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Pride

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2 Chronicles 26:16a: But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God,...

Someone once made the comment to me that he believed that all sin originates in pride. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this and believe it to be very nearly true. I actually haven't thought of anything that didn't have an origin in pride if you look deep enough. For example, if you choose not to try something, you might be fearful of failure. Fear of failure is really fear of damaging your pride, isn't it?  Not taking a risk might be due to a fear of failure - which is back to pride.
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I've seen people on street corners, holding up worn Bibles, quoting verses from it, looking rather worn themselves. I used to think how embarrassing for them. Somehow in their spiritual journey, they have abandoned their pride for the sake of scripture, for the sake of The Word, Jesus who is the Word - See John 1:1-2 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning."
Then I think of Jesus, who gave up all pride to descend from heaven and God to be one of us, then hung helplessly on a cross. 
So is pride the beginning of all sin?  Perhaps. It keeps us in a defensive pose. I often become defensive (or appear to be defensive) when put in a position to "defend my honor" - hmmm isn't that pride? What about when I defend the honor of someone else?  Is that pride?  Perhaps. Why am I defending another?  So that my relationship with them doesn't cause me harm or is it in defense of the innocent?  One is prideful and the other is Biblical - defense of the defenseless.
I usually start writing a post then start looking for photo clips to add some variety.  When I typed "pride" into google images, the results were overwhelmingly of Gay Pride images.  I won't comment more on that except to say that I think it adds credence to my point.  Pride leads to sin, even when love is present.
Jesus, please open my eyes to my pride so that I may recognize the roots of my sins. Help me to eliminate those areas that cause me to sin against You.  Amen. 
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  1. AnonymousJune 25, 2010 at 8:12 AM

    "Then I think of Jesus, who gave up all pride to descend from heaven and God to be one of us, then hung helplessly on a cross." Did Jesus actually exist before He was born on earth? Did the Holy Spirit exist before Pentecost?

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  2. Sherri HardingJune 25, 2010 at 8:24 AM

    Yes, Jesus and the Holy Spirit existed prior to Jesus' birth and Pentecost. See Genesis 1:26: "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness....'"
    I believe that this "us" includes the Son and the Holy Spirit. Additionally see Genesis 1:2 "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters". Isn't that the same as the Holy Spirit? God's spirit is referenced throughout the Old Testament.

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