Theme Study: Humility and Pride

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By Arthur W. Lindsley on June 7, 2009 ,

Theme Study -- Humility and Pride

Humility is one of the most central Biblical virtues. Augustine said that the first priority in the Christian life is humility; the second – humility and the third – humility.

The Old Testament makes it clear in many places that God is opposed to pride but loves humility. At the very beginning, in Genesis 3, we see the primordial temptation to disobey God and set ourselves up as little gods. The serpent says that if Adam disobeys, “you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:5). The basic temptation is to autonomy (auto=self; nomos=law). The basic temptation of disobedience is, in effect, to will the overthrow of God. It is to choose our own selfish way rather than God’s way. It is cosmic treason, desiring to reject God’s authority in favor of our own autonomous authority. The sin of pride is a failure to know and admit our proper place as creations before God. There are many passages in the Old Testament that talk about humility and pride. We can’t discuss them all here, but we can note some highlights. . .

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Arthur W. Lindsley

Senior Fellow for Apologetics, CSLI

Arthur W. Lindsley is the Vice President of Theological Initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Works, & Economics. He has served at the C.S. Lewis Institute since 1987 both as President until 1998 and currently as Senior Fellows for Apologetics. Formerly, he was director of Educational Ministries at the Ligonier Valley Study Center, and Staff Specialist with the Coalition for Christian Outreach. He is the author of C.S. Lewis's Case for Christ, True Truth, Love: The Ultimate Apologetic, and co-author with R.C. Sproul and John Gerstner of Classical Apologetics, and has written numerous articles on theology, apologetics, C.S. Lewis, and the lives and works of many other authors and teachers. Art earned his M.Div. from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of Pittsburgh.

 

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