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The following is from the May 1989 Ensign, pages 4
through 7, April 1, 1989 morning conference session.
Copyright 1989 by the Corporation of the President of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Beware of Pride by President Ezra Taft Benson
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My beloved brethren and sisters, I rejoice to be with you in
another glorious general conference of the Church. How grateful
I am for the love, prayers, and service of the devoted members
of the Church throughout the world.
May I commend you faithful Saints who are striving to flood the
earth and your lives with the Book of Mormon. Not only must
we move forward in a monumental manner more copies of the Book
of Mormon, but we must move boldly forward into our own lives
and throughout the earth more of its marvelous messages.
This sacred volume was written for us - for our day. Its
scriptures are to be likened unto ourselves. (See 1 Ne. 19:23.)
The Doctrine and Covenants tells us that the Book of Mormon
is the 'record of a fallen people.' (D&C 20:9.) Why did they
fall? This is one of the major messages of the Book of Mormon.
Mormon gives the answer in the closing chapters of the book
in these words: 'Behold, the pride of this nation, or the
people of the Nephites, have proven their destruction.'
(Moro. 8:27.) And then, lest we miss that momentous Book of
Mormon message from that fallen people, the Lord warns us
in the Doctine and Covenants, 'Beware of pride, lest ye become
as the Nephits of old.' (D&C 38:39.)
I earnestly seek an interest in your faith and prayers as I
strive to bring forth light on this Book of Mormon message -
the sin of pride. This message has been weighing heavily
on my soul for some time. I know the Lord wants this message
delivered now.
In the premortal council, it was pride that felled Lucifer,
'a son of the morning.' (2 Ne. 24:12-15; see also D&C 76:25-27;
Moses 4:3.) 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. (See 3 Ne. 12:5, 25:1; D&C 29:9;
JS-H 1:37; Mal. 4:1.)
Three times in the Doctine and Covenants the Lord uses the phrase
'beware of pride,' including a warning to the second elder of the
Church, Oliver Cowdery, and to Emma Smith, the wife of the Prophet.
(D&C 23:1; see also 25:14,38:39.)
Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance.
(See Mosiah 3:11; 3 Ne. 6:18.) In the scriptures there is no
such thing as righteous pride - it is always considered a sin.
Therefore, no matter how the world uses the term, we must understand
how God uses the term so we can understand the language of holy
writ and profit thereby. (See 2 Ne. 4:15; Mosiah 1:3-7;
Alma 5:61.)
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' (Philip. 2:21.)
Our will in competition to God's will allows desires, appetites,
and passions to go unbridled. (See Alma 38:12; 3 Ne. 12:30.)
The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction
to their lives. (See Hel. 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.
Our emnity toward God takes on many labels, such as rebellion,
hard-heartedness, stiff-neckedness, unrepentant, puffed up, easily
offended, and sign seekers. The proud wish God would agree with
them. They aren't interested in changing their opinions to agree
with God's.
Another major portion of this very prevalent sin of pride is enmity
toward our fellowmen. We are tempted daily to elevate ourselves
above others and diminish them. (See Hel. 6:17; D&C 58:41.)
The proud make every man their adversary by pitting their intellects,
opinions, works, wealth, talents, or any other worldly measuring
device against others. In the words of C. S. Lewis: 'Pride gets
no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it
than the next man ... It is the comparison that makes you proud:
the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of
competition has gone, pride has gone.' (Mere Christianity, New York:
Macmillan, 1952, pp. 109-10.)
In the pre-earthly council, Lucifer placed his proposal in competition
with the Father's plan as advocated by Jesus Christ. (See Moses
4:1-3.) He wished to be honored above all others. (See 2 Ne. 24:13.)
In short, his prideful desire was to dethrone God. (See D&C 29:36;
76:28.)
The scriptures abound with evidences of severe consequences of the
sin of pride to individuals, groups, cities, and nations. 'Pride
goeth before destruction.' (Prov. 16:18.) It destroyed the Nephite
nation and the city of Sodom. (See Moro. 8:27; Ezek. 16:49-50.)
It was through pride that Christ was crucified. The Pharisees were
wroth because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, which was a threat
to their position, and so they plotted His death. (See John 11:53.)
Saul became an enemy to David through pride. He was jealous because
the crowds of Israelite women were singing that 'Saul hath slain
his thousands, and David hath his ten thousands.' (1 Sam. 18:6-8.)
The proud stand more in fear of men's judgement than of God's
judgement. (See D&C 3:6-7; 30:1-2; 60:2.) 'What will men think
of me?' weighs heavier than 'What will God think of me?'
King Noah was about to free the prophet Abinadi, but an appeal to
his pride by his wicked priests sent Abinadi to the flames. (See
Mosiah 17:11-12.) Herod sorrowed at the request of his wife to
behead John the Baptist. But his prideful desire to look good to
'them which sat with him at meat' caused him to kill John.
(Matt. 14:9; see also Mark 6:26.)
