June 1st commenced Gay Pride Month, which is often shortened to Pride Month for the LGBT community. However, is this really something to celebrate? What does the Bible say about pride? This article will explore pride and the Bible, and more specifically, Gay Pride.
Pride and the Bible
The title of this article alone spells trouble. It spells trouble because it contains a foul word—pride. Pride may not be a dirty four-letter word as we commonly know, but it is still a foul word, especially in the eyes of God.
So, for starters, what is pride? Very simply, exaggerated self-esteem and conceit; excessive appreciation of one’s worth or virtue.
Pride is idolatry. When our minds are filled with pride, we focus on ourselves, leaving no room for God. Anything that takes our focus off God is idolatry. A heart that has pride is at enmity with God.
In the King James translation, pride appears 49 times, all negative. There is nothing good about pride. Prov 13:10 NKJV says, “By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.” In Mark 7:21, Jesus said that pride is one of the evil things that come from the hearts of men and defile them.
Sometimes, God provides a loophole, allowing us to do what we want and remain in His will. For example, David desired to build God a house, but God said no because he had too much blood on his hands. But God said his son Solomon could build the house. So David was still able to build the house vicariously through his son (1 Chronicles 22:6-8).
One of the ways pride manifests itself is through boasting. The Scriptures speak against boasting. 1 Cor. 1:26-29 NIV reads:
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.
27. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
28. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are,
29. so that no one may boast before him. NIV
It is important to note that God called ordinary people to carry out His work in the Old Testament. Such individuals as Moses (Exod. 3), Deborah (Judg. 4-5), Gideon (Judg. 6-8), and many other people of humble origin confirm that success came through His power, not theirs. The foolish and weak can never say that God chose them because of their talent or intelligence. Instead, God chooses those counted as nothing by the world and turns them into great people for Him. People’s abilities, social standing, or knowledge have nothing to do with God’s choice. Skill and wisdom do not get a person into God’s kingdom — faith in Christ does — so no one can boast that their achievements helped them secure eternal life.
Nevertheless, God makes a way for us to boast. In Jer. 9:23-24 NIV, God speaks through His prophet, saying:
23. This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches,
24. but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. NIV
Many must realize that although God is loving and merciful. He is also holy and just.
In this passage, God pointed out to Jeremiah that there are three widely accepted human sources of boastfulness — intelligence, strength, and wealth. Each turns out to be unworthy of our ultimate trust. So, if we must boast, it is God, and God alone, that is worth boasting about and that we know and understand Him. All other boasting is futile.
Gay Pride
So, June is Gay Pride Month, and there will be a lot of celebration and boasting.
Prov 14:34 says: “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” It is righteousness, godliness—that makes a nation great. But sin is a disgrace to any people. Nationwide sin denigrates a nation.
But our nation is exalting sin. Now, for sure, sin is sin, but Gay pride—exalts, promotes, and praises homosexuality—a particularly egregious sin. God’s Word in the Old and New Testaments shams homosexuality. Leviticus 18:22 declares it as an abomination. It carries a particular stench in the nostrils of God.
Romans 1:22 addresses it as “vile affections,” and 1 Tim. 1:10 describes it as “those that defile themselves with mankind.”
Look at what the Scripture says in 1 Cor. 6:9-10 NKJV
9. Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10. nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. NKJV
God does not sugarcoat immorality, paper over lies, or fail to punish unrepented sins.
There is no place in God’s kingdom for homosexuals—period—full stop!
And yet, our nation is dedicating a whole month to gay pride. This month, gay pride will be on display in living color, celebrating homosexuality. Gay…pride, that’s a double indictment—homosexuality and pride all wrapped up into one. That’s double jeopardy. Gay pride is a consequential dynamic.
Gay Pride is not new! As the wise and discerning King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 1:9 in part, “…and there is no new thing under the sun.”
The Consequences of Gay Pride
The account of Sodom and Gomorrah is well known, and look at what the Scripture confirms about that situation in Jude 7
7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
This verse will be addressed further a little later.
But for now, this “strange flesh” mentioned refers to homosexuality; that was only half of Sodom and Gomorrha’s problem. The other half is addressed in Ezekiel 16:49-50
49. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
50. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.
This passage brings out the other half of the cause of Sodom’s demise—pride. Notice that pride—listed at the forefront—took Sodom down. This passage reads like the ingredients of a food label; the ingredients are listed in the order of their dominance of the product’s makeup. The first ingredient is the most prevalent.
