The Torah Network

4 yrs

SIN

In tradition, the seven deadly sins are pride, covetousness / greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger and sloth / laziness. They are -- deadly -- because they are so common and so easy to fall into. They are also called capital sins:

Part 1 -- Pride:

Pride can be a reasonable or justifiable self-respect or an improper and excessive self-esteem such as conceit or arrogance. The apostle Paul expressed a positive kind of pride when speaking of confidence in Christians -- 2 Corinthians 7:4 -- or of strength in Elohim -- 12:5, 9. However, it is the latter sinful meaning of pride that most frequently appears in the Bible, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. The ten Hebrew and two Greek words generally used for pride refer to being high or exalted in attitude, the opposite of the virtue of humility, which is so often praised and rewarded by YHVH. One other Greek word refers to a person’s being puffed up or inflated with pride or egotism. The idea is that one gives the impression of substance but is really filled only with air -- see for example, 1 Corinthians 5:2; 8:1; 13:4; Colossians 2:18. Pride is basically a sin of attitude and of the heart and spirit. Hence one reads, -- Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin -- Proverbs 21:4. Ecclesiastes 7:8 speaks of being proud in spirit and the psalmist declares, “O Elohim, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty -- Psalms 131:1. Pride is cited in the two lists of the most glaring sins in Scripture. Along with the sins for which YHVH is going to judge the Gentiles, one finds insolence, arrogance and boasting -- Romans 1:30. Included with the sins that will be prevalent in the last days, Paul includes boasting, arrogance and conceit -- 2 Timothy 3:2-4. As with so many of the sins of attitude, pride cannot remain internalized. It can infect one’s speech; boasting is one way by which this sin can appear in one’s speaking -- see the passages referred to above and also Malachi 3:13. Pride can also appear in the way one looks at another person. Hence, the Scriptures speak of -- haughty eyes -- in Proverbs 6:17 or, as it could also be rendered, -- a proud look. The psalmist speaks of a person with haughty looks and arrogant heart -- Psalm 101:5; see also Proverbs 30:13. Pride may also take the ugly form of contemptible treatment of others -- Proverbs 21:24. One of the illustrations of this in the Scripture is the way in which the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders treated and spoke of those beneath their social level -- for example, Matthew 23:5-12; John 9:34. They especially despised tax collectors and sinners. Outstanding examples of proud people can be found in both Testaments. Pride was the downfall of King Uzziah who, because of this sin, dared to offer incense on the altar of incense and was smitten with leprosy as his punishment from Elohim -- 2 Chronicles 26:16. Hezekiah, after his healing by Elohim, became proud of heart and brought YHVH’s anger upon himself, Judah and Jerusalem -- 32:25-26. The Pharisee praying in the temple, comparing himself with the humble tax collector, is another example -- Luke 18:9-14. Herod’s refusal to give YHVH the glory for his greatness brought judgment from YHVH: Herod was eaten by worms and died for his sin of pride -- Acts 12:21-23. In fact, Ezekiel 28 which describes the pride of the leader of Tyre, is taken by many biblical scholars to refer, in a deeper sense, to the fall of the evil one in the beginning. Pride can bring about the downfall not only of individuals but also of nations. This was the sin that is specifically mentioned as leading to other sins and that ultimately brought about the removal of both Yisrael and Yehudah from the land of Canaan -- Isaiah 3:16; 5:15; Ezekiel 16:50; Hosea 13:6; Zephaniah 3:11. It is also the specific sin that brought about the downfall of the king of Assyria -- Isaiah 10:12, 33 -- and of the king of Moab -- Jeremiah 48:29. Because of its deadliness, Yisrael is specifically warned against pride and the tendency to forget YHVH that so often stems from it -- Deuteronomy 8:14. In the light of the preceding discussion, it is no surprise to read in the Scriptures that pride is one of the seven things that Elohim hates -- Proverbs 6:17. It is also said by two different writers that Elohim opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble -- see James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5; see also Proverbs 3:34 and 18:12, to which James and Peter may be referring. The words of Mary, the mother of Yeshua, in her hymn of praise to Elohim may summarize the attitude of YHVH and the Scripture toward pride: -- His Mighty Arm does tremendous things! How He scatters the proud and haughty ones! He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly -- Luke 1:51-52.

HOW CAN PRIDE DESTROY OUR LIFE?

PRIDE LURES US INTO LIVING INDEPENDENTLY OF GOD.
The wicked say to themselves, YHVH isn’t watching! He will never notice! -- Psalm 10:11. There is an incompatibility between blind arrogance and the presence of Elohim in our heart. The proud person depends on himself or herself rather than on YHVH. This causes Elohim’s guiding influences to leave his or her life. When YHVH’s Presence is welcome, there is no room for pride, because He makes us aware of our true self.

PRIDE UNDERMINES OUR FAITH.
Because of their unbelief, He couldn’t do any mighty miracles among them except to place His hands on a few sick people and heal them. -- Mark 6:5. Yeshua could have done greater miracles in Nazareth, but He chose not to because of the people’s pride and unbelief. The miracles He did had little effect on the people because they did not accept His message or believe that He was from Elohim. Therefore, Yeshua looked elsewhere, seeking those who would respond to His miracles and message.

PRIDE CAN CUT US OFF FROM YHVH AND OTHERS.
I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before Elohim. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honoured. -- Luke 18:14. The Pharisee in Yeshua’s parable did not go to the temple to pray to Elohim but to announce to all within earshot how good he was. The tax collector went recognizing his sin and begging for mercy. Self-righteousness is dangerous. It leads to pride, causes a person to despise others and prevents him or her from learning anything from Elohim. The tax collector’s prayer should be our prayer because we all need YHVH’s mercy every day. Don’t let pride in your achievements cut you off from Elohim.

PRIDE DISTORTS OUR VIEW OF OURSELF AND OTHERS.
Moshiach Himself has made peace between the Jews and Gentiles by making us all one people. He has broken down the wall of hostility that used to separate us. -- Ephesians 2:14. Jews and Gentiles alike could be guilty of spiritual pride -- Jews for thinking their faith and traditions elevated them above everyone else, Gentiles for trusting in their achievements, power or position. Spiritual pride blinds us to our own faults and magnifies the faults of others. Be careful not to become proud of your salvation. Instead, humbly thank YHVH for what He has done and encourage others who might be struggling in their faith.

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