Pride Celebration – What Does the Bible Say About Pride

Many people are familiar with the phrases pride month and pride celebration. Each year, people gather together from all over the world to celebrate these events. Pride celebrations happen all the time in different ways.

Pride is the expression of how you view yourself. This comes in the form of self-dignity, self-love, self-worth, and so forth (2 Timothy 3:1-2). The word pride that people celebrate is the same word as pride in the Bible.

The bible provides many examples of people celebrating and embracing a prideful lifestyle. Before we dive into history on the word pride in the Bible, let’s see how it influences the world today.

Pride Celebration and How it Influences People Around the World

Pride celebrations come in many forms and influence many globally. This includes LGBTQ+ and other identities, cultural pride, national pride, community pride, athletic pride, academic pride, and more. These pride celebrations unite communities to celebrate a common goal.

For example, Pride celebration month has its own holiday in many nations around the world. Here are a few places that celebrate Pride Month.

• United States: Pride Month is celebrated in June.
• Brazil: São Paulo Pride Parade, one of the largest in the world, typically happens in June.
• Germany: Christopher Street Day (CSD) is celebrated in various cities throughout the country, often in June or July.
• Canada: Pride Month is also celebrated in June, with various events across the country.
• Spain: Madrid Pride, known as Orgullo Madrid, usually takes place in late June.

Pride also celebrates diversity, resilience, and heritage. This is the world’s way of influencing others to accept and understand different cultures, traditions, and identities. Which are expressed through parades, festivals, and gatherings.

Pride is seen as a way to rise above boundaries. With the hope of promoting unity, love, and acceptance. It also advocates for human rights and social justice.

Today, pride is seen as a good attitude to have. Self-pride is understood as a way to self-esteem and self-love. Which means they live life solely on how they feel, what they want, and what they think. They seek out what is pleasing to their emotions.

But is having this influence good for nations and the people?

That’s a good question. To find the truth, we must read the Word of God. Because as the world has its view about pride, so does God.

The Word of God addresses this question and others involving an attitude of pride.

What Does the Bible Say About the Word Pride?

The Bible says a lot about the word pride, such as in Proverbs it says, when pride comes disgrace follows or pride goes before destruction. The word pride can be found all through the Bible. We find more in:

Pride Scriptures!

Proverbs 6:16-17 BSB; 16 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,

Proverbs 8:13 BSB; To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

1 Peter 5:5 BSB; Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 

James 4:6 BSB; But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 

These are a few scriptures of God addressing the subject of pride. As you read the Word of God, especially Proverbs, you will find a common theme. This theme is that He hates the sin of pride and those who have a prideful attitude. So, it is in our best interest to take pride as seriously as God does.

How Did Pride Begin?

Pride began when it was found in Satan, and He was the first created being to be found with pride.

How did he express his pride? He decided he would take God’s place. His attitude toward himself became one of self-love, self-pride, and self-esteem (Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezekiel 28:12-19).

How did God respond to his rebellious (prideful) heart? God threw him out of his place in heaven down to earth (Luke 10:18).

Everything has a beginning and an end. Pride did start with Satan but there is also an eternal consequence for pride.

Revelation 20:10 And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

When Did Pride Originate in People?

Pride originated in the book of Genesis when Satan tempted Eve through his pride, Genesis 3. Satan tempted them to be their own God by causing them to doubt what God said. When they both ate the fruit this is when pride entered their hearts, Mark 7:21-22.

From that moment till now, everyone is born with a prideful, rebellious heart toward God. This makes pride celebrations, including the month of June, a rebellion towards God.

What Does Pride Look Like?

Pride looks like the opposite of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 BSB; 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

A prideful person will not have the fruit of the Holy Spirit because they lack love. Talking to them about self-discipline is not an option. They do not see that this is really a form of self hatred. So the truth is, a prideful heart is full of hate (Proverbs 15:32).

There are many verses that talk about pride; below are a few.

• Pride loves to argue (Proverbs 13:10).
• If you correct them, they will attack you or mistreat you (Proverbs 9:7).
• Says there is no God (Psalm 10:4).
• Is right in their own eyes (Proverbs 12:15).
• Blind to the inevitable result of their pride (Proverbs 14:12).
• God says, He Himself comes against the proud. That is He has no pity toward them (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).