Likewise, in this Scriptural list, pride is first and foremost. Pride and going after strange flesh became the two main forces that destroyed Sodom.
Here, in these two passages regarding the case of Sodom, we have gay pride, and we see the result. God, as the Scripture reads, “took them away.”
Pride alone is a consequential dynamic. We don’t have to be homosexual to be affected by pride, and it takes nations down. Notice that the Scripture mentions daughters. These were the cities dependent on Sodom and Samaria, respectively.
There is a dear price for a nation to pay that commits abominations before God.
This gay pride is a continuation of the saga of Satan’s assault on the family. He knows that the family is the foundational unit of society, and if he can tear that down, so goes the nation. This assault began with the women’s Liberation and sexual revolution movements and onto the gay rights movements. They are the offspring of the postmodern movement, which has injected a spirit of subjection into society. As a result, everything has been bought into subjection—including truth. It has brought every established tradition and metanarrative into subjection. It has cast doubt on everything believed as solid foundational truth and every institutional belief, including the church. All of these movements equal one word—rebellion.
This nation is shaking its fists in rebellion against God. Satan is undoubtedly strutting his stuff. Just as the Lord uses earthen vessels to spread the gospel, Satan is using earthen vessels to carry out his rebellion, and he is playing them like a fiddle—especially in Hollywood.
A famous Television celebrity said, “I believe that if Jesus were here, He would attend the gay pride parade.” Considering all things, that is probably accurate. Jesus could attend a gay parade, considering what He said when He was questioned about eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners. He said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” [Luke 5:31-32] Therefore, while He may attend a gay parade if He were here, it wouldn’t be for the reason that that individual alluded to. He would not have celebrated homosexuality but condemned it with a statement beginning with “it is written,” as He often did so many times.
Another very famous celebrity said, “The god that I serve doesn’t care whether you’re tall, or short, whether you’re born black, or Asian, or gay.”
Amen to that. It must be a blessing for an individual to have their very own god to serve!
Statements are made by individuals that say: God is a God of love, and they believe that as long as two people of the same sex truly loved each other, it was okay with God for them to get married.
These are lies from the very pit of hell—both of them. God loves the sinner, which is true, but he hates sin. God loves the homosexuals, but He hates homosexuality. Therefore, we should encourage removing it, the repentance of it instead of celebrating it.
It raises the question, what Bible are these individuals reading? Prov 14:12 says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Homosexuality may seem right to some, but it is still a sin, regardless of how society perceives it, and in the end it will be death. Unrepented sin demands God’s wrath!
We are back to the days when “there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25). When morality is all but thrown to the ground and stomped.
Now, society is one ball of confusion. Households are turned upside down, women have challenged men’s roles, men want to be women, women want to be men—men have husbands, and women have wives. Boys want to be girls, and girls want to be boys, and some don’t know what they are or what they want to be.
The Federal Government has added fuel to the fire. Not to make this political, but I would be amiss not to mention this. Fifteen states are suing the government. In 1972, a civil rights law called Title IX was passed. Its original purpose was to protect females from discrimination based on sex in federally funded educational programs and provide them equal opportunities.
However, on April 19th of this year, a change was published by the Department of Education, redefining the meaning of sex to include gender identity. This change gives males identifying as female the right to use female restrooms and locker rooms and join female-only organizations. Under the revised rule, “harassment” can include using biologically… accurate… pronouns.
Schools and colleges that fail to comply stand to lose federal dollars.
This ruling falls under the category of foolishness!
We are living out the Scripture in Rom. 1:22, which says, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”
Nowhere is there a more sinister attempt to change thinking than in the matter of the way God created us—male and female.
This article is not politically correct. This political correctness, known as PC, is another tool of Satan and is an existential detriment to society. We must be greatly concerned about what we say, write, or think. We have to be concerned about using the wrong word, a word that may be considered offensive, insensitive, racist, sexist, or homophobic.
It is an insidious, sinister deception aimed to bring about social transformation through dialectical means. It’s an attack on free speech. There are increasing attacks against those who hold views that are not in line with the progressive liberal dogma of today. These views offend the progressives, and they want to stamp out any such speech or information. They seek to tear down and destroy it.
Ironically, freedoms of speech and religion are rapidly being suppressed by intolerance and intimidation by the very ones who protest the most about intolerance.
