There was a king who stood on the roof of his palace looking out over his vast kingdom. With great pride in his accomplishments, he verbally marvels at what he has built by his power and for his glory. Before the words finished coming out of his mouth, God causes him to lose his sanity. He is driven away from people and made to live like an animal for seven years. This continued until he humbled himself and acknowledged the God of heaven. Once he did, God restored his sanity and his kingdom.
This happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Stories like these highlight exactly how God feels about arrogance. One thing God hates is arrogance. Arrogance is when you exalt yourself more than you should. The old folks used to say it’s when you start smelling yourself. Maybe they were right because arrogance has an odor to it, but as you will see, it is not a very pleasant or attractive one.
What Does the Bible Say about Arrogance?
The Bible has strong words to say about arrogance. Here are a few.
Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor. (Prov. 18:12)
To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech. (Prov. 8:13)
The Lord Almighty has a day in store
for all the proud and lofty,
for all that is exalted
(and they will be humbled) - (Isa. 2:12)
Why Is Arrogance Considered Sinful in the Bible?
The reason arrogance is sinful in the Bible is it causes you to have an inflated opinion of yourself and that usually accompanies devaluing others. Arrogance is also deceptive, but the main victim of the deception is you. That’s why Paul says in Galatians, "If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves" (Gal. 6:3).
Arrogance prevents you from seeing your need for God. In Luke 18, Jesus tells the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The significant contrast in this story is that many would view the Pharisee as righteous and the tax collector as the worst of sinners. However, the Pharisee prayed out of his arrogance and the tax collector from his humility. Here is how Jesus summed up this story:
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).
One reason many people reject Jesus is arrogance. The first step in coming to Jesus is to admit that you are wrong (a sinner) and you need his help (forgiveness). Without this, you will never find redemption because your arrogance makes you confident in your own self-righteousness. In this you behave like the Pharisee not the tax collector.
The Greatest Example of Arrogance in the Bible and Its Consequence
The greatest example of arrogance in the Bible is Lucifer himself. He embodied the definition of what arrogance is. He fully believed he should be the one sitting on God’s throne and he sought to overthrow God. If there ever was a picture of arrogance, this is it. Lucifer became so full of himself that he thought he was greater than he was and that he should be the center of attention and the one everyone worships.
My daughter and I are big fans of professional wrestling (don’t judge), and there is one character who walks into the ring, holds one finger in the air, and tells the audience, “Acknowledge me.” When he does this, many people in the crowd will hold up one finger with him. While this is strictly entertainment, it harbors back to what arrogance is. You are the center of your universe and everyone around you needs to acknowledge that.
In Lucifer’s story, as it will be for everyone else who walks in arrogance, it led to his humiliation. God threw him out of heaven along with one third of heaven’s angels. His end will come when God casts him in the lake of fire to be tormented forever. Let’s just say his story does not end well.
"And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Rev. 20:10).
Arrogance Causes God to Work against You
Everyone who lifts their head in arrogance, God will eventually humble because he hates the very smell of pride and arrogance. When pride and arrogance well up within you, then God stops working for you.
"But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble'” (James 4:6).
This verse literally means that when you are proud and arrogant, God literally sets himself up against you. He works against you to humble you because if pride persists, it will destroy your walk with him. God cannot work through the person who is arrogant because that is repulsive to him. Remember, James was writing to Christians, so we are not exempt from succumbing to arrogance.
This affects people in all walks of life even those in public-facing ministry. They have humble beginnings and then their ministry grows. Before anyone knew who they were, it was about the ministry. As their fame and popularity grows it becomes about them. They end up with an exaggerated level of their importance. When they reach this place of arrogance, they are primed for a fall because God is no longer for them, but he has set himself against them.
How Is Arrogance Different from Confidence?
Confidence is when you believe you can. You know you can do something and execute it at a high level. Arrogance is when you believe no one can do it better than you because you are at a level far above everybody else. Confidence recognizes that you are just one cog in a bigger wheel. Arrogance says you are the reason the wheel turns and nothing happens without you.
Confidence is attractive and draws people in. Arrogance is repulsive and most people don’t want to be near an arrogant person. Jesus had great confidence mixed with great humility. He knew who he was, yet he walked humbly. Is it hard to see why people were drawn to him?
How Can Christians Guard against Arrogance?
Play the Comparison Game in the Right Direction
One reason for peoples' arrogance is we compare ourselves to others. This is a comparison in the wrong direction. If you want to feel good about yourself, you can always find someone you may be in a better position than. However, if you want to remain humble, then you must raise your comparison standard. Don’t compare yourself to others, compare yourself to the standard of Christ. When he becomes the measuring stick, it keeps you humble because you recognize how short you fall.
Recognize Who Your Source Is
Some people believe they are the source of everything they have. When you do this, you become like Nebuchadnezzar. Stay in this place too long and God will eventually humble you. Instead, recognize that everything you have comes from the Lord. Jesus said it best. Apart from me, you can do nothing (Jn. 15:5). Remembering this keeps you humble. Forgetting it, opens the door for arrogance to creep in.
Be Humble
You matter and your life is important, but not more important than the person next to you. While we all have different levels of responsibility, we all have equal value. Keeping this front and center will help you not to think of yourself more highly than you should.
"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don’t need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don’t need you!' On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable" (1 Cor. 12:21-22).
What Are the Blessings of Choosing Humility over Arrogance?
When you choose humility, James says God gives you more grace. Before you bypass that statement, recognize grace is essential for everything you do in this Christian journey. The simple key to walking in more of God’s grace is humility.
You have a choice. You can live with the mindset of Lucifer, or you can live with the mindset of Christ. Lucifer lifted himself up and God brought him low. Jesus humbled himself and God exalted him. This principle remains. The only question you must ask yourself is what side of it do you want to fall on? I know this is the better side to land on.
"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up" (Jas. 4:10).
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Yevhenii Strebkov
