The Danger of Pride: Lessons from 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
In today’s world, the allure of pride and self-reliance is stronger than ever. We’re constantly encouraged to boast in our accomplishments, to stand tall in our achievements, and to find strength in our own abilities. Yet, when we turn to the scriptures, we find a clear and sobering message: God despises pride.
God Hates Pride
Psalm 138:6 tells us that while the Lord is high, He regards the lowly, but the haughty—those who are puffed up with pride—He knows from afar. There’s no closeness with God when we’re filled with pride. Proverbs 16:5 goes even further, stating, “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.”
These aren’t mild words. The Bible makes it clear that God’s opposition to pride is intense. James 4:6 reminds us, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” It’s not a passive stance; God actively resists the proud. This opposition is as strong as a mother hating the drug that destroys her child.
Pride: The Root of All Sin
Pride is not just a sin—it’s the seed of all sin. In Genesis 3, we see the fall of man rooted in pride. The serpent’s temptation to Eve was essentially, “You will be like God.” It was pride that made the forbidden fruit look so desirable, and it’s pride that led to the tragic consequences we all face.
Throughout the Bible, we see pride as the driving force behind many downfalls. Cain’s pride led him to murder Abel, the people of Babel’s pride led them to build a tower to heaven, and King David’s pride led to his sin with Bathsheba. Even the religious leaders of Jesus’ time were blinded by pride, unable to recognize the Messiah standing before them.
The Corinthian Church and the Problem of Pride
The church in Corinth, much like our world today, was plagued by pride. The Corinthians were divided, boasting about their affiliations with different leaders—Paul, Apollos, Cephas—as if these human associations gave them spiritual superiority. They were using their spiritual gifts not to build up the body of Christ, but to elevate themselves above one another.
Paul, who founded the church and spent 18 months teaching them, had to address this issue head-on. He reminded them that their calling wasn’t due to their wisdom, power, or noble birth. In fact, most of them were none of these things.
Consider Your Calling
Paul urges the Corinthians to “consider your calling.” This isn’t just about recalling the moment of their salvation, but understanding the nature of God’s call. It’s not about our merit; it’s entirely about God’s grace. God didn’t choose the wise, the powerful, or the noble. He chose the weak, the foolish, and the despised. Why? So that no one could boast before Him.
In God’s economy, the things the world values—wisdom, strength, nobility—are turned upside down. He uses the foolish to shame the wise, the weak to shame the strong, and the lowly to bring to nothing the things that are. This is a deliberate choice by God to ensure that His glory is not shared with anyone or anything else.
Boasting in the Lord
Our boast is not in ourselves, but in the Lord. As believers, we must constantly remind ourselves of our need for God’s grace. When we recognize our own spiritual poverty, we become open to receiving the riches of God’s grace. Our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption are all gifts from God through Christ.
Conclusion: Recognizing Our Need
In our journey of faith, it’s easy to become complacent, to begin to rely on our own understanding, and to forget that everything we have is because of God’s grace. But the moment we begin to think we are something on our own, we lose sight of the source of our strength.
We are like welfare recipients, entirely dependent on God’s provision. When we recognize this, we approach Him with humility, gratitude, and a deep awareness of our need for His grace every single day.
Let us boast only in the Lord, recognizing that our salvation, our spiritual growth, and our very lives are all because of Him. May we keep our pride in check, remembering that the greatest threat to our spiritual health is not outside of us, but within us. And in all things, may we give glory to God, who alone is worthy.