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The Deadliest Sin in the Church"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." — Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)Many people repeat the saying, "All sins are equal." The Bible never says that. Every sin makes a person guilty before a holy God (James 2:10), but Scripture clearly teaches that some sins are more serious in their consequences, bring greater judgment, or are especially hated by God.Jesus told Pilate, "he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin" (John 19:11). If one sin can be greater than another, then not all sins are equal in degree. Proverbs 6:16–19 lists seven things the LORD hates, and the very first one is "A proud look." Pride heads God's list because it opens the door to so many other sins.Pride is deadly because it refuses correction. A proud person would rather defend himself than humble himself before God. Pride seeks the praise of men instead of the approval of God. It breeds contention, resists dependence upon God's grace, prevents spiritual growth, and ultimately leads to destruction. Long before immorality, drunkenness, theft, or other outward sins become visible, pride has often been growing unseen beneath the surface.That is why Satan fell. Isaiah 14 records his desire to exalt himself above God. Pride turned a holy angel into the devil. It also led to Adam and Eve believing they could be "as gods" (Genesis 3:5), Nebuchadnezzar boasting over Babylon before God humbled him (Daniel 4:30–37), and the Pharisees rejecting Christ because they loved the praise of men (John 12:43). Pride has ruined homes, churches, ministries, and nations.The opposite of pride is not weakness—it is humility before God. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" (James 4:6). The Christian who walks humbly is teachable, quick to repent, dependent upon Christ, and eager to give God the glory instead of seeking it for himself.Before we look for the obvious sins in others, we should first examine the hidden roots in our own hearts. Pride may not always be the loudest sin, but it is often the deepest. Pull up the root, and many of the poisonous fruits begin to disappear."Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." — James 4:10 (KJV)