"And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Bottom line, the prideful in spirit are full of themselves and compare themselves and their works to others. The poor in spirit see themselves as bankrupt of anything good, because they compare themselves to God.
After salvation, the penalty and power of sin is broken in our lives, but we continue to battle with sin. As we grow, the sinful choices we make should diminish, but we will always battle with sin until we die or the Lord returns. The battle over pride (and all sin) is won at the cross. Keeping our eyes on the cross produces humility in our hearts and instead of God being opposed to us, we have His favor.
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