Fear of men's judgment manifests itself in competition for men's
approval. The proud love 'the praise of men more than the praise
of God.' (John 12:42-43.) Our motives for the things we do are
where the sin is manifest. Jesus said He did 'always those things'
that pleased God. (John 8:29.) Would we not do well to have the
pleasing of God as our motive rather than to try to elevate ourselves
above our brother and outdo another?
Some prideful people are not so concerned as to whether their wages
meet their needs as they are that their wages are more than someone
else's. Their reward is being a cut above the rest. This is the
enmity of pride.
When pride has a hold on our hearts, we lose our independence of
the world and deliver our freedoms to the bondage of men's
judgement. The world shouts louder than the whisperings of the
Holy Ghost. The reasoning of men overrides the revelations of
God, and the proud let go of the iron rod. (See 1 Ne. 8:19-28;
11:25; 15:23-24.)
Pride is a sin that can readily be seen in others but is rarely
admitted in ourselves. Most of us consider pride to be a sin
of those on the top, such as the rich and the learned, looking down
at the rest of us. (See 2 Ne. 9:42.) There is, however, a far more
common ailment among us - and that is pride from the bottom looking
up. It is manifest in so many ways, such as fault-finding, gossiping,
backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting,
witholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, and being
unforgiving and jealous.
Disobedience is essentially a prideful power struggle against
someone in authority over us. It can be a parent, a priesthood
leader, a teacher, or ultimately God. A proud person hates the
fact that someone is above him. He thinks this lowers his
position.
Selfishness is one of the more common faces of pride. 'How
everything affects me' is the center of all that matters -
self-conceit, self-pity, worldly self-fulfillment, self-gratification,
and self-seeking.
Pride results in secret combinations which are built up to get
power, gain, and glory of the world. (See Hel. 7:5; Ether 8:9, 16,
22-23; Moses 5:31.) This fruit of the sin of pride, namely secret
combinations, brought down both the Jaredite and the Nephite
civilizations and has been and will yet be the cause of the fall of
many nations. (See Ether 8:18-25.)
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. The scriptures tell
us that 'only by pride cometh contention.' (Prov. 13:10; see also
Prov. 28:25.)
The scriptures testify that the proud are easily offended and hold
grudges. (See 1 Ne. 16:1-3.) They withold forgiveness to keep
another in debt and to justify their injured feelings.
The proud do not receive counsel or correction easily. (See Prov.
15:10; Amos 5:10.) Defensiveness is used by them to justify and
rationalize their frailties and failures. (See Matt. 3:9;
John 6:30-59.)
The proud depend upon the world to tell them whether they have
value or not. Their self-esteem is determined by where they are
judged to be on the ladders of worldly success. They feel worthwhile
as individuals if the numbers beneath them in achievement, talent,
beauty, or intellect are large enough. Pride is ugly. It says,
'If you succeed, I am a failure.'
If we love God, do His will, and fear His judgement more than men's,
we will have self-esteem.
Pride is a damning sin in the true sense of that word. It limits
or stops progression. (See Alma 12:10-11.) The proud are not easily
taught. (See 1 Ne. 15:3,7-11.) They won't change their minds to
accept truths, because to do so implies that have been wrong.
Pride adversely affects all our relationships - our relationship
with God and His servants, between husband and wife, parent and child,
employer and employee, teacher and student, and all mankind. Our
degree of pride determines how we treat our God and our brothers
and sisters. Christ wants to lift us to where He is. Do we desire
to do the same for others?
Pride fades our feelings of sonship to God and brotherhood to man.
It separates and divides us by 'ranks,' according to our 'riches'
and our chances for learning.' (3 Ne. 6:12.) Unity is impossible
for a proud people, and unless we are one we are not the Lord's.
(See Mosiah 18:21; D&C 38:27; 105:2-4; Moses 7:18.)
Think of what pride has cost us in the past and what it is now
costing us in our own lives, our families, and the Church.
Think of the repentance that could take place with lives changed,
marriages preserved, and homes strengthened, if pride did not keep
us from confessing our sins and forsaking them. (See D&C 58:43.)
Think of the many who are less active members of the Church because
they were offended and their pride will not allow them to forgive
or fully sup at the Lord's table.
Think of the tens of thousands of additional young men and couples
who could be on missions except for the pride that keeps them from
yielding their hearts unto God. (See Alma 10:6; Hel. 3:34-35.)
Think how temple work would increase if the time spent in this
godly service were more important than the many prideful pursuits
that compete for our time.
Pride affects all of us at various times and in various degrees.
Now you can see why the building in Lehi's dream that represents
the pride of the world was large and spacious and great was the
multitude that did enter into it. (See 1 Ne. 8:26, 33; 11:35-36.)
Pride is the universal sin, the great vice. Yes, pride is the
universal sin, the great vice.
The antidote for pride is humility - meekness, submissiveness.
(See Alma 7:23.) It is the broken heart and contrite spirit.
