Pride, stiff-neckedness are among labels for enmity toward God
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"For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: . . . " (Ex. 33:5.)
In an April 1989 general conference address, President Ezra Taft Benson said:"Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance. 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. . . .
"The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives. They pit their perception of truth against God's great knowledge, their abilities versus God's priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works.
"Our enmity 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. . . ."
President Benson said pride adversely affects all relationships - one's relationship with God and His servants, between husband and wife, parent and child, employer and employee, teacher and student, and all mankind.
"Pride is the universal sin, the great vice," President Benson declared. "The antidote for pride is humility - meekness, submissiveness.
"God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble."
