We Believe: Doctrines of Mormonism: Sin: Pride

List of Doctrines on "Sin: Pride"

771. We are not to be proud.

772. We are not to be concerned about status or position.

773. We are not to boast in our own wisdom, power, or possessions (rather, we should give honor to God).

774. Pride leads to contention.

775. The proud will not inherit eternal life.

776. At the end of this world the proud will be burned as stubble when God cleanses the earth by fire.

771. We are not to be proud.

President Ezra Taft Benson
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Peter
Jesus
Jeremiah
Paul
Joseph Smith
Nephi, son of Lehi

President Ezra Taft Benson,

also quoting Alma, the younger
In the scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride. It is always considered as a sin. We are not speaking of a wholesome view of self-worth which is established by a close relationship with God. But we are speaking of pride as the universal sin, as someone has described it. . . .
Essentially, pride is a "my will" rather than "thy will" approach to life. The opposite of pride is humbleness, meekness, submissiveness (see Alma 13:28), or teachableness. . . .
Pride does not look up to God and care about what is right. It looks sideways to man and argues who is right. . . .
[Pride] is self-will as opposed to God's will. It is the fear of man over the fear of God.
Humility responds to God's will—to fear of His judgments and the needs of those around us. To the proud, the applause of the world rings in their ears; to the humble, the applause of heaven warms their hearts. CR1986Apr:5-6; MPSG1989:18 (in part)

Joseph Smith

And again, thou shalt not be proud in thy heart; let all thy garments be plain, and their beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands; (Revelation "embracing the law of the Church," Feb. 9, 1831) D&C 42:40

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

[T]he riches of the earth are mine to give; but beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old. (Revelation of commandments to Saints in conference, Jan. 2, 1831) D&C 38:39

Joseph Smith

But beware of pride, lest thou shouldst enter into temptation. (Revelation given in response to the earnest desire of Joseph Knight, Sr. and four other brethren to know of their respective duties, April 1930) D&C 23:1

Joseph Smith

We would say, beware of pride also; for well and truly hath the wise man said, that pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. And again, outward appearance is not always a criterion by which to judge our fellow man; but the lips betray the haughty and overbearing imaginations of the heart; by his words and his deeds let him be judged. (Epistle to the Church from Liberty Jail, March 25, 1839) HC3:295

Peter

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (Letter to the churches in modern Asia Minor, about A.D. 60) 1 Peter 5:5-6

Jesus,
recorded in Luke

For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Jesus teaches humility and gives the parable of the great supper) Luke 14:11

Jeremiah

Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken. (Revelation to Jeremiah, about 628 B.C.) Jeremiah 13:15

Related Witnesses:

Paul

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; (Paul's letter to his assistant Timothy, about A.D. 64) 1 Timothy 6:17

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

And also he hath need to repent, for I, the Lord, am not well pleased with him, for he seeketh to excel, and he is not sufficiently meek before me. (Revelation referring to Wm. W. Phelps, Aug. 1, 1831) D&C 58:41

Nephi, son of Lehi

[T]hey sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of their pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction. . . . (The writings of Nephi, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 26:10

772. We are not to be concerned about status or position.

Mormon
John
Mormon
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Mormon

Mormon

But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;
11. For there were many merchants in the land, and also many lawyers, and many officers.
12. And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning, yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches.
13. Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God. (Much iniquity abounds among the Nephites, A.D. 29-30) 3 Nephi 6:10-13

Related Witnesses:

John

Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (Although Jesus had done many miracles before the people, yet they feared man more than God.) John 12:42-43

Mormon

For behold, the Lord had blessed them so long with the riches of the world that they had not been stirred up to anger, to wars, nor to bloodshed; therefore they began to set their hearts upon their riches; yea, they began to seek to get gain that they might be lifted up one above another; therefore they began to commit secret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get gain. (The Lamanites and the Nephites prosper and become exceedingly rich, 29 B.C.) Helaman 6:17

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

And behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men.
7. For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words— . . . (The Lord reproves Martin Harris and Joseph Smith regarding the lost manuscript pages, July 1828) D&C 3:6-7

