Skip to content

Skip to table of contents

Wrong Attitudes

Wrong Attitudes

What wrong attitudes should Christians avoid?

Anger

Ps 37:8, 9; Pr 29:22; Col 3:8

See also Pr 14:17; 15:18

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • Ge 37:18, 19, 23, 24, 31-35​—Joseph’s brothers attack him, sell him as a slave, and deceive Jacob into thinking that his beloved son is dead

    • Ge 49:5-7​—Simeon and Levi are called to account for their cruel anger and harsh fury

    • 1Sa 20:30-34​—In a fit of anger, King Saul insults his son Jonathan and tries to kill him

    • 1Sa 25:14-17​—Nabal screams insults at David’s men, putting his own household in mortal danger

Contentiousness

Cowardice

Cruelty

De 15:7, 8; Mt 19:8; 1Jo 3:17

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • Ge 42:21-24​—Joseph’s brothers recall with regret their cruel treatment of Joseph

    • Mr 3:1-6​—Jesus is thoroughly grieved by the cruel attitude of the Pharisees

Disrespect

See “Disrespect

Egotism

Ga 5:26; Php 2:3

See also Pr 3:7; 26:12; Ro 12:16

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • 2Sa 15:1-6​—Absalom indulges in showy displays and seeks to steal the people’s hearts away from King David, his father

    • Da 4:29-32​—King Nebuchadnezzar is prideful, which leads to his receiving discipline from Jehovah

Envy; covetousness

Ro 13:9; 1Pe 2:1

See also Ga 5:26; Tit 3:3

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • Ge 26:12-15​—Jehovah blesses hardworking Isaac, and the Philistines begin to envy him

    • 1Ki 21:1-19​—Wicked King Ahab covets Naboth’s vineyard, which leads to conspiracy and murder

Fear of man

Ps 118:6; Pr 29:25; Mt 10:28

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • Nu 13:25-33​—Ten of the Israelite spies are overcome with fear and spread that fear among the people

    • Mt 26:69-75​—The apostle Peter’s fear of man leads him to deny Jesus three times

Greediness

See “Greediness

Hatred

Hypocrisy

See “Hypocrisy

Jealousy

See “Jealousy

Laziness

Love of money, material things

Mt 6:24; 1Ti 6:10; Heb 13:5

See also 1Jo 2:15, 16

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • Job 31:24-28​—Though wealthy, Job avoids the snare of materialism

    • Mr 10:17-27​—A wealthy young man loves his possessions too much to leave them behind and follow Jesus

Malicious bitterness

1Sa 30:6; Eph 4:31; Col 3:19

See also Jas 3:14

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • Ob 10-14​—The Edomites are condemned for showing malicious bitterness toward their brothers, the Israelites

Presumptuousness

See “Presumptuousness

Pride; haughtiness

See “Pride

Quarrelsomeness

Pr 26:20; 1Ti 3:2, 3; Tit 3:2

See also Pr 15:18; 17:14; 27:15; Jas 3:17, 18

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • Ge 13:5-9​—A quarrel arises between the herdsmen of Abraham and those of Lot, but Abraham makes peace

    • Jg 8:1-3​—The men of Ephraim try to pick a quarrel with Judge Gideon, but his humility leads to peace

Rebelliousness

Self-righteousness

Ec 7:16; Mt 7:1-5; Ro 14:4, 10-13

See also Isa 65:5; Lu 6:37

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • Mt 12:1-7​—Jesus exposes the self-righteous attitude of the Pharisees

    • Lu 18:9-14​—Jesus uses an illustration to show that self-righteous ones do not gain God’s favor

Stubbornness

Jer 13:10

See also Jer 7:23-27; Zec 7:11, 12

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • 2Ch 36:11-17​—Zedekiah proves to be a wicked and stubborn king, leading his people to disaster

    • Ac 19:8, 9​—The apostle Paul withdraws from those who stubbornly refuse to believe the Kingdom message

Unreasonableness

Mr 7:21-23; Eph 5:17

See also 1Pe 2:15

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • 1Sa 8:10-20​—The Israelites react unreasonably to the prophet Samuel when he speaks to them about why it is unwise to have a human king

    • 1Sa 25:2-13, 34​—Nabal’s refusal to respond to a reasonable plea for aid nearly brings disaster on his entire household

Wicked suspicions and accusations

Job 1:9-11; 1Ti 6:4

  • Relevant Bible account(s):

    • 1Sa 18:6-9; 20:30-34​—King Saul suspects David of disloyalty and even tries to turn Jonathan against him