The Bible has many examples of what pride looks like. One example is in the book of Daniel, chapter 5. This talks about a prideful lifestyle. They did what they wanted and God responds to their choices. The “Writing on the Wall” is a description of the destiny of those who live without God.

What Does Pride Lead to in the Bible?

God says pride will eventually lead to our demise. Society may view pride as an asset to their life however God says the complete opposite.

Proverbs 8:13 BSB 13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

Pride Leads To

• God sees those with a prideful heart as His enemy. Godly wisdom and pride are not compatible.
• Pride defiles us. That is, it makes us unholy or unclean before God (Mark 7:20-23).
• Eventually the proud will be humbled (Luke 14:11).
• Those who take pride in their works are not right with God. They will be humbled before or after death (Luke 18:9-14).
• A proud and arrogant heart will not go unpunished (Proverbs 16:5).
• Moral or spiritual failure comes with pride. Pride leads to suffering and ruin (Proverbs 16:18).

As we can see God hates those with a prideful and arrogant heart attitude. He does not tolerate pride because it is satanic.

However, there is a way to turn from pride as a way of thinking and behaving.

How to Turn Away From a Prideful Lifestyle?

There is only one way to no longer live a prideful lifestyle. That is to know Who God is through His Son. If our view of God is not biblical, we will retain the prideful thoughts of our own righteousness.

Therefore to turn from our prideful ways we must believe who God says He is. A great place to begin is in the beginning.

Genesis One – In The Beginning!!!

If we do not believe God created all creation with the power of His word alone, we do not know God. Because it is through faith alone we understand God created the universe from His spoken word (Hebrews 11:3).

When we believe this, we have the correct view of God-the Father, God- the Son, and God-the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:2; Colossians 1:15-17 Hebrews 1:2). Not only did the power of God’s word create but His power holds the universe together. When we believe God, then we will know how to turn from pride when it rears its ugly head.

When we to choose to turn away from pride, then we will choose to walk humbly before the Lord.

Choosing to Walk Humbly Before the Lord

Choosing to walk humbly before the Lord cannot be done through man. Humility belongs to God, and to receive this, the first place to begin is salvation. Because you cannot choose to walk humbly before the Lord without it.

Walking humbly before the Lord means we surrender our rights and our desires. When we surrender, we will no longer boast about ourselves. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). A humble heart will give God all the praise and recognition for our salvation.

Another area in our lives of being humble means we learn to forgive as the Lord forgave us. Forgiveness is essential to turning away from pride (Colossians 3:12-13).

As our walk with the Lord matures, so will our mind, will, and emotions. This is walking away from your old way of life and choosing to walk in the newness of life. When we choose the life of Christ, then our behavior habitually changes into the characteristics of Jesus.

Gratitude is what we see and embrace in every aspect of our lives. For example:

• The humble person may have worked for what they have but they know God made the way for them to receive it (1 Corinthians 4:6-7). Which means every good gift comes down from heaven, James 1:17.
• Humility says, I am alive and breathing because God willed it. My plans happen because it is in the will of God (James 4:14-17).

God also tell us how to live and what to do. For example:

• Do what is just to others according to His word. We are to habitually be kind to others. We do this when we walk humbly with God in obedience to His word. (Micah 6:8).
• As believers we are to view those who hate us and bring chaos and suffering to others through our view of humility. Even when it seems they are prospering in their evil ways Psalm 73:6-9).

Pride Will Lead to Destruction: Bible

Those who continue to live a life in pride will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Proverbs 16:18-19 BSB; Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.

We know without saving faith in Jesus as Lord and Messiah, there is a dreadful eternity waiting for them. In a moment they will find themselves in a place of eternal torment, hell. (Psalm 73:16-21). They will die and God will destroy them (Psalm 73:27, Matthew 10:28, Luke 12:4-5).

They are on the broad path leading to destruction; pray for them and, when necessary meet their physical needs (Matthew 5:43:48).