God Opposes the Proud

Discussion Questions:

1. Defining Pride and Its Impact

Proverbs 13:10, Proverbs 16:18, 1 Peter 5:5

- Where does pride tend to show up most subtly in your life?

- Which of these impacts have you experienced or seen: division, resistance to correction,

loss of trust, or isolation?

- Why is pride so destructive to both individuals and community?

2. The Deception of Pride

Jeremiah 17:9, James 1:22

- Have you ever believed something strongly that later proved untrue? What made it feel

true?

- What does it look like to be familiar with truth but not transformed by it?

- Why is it so difficult to change the mind of someone convinced they are right?

3. Pride vs. Truth

James 4:6, Proverbs 16:5

- Why do we tend to defend ourselves instead of submitting to truth?

- What happens internally when truth challenges something you believe?

- How can you tell the difference between pursuing truth and protecting self?

4. How Pride Manifests

Proverbs 3:5–6, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Proverbs 18:1

- Which area stands out most in your life right now:

> resisting correction

> Self-dependence

> distorted motives

> strained relationships

- Why is pride easier to see in others than in ourselves?

- How does pride affect the way you relate to others?

5. Pride and God’s Glory

Galatians 6:14, 1 Corinthians 10:31

- In what ways can good actions become about self instead of God?

- Why is it dangerous that pride can exist alongside outwardly good behavior?

- What would it look like for your life to consistently point back to God’s glory?

6. Putting Pride to Death

Colossians 3:5, Galatians 5:24, Hebrews 4:1

- Why do we tend to manage sin instead of putting it to death?

- What makes honest self-examination before God difficult?

- How does God’s Word expose what we might otherwise miss?

7. Submission, Resistance, and Drawing Near

James 4:7–8, 2 Corinthians 10:5

- What does it practically look like to take your thoughts captive?

- Where do you tend to negotiate with sin instead of resisting it?

- What does intentional pursuit of God look like in your daily life?

8. Humility and Repentance

James 4:9–10, Psalm 51:6

- What is the difference between regret and true repentance?

- What is one area where you need to stop trusting yourself and trust God instead?

- What is one practical step you can take this week to walk in humility?