The PC movement is a tool that involves denigrating authority, destroying the family unit, and controlling speech, behavior, and, ultimately, thought. It is totalitarian in nature and is highly prevalent on college campuses, creating an overly sensitive generation that is offended by practically everything. Yet we wonder why depression and mental illness are so prevalent these days in our young adults. The colossal amount of negative energy is overwhelming the youthful minds of our population. However, the overall intent is ultimately for the nation as a whole and all of Western civilization.
Political correctness is part of a larger agenda at work today. There is nothing innocuous about it. The forces behind political correctness seek a godless world whose goal is to remove the moral underpinnings of an orderly world based on the Scriptures.
Satan wants to have his way. One of his most effective deceptions is to lead us to believe that human reasoning without the Holy Spirit and the Word of God is sufficient. He desires to turn upside down all biblical and traditional values and bring about an amoral, anything-goes world. A relentless attack on normality and morality.
I mentioned earlier that we will see gay pride in living color. The parades with the floats and costumes, the parties and speeches of how far the movement has reached. Indeed, there will be plenty of color! Perhaps too much color as the symbol for the LGBT+ community is the rainbow, which is the symbol of God’s covenant to the world after the flood. It was chosen by the LGBT+ community to display diversity and was considered ideal because it is found in nature.
What apostasy—what fragrant rebellion against God!
Now, how long is God going to allow this to go on? Certainly not forever.
It was mentioned earlier that there would be more on Jude 7. For fuller context, we start at verse 5.
5. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
6. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
In this passage, Jude states three examples of rebellion: (1st) the nation of Israel—who, although they were delivered from Egypt by God, refused to trust Him and enter the Promised Land (Num. 14:26-39); (2nd) the angels—although they were once pure, holy, and living in God’s presence, some gave in to pride and joined Satan to rebel against Him (2 Peter 2:4); (3rd) the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah—the people were so full of sin that God wiped them off the face of the earth (Gen. 19:1-29).
Now, the question. If God’s chosen people, the apostate angels, and prior sinful cities were punished, how much more will the rebellious nations of today be severely punished? Israel has been severely punished more so because it knew better; it witnessed God’s presence and power and was the force God used to wipe out ungodly nations. God desired Israel and Juda to be a righteous example to a pagan world. Yet, they turned away from Him and persisted in doing evil until they reached the point of no return. Therefore, God allowed them to be taken captive (Jer. 25:10-11).
Read God’s condemnation adjudication upon Israel in Isa 3:9-10 NIV, “The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.”
We are no better…we are parading gay pride. Today’s our nation has all the examples in the Word of God, and we witness God’s creation and goodness daily. Yet, we are promoting pride and sin.
These are serious times. It behooves all of us to observe the signs of the last days because we are a nation primed for a fall.
Now, to be clear, this article is not against homosexuals but against homosexuality—the promotion and embracing of it. God is a God of love, and He loves us all, including homosexuals. As the Scripture says, “God so loved the world.”
But we must understand—He also hates sin. Scripture also says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Therefore, I say this to all of us, including homosexuals. Whatever sin is in our lives, we’d better move away from it because He won’t allow sin to go unpunished forever.
The clock is ticking, and we must be mindful of the Scripture in 2 Peter 3:9,
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” NKJV
We have seen what has happened to nations that celebrated gay pride in the past.
When a nation allows this level of cultural rot to exist and celebrates it, how long can it stand?
Our nation needs to follow Jeremiah’s cry of despair where it is written in Lamentations 3:40,
“Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord;” NKJV
Gay pride is a serious offense, and if this nation doesn’t repent and change, it’s going down just as the other gay pride nations have gone. Prov 16:18 says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” So we’d better be prepared because it could happen during our lifetime. It was approximately 359 years from the time Israel was led into idolatry to the time of their captivity. God is patient, but He is faithful to His Word. This nation is 247 years old and counting—the clock is ticking.
Let us not celebrate pride and sin of any kind but let us spread and live The Three Angels Messages.
Understand that God will not hold back the four winds of strife forever (Rev. 7:1).
We must remember the Words of our Lord and Savior in Luke 21:36:
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Amen
Questions, comments, and concerns may be left below.
Blessings!