(See 3 Ne. 9:20, 12:19; D&C 20:37, 59:8; Ps. 34:18; Isa. 57:15,
66:2.) As Rudyard Kipling put it so well:
The tumult and the shouting dies;
The captains and the kings depart.
Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget.
(Hymns, 1985, no. 80.)
God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be
humble or we can be compelled to be humble. Alma said, 'Blessed
are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be
humble.' (Alma 32:16.)
Let us choose to be humble.
We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity toward
our brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting
them as high or higher than we are. (See D&C 38:24; 81:5; 84:106.)
We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and
chastisement. (See Jacob 4:10; Hel. 15:3; D&C 63:55; 101:4-5; 108:1;
124:61; 84; 136:31; Prov. 9:8.)
We can choose to humble ourselves by forgiving those who have offended
us. (See 3 Ne. 13:11, 14; D&C 64:10.)
We can choose to humble ourselves by rendering selfless service.
(See Mosiah 2:16-17.)
We can choose to humble ourselves by going on missions and preaching
the word that can humble others. (See Alma 4:19; 31:5; 48:20.)
We can choose to humble ourselves by getting to the temple more
frequently.
We can choose to humble ourselves by confessing and forsaking our
sins and being born of God. (See D&C 58:43; Mosiah 27:25-26;
Alma 5:7-14, 49.)
We can choose to humble ourselves by loving God, submitting our will
to His, and putting Him first in our lives. (See 3 Ne. 11:11; 13:33;
Moro. 10:32.)
Let us choose to be humble. We can do it. I know we can.
My dear brethren and sisters, we must prepare to redeem Zion. It
was essentially the sin of pride that kept us from establishing
Zion in the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was the same sin
of pride that brought consecration to an end among the Nephites.
(See 4 Ne. 1:24-25.)
Pride is the great stumbling block to Zion. I repeat: Pride is
the great stumbling block to Zion.
We must cleanse the inner vessel by conquering pride. (See Alma
6:2-4; Matt. 23:25-26.)
We must yield 'to the enticings of the Holy Spirit,' put off the
prideful 'natural man,' become a 'saint through the atonement of
Christ the Lord,' and become 'as a child, submissive, meek, humble.'
(Mosiah 3:19; see also Alma 13:28.)
That we may do so and go on to fulfill our divine destiny is my
fervent prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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Reading President Benson's talk again in a new format seemed
to open my eyes with a new perspective. I went back and looked at the
talk in the ENSIGN, and sure enough, the words were there - but they
did not stand out like they did here. I have taken some of the article
and rearranged it to make some things stand out even more.
-----------------------------------------------------
***** Pride is a sin that can readily be seen in others but *****
***** is rarely admitted in ourselves. *****
-----------------------------------------------------
***** Most of us consider pride to be a sin of those on the *****
***** top, such as the rich and the learned, looking down *****
***** at the rest of us. *****
-----------------------------------------------------
***** There is, however, a far more common ailment among *****
***** us - and that is pride from the bottom looking up. *****
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-----------------------------------------------------
It is manifest in so many ways, such as
fault-finding,
gossiping,
backbiting,
murmuring,
living beyond our means,
envying,
coveting,
withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another,
being unforgiving and jealous,
disobedience,
power struggle against someone in authority over us.
a parent,
a priesthood leader,
a teacher, or
God.
selfishness,
self-conceit,
self-pity,
worldly self-fulfillment,
self-gratification, and
self-seeking.
contention,
Arguments,
fights,
unrighteous dominion,
generation gaps,
divorces,
spouse abuse,
riots,
disturbances,
drives the Spirit of the Lord away,
drives many of our family members away,
hostile spoken word ,
worldwide conflicts,
'only by pride cometh contention.' ,
easily offended,
hold grudges,
withhold forgiveness,
to keep another in debt and
to justify their injured feelings.
do not receive counsel or correction easily,
defensiveness is used
to justify and rationalize frailties and failures
ugly,
It says, 'If you succeed, I am a failure.'
it limits or stops progression,
not easily taught,
won't change minds to accept truths,
adversely affects all relationships - with
God and His servants,
husband and wife,
parent and child,
employer and employee,
teacher and student, and
all mankind.
fades our feelings of sonship to God and
brotherhood to man.
separates and divides by 'ranks,' according to
'riches'
'learning'
less active members of the Church because they were offended
and their pride will not allow them to forgive
or fully sup at the Lord's table.
***** Pride is a damning sin in the true sense of that word. *****
------------------------------------------------------
***** Pride is the universal sin, the great vice. *****
-------------------------------------------
After all this information on the ills of the world, President Benson
gives us the way prepared for us to escape these calamities :
The antidote for pride is humility - meekness, submissiveness.
It is the broken heart and contrite spirit.
God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be
humble or we can be compelled to be humble. Alma said,
'Blessed are they who humble themselves without being
compelled to be humble.' (Alma 32:16.)
Let us choose to be humble.
Pride is the great stumbling block to Zion.
I got so much more out of this article after it had been rearranged.
Do you think you would be interested in doing some others????????
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