The Closet Professor

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

—Proverbs 16:18-19 (KJV)

Should we celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride when it is considered one of the Seven Deadly Sins? The answer is yes because LGBTQ+ Pride is not a sinful pride as described in scripture. It is a celebration of who we are, and the person God created us to be. Pride in the Bible is the antonym of humility. The Britannica Dictionary offers four definitions for Pride:

1. a feeling that you respect yourself and deserve to be respected by other people, i.e., self-respect
2. a feeling that you are more important or better than other people
3. a feeling of happiness that you get when you or someone you know does something good, difficult, etc.
4. a person or thing that makes you feel proud

It is the second definition that the Bible says God abhors and is a sin. LGBTQ+ Pride is an example of the first and third definitions. LGBTQ+ Pride is about self-respect, not superiority. The Bible offers two basic types of pride: legitimate pride and sinful pride.

The word “pride” is mentioned in the Bible multiple times, but the exact count varies depending on the translation. The New King James Version mentions the word “pride” 51 times, but there are many more instances of pride that do not use the word itself. None of those instances encourage pride. Pride, in a biblical context, refers to an excessive sense of self-worth, arrogance, and superiority often leading to rebellion against God. In the Bible, pride is frequently associated with disobedience, rebellion, and an elevation of self above God and others. It is regarded as a sin that hinders humility and disrupts one’s relationship with God.

To give a biblical example, in Revelation 18, an angel announces the judgment of Babylon and describes what provokes God’s wrath on the world. Revelation 18:7 says: “In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’” Here we see pride is what Revelation describes as the antichrist. (The Epistle of James speaks of many antichrists, not just one as some Christians believe. An antichrist is someone who is the opposite of Christ though they will often claim to be Christ-like.) Pride is an attitude that we can trust in wealth and independence and have no need for God in our lives. As Believers, we are called to rely on the Lord for all that we need. 

Matthew Poole, an English Puritan who lived from 1624–1679, summarized in his commentaries the situation this way, “Pride goeth before destruction; it is commonly a forerunner and cause of men’s ruin because it highly provokes both God and men.” There is a tension between the will of man and the will of God. For things to go well for us, we must be willing to surrender our lives to God and follow the example set forth by Christ. We are called to trust God with our hearts and believe God when He promises that He will take care of us. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

In contrast to sinful pride, LGBTQ+ pride is not meant to celebrate arrogance or superiority. LGBTQ+ pride is the promotion of the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people as a social group. Pride, as opposed to shame and social stigma, is the predominant outlook that bolsters most LGBTQ+ rights movements. Pride is a celebration of who we are and the rights we have fought to be acknowledged and protected. It is about equality, not superiority. We have parades, parties, and rainbows everywhere to celebrate Pride, and it may look like a sinful pride from the outside looking in, but it is actually a humble pride. We do not seek superiority over others; we seek equality and recognition.

In his annual proclamation for Pride month, President Biden wrote, “To the entire LGBTQI+ community — and especially transgender children — please know that your President and my entire Administration have your back. We see you for who you are: made in the image of God and deserving of dignity, respect, and support.” I can’t reiterate enough that we are made in the image of God and deserving of dignity, respect, and support. This is what Pride should be for LGBTQ+ Christians.

P.S. I could have done a whole post about Donald Trump and the sins of pride. He is one of the most sinful examples of pride in the public eye today, but with his conviction on Thursday and his and other Republicans subsequent reactions, I can only be reminded of Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”