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

Behold, I say unto you, David, that you have feared man and have not relied on me for strength as you ought.
2. But your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of me, your Maker, and the ministry whereunto you have been called; and you have not given heed unto my Spirit, and to those who were set over you, but have been persuaded by those whom I have not commanded. (Revelation, Sept. 30, 1830; David Whitmer is chastened for failure to serve diligently) D&C 30:1-2

Mormon

And there was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no persecutions among them, that there should be an equality among all men;
4. That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself, laboring with their own hands for their support. (Mosiah forbids persecution, 100-92 B.C.) Mosiah 27:3-4

773. We are not to boast in our own wisdom, power, or possessions (rather, we should give honor to God).

Alma, the younger
President Ezra Taft Benson
Mormon
Ammon, son of Mosiah
Joseph Smith
Paul
James
Mormon
President Ezra Taft Benson
Joseph Smith
Ammon, son of Mosiah
Paul

Alma, the younger,
quoted by Mormon

See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.
12. Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness. (Alma to his son Shiblon, about 73 B.C.) Alma 38:11-12

President Ezra Taft Benson,

also quoting Paul
Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing.
The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means "hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition." It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.
Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God's. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of "my will and not thine be done." As Paul said, they "seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's."(Philippians 2:21)
Our will in competition to God's will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled. (See Alma 38:12; 3 Nephi 12:30.)
The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives. (See Helaman 12:6.) They pit their perceptions of truth against God's great knowledge, their abilities versus God's priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works.
. . . . The proud wish God would agree with them. They aren't interested in changing their opinions to agree with God's. CR1989Apr:3-4

Mormon

Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom's paths 6. Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide. (Mormon abridges the record of Helaman and observes how the Lord chastens his people, about 7 B.C.) Helaman 12:5-6

Ammon, son of Mosiah ,
quoted by Mormon

And it came to pass that when Ammon had said these words, his brother Aaron rebuked him, saying: Ammon, I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting.
11. But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
12. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever. (Ammon glories in the Lord because of the conversion of many Lamanites, 90-77 B.C.) Alma 26:10-12

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him. (The Lord reproves Martin Harris and Joseph Smith regarding the lost manuscript pages, July 1828) D&C 3:4

Paul

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Letter to the Saints at Ephesus in Asia Minor, about A.D. 62) Ephesians 2:8-10

James

But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. (Letter to his brethren in the Church) James 4:16

Related Witnesses:

Mormon

And because of this their great wickedness, and their boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost possession of almost all their lands. (Nephite dissenters and Lamanites join forces, there is great slaughter of the Nephites who had become wicked, including some who professed to belong to the Church, about 35-31 B.C.) Helaman 4:13

President Ezra Taft Benson

In the pre-earthly council, Lucifer placed his proposal in competition with the Father's plan as advocated by Jesus Christ. He wished to be honored above all others. In short, his prideful desire was to dethrone God. CR1989Apr:4

Joseph Smith,

translating the Book of Moses
And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.
2. But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.
3. Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; (The record of Moses : The Lord describes Satan's rebellion in the premortal world) Moses 4:1-3

Ammon, son of Mosiah ,
quoted by Mormon

Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.
36. Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land. (Ammon extols the mercy of God who has not forgotten this branch of the tree of Israel, 90-77 B.C.) Alma 26:35-36

Paul

Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (Letter to the Church in Rome, about A.D. 55) Romans 3:27

Author's Note: "Boast": To speak or possess with pride. (Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, p. 153)

774. Pride leads to contention.

President Ezra Taft Benson
Recorded in Proverbs
Recorded in Proverbs
President David O. McKay
Mormon
Mormon
President Joseph F. Smith
Mormon

President Ezra Taft Benson

Another face of pride is contention. Arguments, fights, unrighteous dominion, generation gaps, divorces, spouse abuse, riots, and disturbances all fall into this category of pride.
Contention in our families drives the Spirit of the Lord away. It also drives many of our family members away. Contention ranges from a hostile spoken word to worldwide conflicts. . . . CR1989Apr:5

