You have probably heard people say to their family or friends: “I am proud of you!” Perhaps you have said so to your children more than one time (I know I have!). As I reflect upon this, I find no biblical basis for continuing this practice.
Every time pride is mentioned in the Bible is in a negative manner. Pride is a sin, or better yet pride is the essence of what sin is like. It was pride that turned Lucifer into a Satan (Isaiah 14) and it was pride what caused the downfall of mankind (Genesis 3).
A few weeks ago the LGBTQIA (and the list keeps growing!) community celebrated yet another “pride week” to accentuate their growth as a movement and their pride in their sexual perversions. Even liberal churches joined in the festivities, by proclaiming their support for this “minority” and to reject the intolerance that the church of Christ has had towards this aberrant behavior.
Yes, the homosexuals and their friends are “happy” and proud. They came out of the closet a long time ago and now there is not even a closet anymore! You can see them everywhere. They are the greatest “evangelists” of our day, by proclaiming the “message of the rainbow” (not to be confused with the Covenant God made with Noah) on TV, at the movies, in books and textbooks, in libraries and schools. They are “happy” and they are proud!
Meanwhile, the majority of the church has gone into the closet to hide in fear and shame. While it is important to go into the prayer closet every day, it is also vitally important to come out of that holy closet every day and live out our Christianity unashamedly before the world.
The LGBTQIA community is proud of their sinful lifestyle. Are we going to be ashamed of the Gospel? Jesus was not ashamed. Paul was not ashamed (Romans 1:16) and millions of believers throughout the ages have not been ashamed to identify with Christ.
We are not called to be proud or to celebrate our faith in Christ one day a week, or one week a year. We have been called to be:
The salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13, 14)
Ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20)
A holy nation for Christ (1 Peter 2:9-10)
Joyful in Christ at all times (Philippians 4:4)
I pray that all of us can begin today to proclaim the living Gospel of Christ with our words and our deeds. We are the true evangelists certified and commissioned by the Lord.
A. G.
