This book examines the implications of pride by discussing: wealth, influence and power; democracy, human rights, and law; prosperity (capitalism); corruption (exploitation), tithe and offering, justice and mercy and faith. The conclusion of this book is that not only have democracy, human rights and the rule of law failed to bring peace and progress in many places, but the pride of those who make use of them has also contributed to increasing corruption, exploitation, poverty, high inequality, high unemployment, conflict, violence, and war.
Likewise, the pride of the Professional Pastors who make use of the tithe and offering has contributed to increasing corruption in the Churches and closing the door for those that are seeking salvation. The pride of these leaders is identified in this book as ‘negative pride.’
Recommendation: pride in the negative sense should be avoided because negative pride leads to corruption, exploitation, and deviation from the sound doctrine of Jesus. It brings disgrace and may even lead to physical death and eventually eternal death (hell). The solution to negative pride is repentance and having Jesus as one’s guide not the tradition he/she embraces because Jesus is the solution to every problem.
When one claims that Jesus has the solution to every problem, those who do not believe will assume that he/she is probably insane. And that was the thinking of the Pharisees when they said to Jesus,
“Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My words he shall never taste death” (John 8:52, NKJV).
The Pharisees and scribes, at one point, thought that Jesus was out of His mind and even some of His disciples (not among the twelve) assumed that He was not normal, especially when Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day…. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6: 53–56, NKJV). When the people heard this, many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more, except the twelve.
Some of your friends might have to sever their friendship with you because when you believe in God, you will no longer speak the same language with them. But followers of Jesus cannot use natural wisdom, which makes one reason like others, to carry out the divine assignment which He came to fulfill. Therefore, some may see the combination of the different perspectives presented in this book as abnormal, but they are quite necessary to convey the message of the kingdom, which is a mystery. Since the knowledge of this world is empirical, the children of this world cannot understand the mysteries.
Therefore, this book tries to bridge the gap between the mysteries of God and the wisdom of this world since the children of this world live their lives based on empiricism. We probably need divine wisdom to direct our thoughts even when we use empirical evidence to address worldly problems.
