The Bible describes pride as sin. Pride goes before destruction (Prov. 16:18), puts one in an unhealthy relationship with God (1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6), and definately will yield a regrettable end (Prov. 29:23). Nebuchadnezzar was judged for his proud spirit (Dan. 4), Haman was beset with pride (Esther 5), and Pharaoh fell because of it. God plans to humble the proud (Matt. 23:12).
Christian theologians have managed the thought of pride mainly inside the tradition of Augustine, who viewed pride as the first sin and so spent a great deal of his energy on discussing it. The keystone of his argument was a text in Ecclesiasticus that reads, “pride could be the start of sin.” The verse has later been regarded as questionable in meaning. Nonetheless, for this basis Augustine proceeded to watch december Satan as portrayed in Ezekiel and Isaiah as principally motivated by pride. “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty” (Ezek. 28:17, NIV). What led Satan to his fall was likewise the death of the mankind from the garden of Eden. Augustine felt that pride in the extreme may be the unpardonable sin (Green, 1949). He wrote extensively about their own struggles with pride, describing it as being his greatest temptation.
The study of pride has additionally been the main topic of great interest to Christians in monastic traditions and later on to the Pietists. Bernard of Clairvaux inside the Steps of Humility declared that people usually takes steps upward if they pursue humility; in case they pursue pride, their steps will lead downward, following a length of Satan. Bernard implies that you can find 12 steps that may lead one through the beginnings of pride-curiosity-to its undesirable expression, habitual sin. The intervening steps are frivolity, foolish mirth, boastfulness, singularity (gonna all ends to prove oneself superior), conceit, audacity, excusing of sins, hypocritical confession, defiance, and freedom to sin. The first task of pride (curiosity) may be the last step of humility (downcast eyes). The final step of pride (habitual sin) medicine reasons for true humility (worries with the Lord).
Bernard’s outline is actually sermonic in tone and designed being an instructive tool for aspiring monastics. But its medieval format, his description of pride rings true. Modern psychology does not have much to add to his outline. Pride elevates the self, seeks to own one’s worth recognized by others, and is unaware of obvious personal faults. The proud person has difficulty functioning interpersonally, since he / she does not receive or process feedback from others in a satisfactory manner. Nor does the proud person fare well within the task for being other-centered. Pride forms an important take into account the psychological construct of narcissism.
Pride, psychologically considered, is defensive in nature. Obviously pride isn’t a fair and true estimate of self; it is really an overestimate. To ensure the proud individual is motivated to cover up a subconscious sense of inferiority or perhaps motivated to overcompensate for actual inadequacies. Pride may be portion of an ill-formed method of social interaction; the proud person may genuinely feel their pride to be the best way to managing self among others and may be not aware of flaws that preclude the pride. Pride thrives on deference and praise from others. It could have its roots in parental overindulgence or perhaps in experience that created deep personal insecurities which is why the pride is compensating.
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