18 Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling. Proverbs 16:18 (NASB)
At the root of hypocrisy is, of course, pride. Pride is the antithesis of humility, which is exemplified for us by Paul’s attitude to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 3:8. On the other hand, pride is absolutely never portrayed in the Bible in a positive way. Never is pride tolerated. Never is it praised as it is today….
However, in the visible church in our time don’t we hear sermons and read teachings about “positive pride” and the building up of self or the searching inside to find that real “you” that God is deeply in love with and only wants you to find it so He can show you what a fantastic you you really are?
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1 John 2:16 (NASB)
The word translated above as “pride” is alazoneia, which is from alazon who was a wandering charlatan and was a favorite comedy character in Greek plays. An alazon was one full of empty, braggart talk or display; swagger; and hence an insolent and vain assurance in one’s own resources, or in the stability of earthy things, which issues in a contempt of divine laws. A good Old English word for this would be “vainglory.” The vainglory of life is the vainglory which belongs to the present life.