Recorded in Proverbs

Only by pride cometh contention. . . . Proverbs 13:10

Recorded in Proverbs

He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife. . . . Proverbs 28:25

President David O. McKay

Centered in the heart also are the enemies to peace—"avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride." These and other vices which bring misery into the world must be eradicated before men will "beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks." Before permanent peace is assured there shall have to be felt in the hearts of men more consideration for others—there shall have to be manifested around the coming peace table at least a little of the Christ spirit—"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." ("Faith in Christ—The World's Greatest Need," IE1944Jan:62) TLDP:463-64

Related Witnesses:

Mormon

Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be proud, and began to contend warmly with their adversaries, even unto blows; yea, they would smite one another with their fists. (There began to be contention by some Church members, notwithstanding there was a strict law in the Church against persecution among themselves and with those who did not belong to the Church, about A.D. 90) Alma 1:22

Mormon

For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure. (Iniquity enters the Church in Zarahemla, 84 B.C.) Alma 4:8

President Joseph F. Smith

Just as soon as a man or woman learns his and her duty to God and to those who are members with them in the household of faith, peace is established, love and good will are assured, no back-biting, no fault-finding, no bearing false witness against neighbors, no strife, no contention. For the moment that a Latter-day Saint learns his duty, he will learn that it is his business to make peace, to establish good will, to work righteousness, to be filled with the spirit of kindness, love, charity, and forgiveness; and, so far as he is concerned, there can be no war, no strife, no contention, no quarreling, no disunion; no factions can arise among the people who know their duty as Latter-day Saints. CR1915Apr:4

Mormon

And now it came to pass in the forty and third year of the reign of the judges, there was no contention among the people of Nephi save it were a little pride which was in the church, which did cause some little dissensions among the people, which affairs were settled in the ending of the forty and third year.
2. And there was no contention among the people in the forty and fourth year; neither was there much contention in the forty and fifth year. (Mormon records the history of the Nephites from the record of Helaman son of Alma, the younger, about 49-46 B.C.) Helaman 3:1-2

775. The proud will not inherit eternal life.

Alma, the younger
Jacob, brother of Nephi
Malachi
Joseph Smith
Recorded in Psalms
Recorded in Proverbs

Alma, the younger,
quoted by Mormon

Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life. (Alma teaches the people, about 83 B.C.) Alma 5:28

Jacob, brother of Nephi

O that ye would listen unto the word of his commands, and let not this pride of your hearts destroy your souls (Jacob denounces the love of riches among the Nephites, 544-421 B.C.) Jacob 2:16

Malachi

For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (The prophet Malachi to the people, about 430 B.C.) Malachi 4:1

Related Witnesses:

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

Be not ashamed, neither confounded; but be admonished in all your high-mindedness and pride, for it bringeth a snare upon your souls. (Revelation, March 8, 1833, wherein various individuals are counseled by the Lord to walk uprightly) D&C 90:17

Recorded in Psalms

[H]im that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. Psalms 101:5

Recorded in Proverbs

These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19. A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19

776. At the end of this world the proud will be burned as stubble when God cleanses the earth by fire.

President Ezra Taft Benson
Malachi
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith
Malachi

President Ezra Taft Benson

At the end of this world, when God cleanses the earth by fire, the proud will be burned as stubble and the meek shall inherit the earth. CR1989Apr:3

Malachi,
quoted by Mormon

For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (The resurrected Jesus Christ teaches the Nephite people, expounding and quoting the words of the prophet Malachi, A.D. 34; see Malachi 4) 3 Nephi 25:1

Joseph Smith,
receiving the Word of the Lord

For the hour is nigh and the day soon at hand when the earth is ripe; and all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that wickedness shall not be upon the earth; (Revelation received Sept. 1830; Christ's second coming ushers in the Millennium) D&C 29:9

Joseph Smith

For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. (The angel Moroni instructs Joseph, Sept. 21, 1823) JS-H 1:37

Malachi

We Believe: Doctrines and Principles

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Sin: Pride

771. We are not to be proud.

Related Witnesses:

772. We are not to be concerned about status or position.

773. We are not to boast in our own wisdom, power, or possessions (rather, we should give honor to God).

Related Witnesses:

774. Pride leads to contention.

Related Witnesses:

775. The proud will not inherit eternal life.

Related Witnesses:

776. At the end of this world the proud will be burned as stubble when God cleanses the earth by fire.