1. Pride is turning away from God in order that we might find our satisfaction in self.
Rom. 1:21 - For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom. 1:22 - Professing to be wise, they became fools,
Rom. 1:23 - and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
2. Pride causes us to want applause, praise and recognition
John 3:30 - “He must increase, but I must decrease.
3. Pride causes us to take credit for the work that we have accomplished in God's strength.
(The story of Sampson)
Judg. 15:14 - ¶ When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds dropped from his hands.
Judg. 15:15 - He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he reached out and took it and killed a thousand men with it.
Judg. 15:16 - Then Samson said,
“With the jawbone of a donkey,
Heaps upon heaps,
With the jawbone of a donkey
I have killed a thousand men.”
Judg. 15:17 - When he had finished speaking, he threw the jawbone from his hand; and he named that place Ramath
4. Pride causes us to take credit for the accomplishment of others
1Sam. 13:3 - Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.”
1Sam. 13:4 - All Israel heard the news that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become odious to the Philistines. The people were then summoned to Saul at Gilgal.
5. Pride will lead to our downfall
(Story of King Uzziah)
2Chr. 26:16 - ¶ But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.
6. Pride can cause us to overvalue position and prestige
(Story of King Nebuchadnezzar)
Dan. 4:30 - “The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’
7. Pride can keep us from admitting our sins
(Paul's second letter to the Corinthians)
2Cor. 7:8 - For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—
2Cor. 7:9 - I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.
2Cor. 7:10 - For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
2Cor. 7:11- For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.