Pride or Vanity, One of the Seven Deadly Sins

The sin of pride is committed when someone thinks he is better than other people. In other words, he has an inordinate sense of his own worth. He doesn't think well of himself within logical limits.

His expanded ego rejects God and his grace and has a low opinion of others. 

But don't confuse sinful pride or vanity with the good feeling of doing a job well, inventing a gadget, or writing a song.  Pride that is sinful is immoderate and it knows no limits in shutting God out and putting other people down and walking over them like fodder.

These are synonyms for pride as in sin: arrogance, conceit, snobbery, haughtiness, narcissism, or hubris meaning excessive pride or vanity or superiority.

The Bible has much to say about pride or vanity.

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18).  

Being egotistical is destructive to self. You can't win a popularity contest that way, but more importantly, it is detrimental to your soul and spiritual well-being. This haughtiness makes the prideful treat others badly. It is self-righteousness.

¹⁷ You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” ^18" But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today" (Deuteronomy 8:17-18.)

We enter the world with nothing and go out with nothing. Some may be born to rich parents, but the wealth stays on earth and all go to an eternal destiny. While in this earthly realm, it is best to acknowledge where we get our life, intelligence, creativity, and other abilities from. We didn't invent them for ourselves.

Producing riches whether money, accumulating valuable property, jewels, expensive art works, businesses and so on should rightly be credited to the sense and abilities God gave an individual. If someone doesn't give God the praise and isn't thankful to God for his abundance, then pride has overcome him because he gave in to this sin. 


"For all that is in the world, the [1] lust of the flesh and the [2] lust of the eyes and the [3] boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." (1 John 2:16).

The boastful pride of life means something that leads to arrogance or bigheadedness. It is related to being boastful which is such as swaggering and self-applauding. A person full of vanity doesn't recognize his sinfulness and need for forgiveness. He is so wrapped up in himself that he can't see his need for God.

"These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren" (Proverbs 6, 16:19).

 Proverbs says that God hates a proud look. The Hebrew word denotes a continuing action or routine. This is a state of being in pride or a proud look. It is the status quo of the vain person.