyed this early am by an email that I received yesterday. I often get emails such as this one and try to take it the way they are intended which is encouragement, but often I fail. I end up deleting the emails and feeling insulted or annoyed. I know that I am wrong to feel that way when the intention of the writer is good.

The problem is that the writer doesn't read what is written in the post. Instead the writer sees what the writer wants to see. Not reading what is actually there but what the writer desires to see there often makes the emails inappropriate. Often reading those emails is like adding salt to a wound. I don't mind emails about my posts. I don't mind comments about my post. In fact I encourage them, but before commenting on what someone writes make sure you read what they wrote not what you want to see.


End of rant


Friday I worked a long day. It was quiet in the morning but the end was rather hectic. Before the rush started a man came in his name was Fred and some how while I was talking to him the subject of God came up. He is beginning his journey of faith and I found myself in a witness situation. Not really feeling up to it since my own faith is so shaky right, I was less then pleased. In the end I was glad of the talk because I felt myself giving the answers that I have known to be true and giving them with conviction. I could not have done that if at some core place I did not believe it.

In the end I suggested a church not far from the store and gave him my email address. I wonder if I will hear from him. I wonder if he will stop in at the church down the street. I wonder if God planned that meeting for my benefit or his.