A Romans 1 World Pt. 16 Pride, Hubris & Self Conceit overcome by the Word of God.

A despiteful man is filled with hubris. 

Romans 1:30-32  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32)  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 

Despiteful. The next item on a lengthy list of attributes describing people who God gave over to reprobate minds is the word "despiteful." This word refers to a man who is lifted up in pride. Haughty words and insulting, insolent language pours out of his mouth as he verbally attacks other people. He treats others with shameful disrespect. Sounds like many politicians!

We see the Greek word translated "despiteful" in the word "hubris." Ancient Greeks viewed "hubris" as a fatal character flaw in a person. "Hubris" caused a person to become cocky, overconfident, excessively proud and full of unchecked ambition at the expense of others around them. Then, "hubris" caused that person to be judged by the Greek gods, resulting in a great fall. 

Psalm 10:2-5  The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. 3) For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. 4) The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. 5) His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. 

The Psalmist tells us about a "despiteful" person. They are pride filled and treat the poor people with contempt. They boast about their accomplishments and plans. They tend to be covetous. Notice how well the Psalmists description of a despiteful man correlates with a man given over to a reprobate mind. Such people will not seek after God and they do not retain God in their thoughts. 

God's view of a despiteful man.

Proverbs 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 29:23  A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Pride always goes before a fall and king Solomon warned about pride or hubris nearly 3,000 years ago. He noted that a proud heart and a haughty  spirit will lead that person to destruction and a nasty fall. The person filled with hubris will be brought low.

1 Corinthians 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

The apostle Paul also warned against pride. In this text he refers to a proud man as one who thinks he stands safely and securely. This person should take heed and assess his haughty spirit because he will otherwise fall  and be greatly humbled.

1Timothy 3:6  Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

In this text, Paul is listing the qualifications for the office of a church leader sometimes called a bishop or elder. A spiritual leader in the church cannot be a novice. By that, Paul means someone who has recently been born again and who is a babe in Christ. A new Christian needs time to digest the truth of God's Word and to live it out. 

If a novice or new believer were selected for a position of spiritual leadership, then Paul warns that there is a real possibility of them being lifted up with pride. Ultimately, they would fall into condemnation of the devil. That is, Satan would seek to fill them with pride and when they overstep their bounds, that leader would fall in disgrace and bring condemnation upon himself and upon the church of Jesus Christ. 

James 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

God is aligned against the proud person. Those who are filled with hubris and a haughty attitude will find that God will resist them and seek to bring them to judgment so that they might repent of their sin. However, if they refuse to confess their sins then He will judge them and they will fall. James reminds us that God will always extend grace to the humble hearted people who call out to Him. 

A proud person is self conceited. 

Proud. The next characteristic of a Romans 1 culture is the trait of being "proud." This word is a little different from the word "despiteful" in that it involves self conceit, seeing yourself above everyone else. It means having an exaggerated view of your own intellect, abilities, accomplishments or skills. This person is naturally going to look down on other people because he views himself as superior in every way. 

Pride is included in a list of twenty traits of the last days that Paul warned about. He called them perilous times and they clearly connect to the Romans 1 world we are studying (2 Timothy 3:1-7). 

James already told us that God resists the proud. This is something we all need to watch out for. When we do an excellent job for our employer, or we achieve academic excellence or we excel in some other endeavor, our flesh is going to want recognition and the praise of man. This can lead to being proud and thinking too highly of ourselves.

Think soberly.

Romans 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 

We are warned once more in this text not to think to highly of ourselves. The reason for Pauls' repetition is that we have a built in tendency in our flesh to do exactly that: to think highly of ourselves. When this attitude is in us then we will tend to look down upon other believers who are not "up where we are" spiritually.  

Instead we must think soberly, remembering that we were enslaved to sin and God rescued us from its bondage when we were born again. When we consider our old life of sin and degradation, any pride in us will be replaced by humility, because we understand we glory in Jesus Christ, not in ourselves. We are nothing but He is everything. 

The cure for this is in Romans 12:1-2 that we recently studied. It is presenting our bodies to God as a living sacrifice and being transformed by God from the inside out, through having our minds renewed by the scriptures. Taking God's word into our minds will help us not to have an inflated view of ourselves. 

Avoid pride with condescending service and love. 

Romans 12:16  Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 

In the section where Paul discussed spiritual gifts with believers at Rome, he reminds us to condescend or to readily come alongside those who may be spiritually struggling. It means to yield yourself to things considered lowly. It is related to Christ telling His disciples that those who seek greatness in His kingdom will be those who serve others in humility (Matthew 23:11 & Luke 22:26). 

Instead of looking down on them and mentally berating them for a lack of spiritual progress in their lives, we are to meet them where they are and do our best to edify, encourage and help them grow. 

Paul tells us not to worry about high things which belong to God. Rather, we ought to focus on yielding to His rule over us, changing us, making us more like Christ. A final warning from God against conceit is that we not become wise in our own conceit. Do not be self oriented, self centered, self absorbed and puffed up.  

Loving God is more important than knowledge.

1 Corinthians 8:1-3  Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 2) And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 3) But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

Paul put his finger on a potential problem area for Christians. It is that as we grow spiritually, we may become puffed up by the knowledge of God that we gain. Instead, seek humility before the Lord of Glory and allow the love of God, that is poured into us by the Spirit of God, to flow out of us in ministry to God and others. This kind of love will edify or build up the faith of other believers. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

People with hubris, pride and condescending  attitudes seem to be around us everywhere today. They are in present in government, academia, politics, protest groups, think tanks and sadly, even in churches. 

Pride precedes a fall into disgrace. This is a principle from God that we see all too frequently from people who are supposed to be governing us, leading us, giving us sound guidance. Instead they promote perverse agendas and seek to brainwash our children. Yet, the proud will fall at some point. 

Hubris is a disgraceful character flaw that should never be seen in a child of God. God is against the proud heart. He resists us when we become puffed up or pride filled. 

Loving and serving God with a cheerful heart will lead to loving and serving others with a cheerful heart. It goes back to having the mind of Christ in us (Philippians 2:5-11).

May we diligently seek these things so God may drive out any hubris, pride or self conceit from our hearts. May we be counted worthy vessels to serve and love and honor our Great King and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Bob