This is a very interesting post. My position about matters that seem controversial is that I align with what the bible says about it. The bible contains the will and principles God wants man to live by and it is provided to man as a guiding manual about how to live here on earth. The bible is not for angels, elders etc. in heaven, but for man here on earth. I usually feel more comfortable if I can find an answer to my inquiry in the new testament. While I know that the old testament is the word of God and in it also are embedded the principles of God, I believe that Jesus set for us the perfect example and order in His short ministry on earth as recorded in the gospels and as further expounded in the rest of the new testament. What matters ultimately is not what I think or choose to believe, it is not what I want or prefer, and it is not what is politically correct, but what God’s position is as indicated in the scriptures. This is important because, the omniscient nature of God means that He is not taken by surprise by any of the happenings today. When He was setting out His principles, He had a clear knowledge of what the future would be like, so what seems like new developments or modernization to us today are not new to Him and are not going to change His mind or principles.
On homosexuality, the bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (New King James Version)
9} Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10} nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
Its not about what anyone thinks or feels, It is what the creator of the heavens and the earth has stated that is the final word or position on the matter. It is then up to each person to choose life in Christ or spiritual death by rejecting Him. I can only encourage everyone to choose life.
Thanks for commenting Oluseyi!
HI Nathaniel,
I have to admit, when I first opened your link, I thought the article was about the “pride cometh before a fall” kind of pride discussion. I was not expecting your discussion on PRIDE month and movement. This article presents a thought-provoking perspective on the topic of pride, particularly in the context of Gay Pride Month. It delves into the biblical teachings on pride and homosexuality, offering a strong admonition against celebrating what the Bible denounces as sinful behavior.
While the article emphasizes the importance of repentance and turning away from sin, it also raises questions about the societal implications of promoting behaviors deemed contrary to biblical principles. The historical and biblical references provided add depth to the discussion, challenging readers to consider their own beliefs and actions in light of religious teachings.
In considering the themes discussed in this article, how do you believe individuals and communities can navigate the tension between promoting inclusivity and respecting religious convictions?
Blessings,
Scott
Greetings, Scott – Thanks for your insightful question. Inclusion is Biblical; however, when it involves sin, it becomes a problem. Those who desire inclusiveness and tolerance must practice them as well. That appears to be the only way tension can be navigated. Will that ever happen? In reality, no. Those of us who have religious convictions must stand firm against sinfulness (Eph. 6:10), and those who oppose them are not about to back down. Satan knows his time is short, and his assaults will only increase (Rev. 12:12). The ongoing battle (Eph. 6:11-17) between Good and evil will continue until Christ returns. In the meantime, we must pray and stand firm. There is no negotiating with sin, as negotiation involves compromise.
Thanks for commenting, as always!
The Bible also says Proverbs 16:18-20 Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly Than to divide the spoil with the proud. He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: And whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.
Pride comes before a fall, this word is dangerous and many who have walk-in pride have had many sorrows so let’s pray that Gd will keep us humble and those who are full of pride will see pride for what it really is and make a change by walking in humility.
Amen Norman – Thanks for commenting!
Hi there
Your article delves into a complex topic with clarity and depth, effectively exploring the nuances of pride as depicted in biblical teachings.
I like how you carefully analize and shed light on the dangers of pride while also emphasizing the importance of humility and self-awareness in the Christian faith.
The incorporation of relevant scriptures adds depth to the discussion, making it both informative and thought-provoking.
Nice piece
Thanks for commenting, Troy
Hi! First of all, I value your convictions regarding this issue with great respect for God’s Word (The Holy Bible). It takes great courage to take a stand for what’s right in a world that celebrates wrong over right and evil over good! It’s evident in the movies, talk shows, and music that are constantly shown on television. It has been a difficult topic for the church to cover because of the price that is involved, for fear of losing attendance, persecution, and even loss of life. I recently attended a church conference covering the facts about sexuality, gender, identity, and the gospel, where the truth was laid out in front of me through the lens of God’s Word, and I was floored. However, this is a very sensitive subject for most people because, like me, I have family members that are involved in this type of lifestyle, which makes it difficult to approach these topics with empathy and understanding because I too hold similar convictions as yourself.
I do believe it’s valuable to engage in respectful dialogue and seek common ground, even when opinions differ. What are your thoughts on finding a balance between upholding our convictions and promoting inclusivity and understanding in love as God commanded us to do? I find your article uplifting like a breath of fresh air. Thank you for your stance on this topic, and I pray many will come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Blessings, Jose
Greetings, Jose – we must show compassion and understanding to all sinners. Still, we must stand firm on our convictions and never compromise them, no matter who it involves. Gal 6:1-2 reads, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (2) Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” NIV
Thanks for commenting Jose!