Pride Leads to Sin

As Christians none of us wants to sin. We don’t wake up and think of new ways to sin against God. We believe in God. We were baptized. We pray and fast regularly. Sin is the last thing on our mind as Christians. That’s the problem. It should be the first thing on our mind.

The first step to committing any sin is believing we will not sin. When we think we are immune to sin, we let our guard down against temptation. The next thing we realize is we are going to bed regretting the sin we committed during the day. The problem wasn’t temptation. The problem was pride.

At that time, Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray Jesus to them. And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him. And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?” And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the householder, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” And the disciples set out and went to the city, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover. And when it was evening he came with the twelve. And as they were at table eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. For the Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said vehemently, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. And they went to a place which was called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; remove this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what you will.” And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time, and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come; the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Mark 14.10-42

Jesus warned the disciples about the temptation they were about to endure. “One of you will betray me.” The response from most of them was to question if they were the one. “Is it I?” All except Saint Peter. “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” We know what happened that night to Saint Peter. His pride led him to sin.

Just as we do when we sin, Saint Peter regretted denying Christ. He went away sorrowful when he realized what he had done. Thankfully for Saint Peter, Christ gave him a chance to repent after the resurrection, by confessing his love for Christ as many times as he first denied even knowing Christ.

Saint Peter ended up as the leader of the Apostles, not because he was without sin, but because he had faith enough to repent and return to Christ stronger than before his sin. There is always a way out of sin when we love God.

The pride of Judas was a different story. He heard the same warning from Christ, but it wasn’t enough to stop his betrayal. Many believe he didn’t consider his actions a betrayal. Many believe he thought he was ‘helping the cause’ for the Messiah by turning Him in so the war against Rome could begin.

The pride of Judas kept him from understanding the truth of Christ. After the betrayal, finally Judas realized what he had done. Instead of returning to Christ in repentance, his pride sent him further into sin, and he killed himself in self-pity.

Pride has a way of interrupting our faith. When we think we know better or think we will always be strong enough to ‘say no’ to temptation, that is when we are the most vulnerable. As we approach the Great Fast, make a commitment to fighting pride through prayer and fasting.

Fighting pride is the first step in fighting sin. Without pride we are more guarded against temptation in the first place. Without pride we are more likely to repent and return to God when we do sin.