It may seem like a strange and unthinkable concept that God would intentionally and completely break a Christian because of Pride. I’m not talking about a minor scolding or correction, but rather the destruction of both the individual’s worldview and character. At the end, all that the person can do is fall completely and utterly into the grace of God.
I feel that Peter knew what this meant well. He writes:
“… “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:5c-7, ESV)
Peter well knew the devastating effects of pride. He was of course the disciple that thought he knew better than Jesus, telling him that he would not go to the cross. Peter was rebuked with the powerful words, “get behind me Satan” (Matt. 16:23). Years later, Paul found Peter contradicting the gospel due to pride. Eating with gentiles, but then withdraw from them when Jews entered the room (Gal. 2:11-14). Peter “stood condemned” and was opposed publicly by Paul. Finally, how can we forget of Peter’s great boast that all others might deny Christ, but he would always remain true. From the heights of that great boast he fell into the pit of denial. Was there ever a morning when the crow of the rooster did not remind him of the moment he denied Christ? Peter was continually chastened.
Pride is a destructive force in the life of the believer. I can see two negative results from this single sin.
The first negative result is self-sufficiency. A self sufficient person requires no outside help, let alone understands the meaning of grace. We believe we have everything or at least can accomplish what we wish without the means of God’s intervention. But have you ever thought that we in fact have nothing except by what God gives us by his grace. Every heartbeat – every breath – every morning that we wake up – it is all given to us by God’s grace. If we even think for a moment that we can achieve anything eternally outside of God’s grace, in any area of life, then we are erring on the side self-sufficiency.
The second negative result is self-glorification. A self-glorying person lifts themselves above God. Drawing attention to themselves for who they are and what they have accomplished, rather than directing the attention to Christ. In fact scripture calls this ‘conceit’ from the Greek word ‘kenodoxian’ (κενοδοξίαν) meaning ‘empty glory.’ We have absolutely no reason to boast in anything except that which reveals Christ’s glory (2 Cor. 11:21-12:13; 2 Cor. 10:17; Gal. 6:14; 2 Thess. 1:4).
Pride causes us to look down on others and causes a rebellious heart against heart. The proud person sets himself against God, therefore God sets himself against the proud. Even in the life of the believer pride can exist. We may have a very intimate and personal relationship with God, but it is possible to see something in the distance that our heart desires and chase after it – leaving God to wonder where we went. This is self-sufficiency. We might achieve something, and not realising that it was in fact achieved through God’s grace, we exalt ourselves. This is self-glorification.
God replies to this sin with his mighty hand (1 Peter 5:6). This is not to be taken lightly. Judah was continually placed under the mighty hand of God in order that she might trust in God. For her entire existence Judah’s pride caused her to be apostate and idolatrous. The consequence for Judah was the destruction of her worldview – total devastation of Jerusalem and the Temple – and 70 years in exile. Judah learnt the hard way that they had nothing to boast in, except God’s grace.
God deals with the believer in the same way – a complete devastation of an incorrect worldview. A worldview that causes us to believe we are able to achieve things without God – without seeking God. A worldview that causes to glory in our achievements rather than directing the glory to Christ. The only thing we are able to do while under his mighty hand is to humble ourselves.
After our worldview is destroyed – after we are broken, after we have been humbled, he lifts his mighty hand, and gently rebuilds us – gently restores us. He replaces our proud worldview with a Christ-centred worldview. Christ is the pinnacle of God’s grace – and so it is a grace-filled worldview. A worldview in which we wake up and say, “I live today in the grace that you have apportioned me.” A worldview in which every heartbeat and breath is understood as God’s grace. A worldview in which the gift of eternal life is viewed as God’s grace.
- Have you ever had your worldview destroyed?
- How did this happen?
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