This ravishing in spiritual pride is delectable, and, therefore, he keepeth it, holdeth it, and nourisheth it as much as he can. For this love and delight he prayeth, watcheth, weareth haircloth, and doth other afflictions, and all these trouble him but little. He pretends to love God, and thanketh Him sometimes with his mouth; sometimes wringeth a tear out of his eye, and then he thinketh all safe enough. But soothly, all this is for love of himself which he chooseth, and mistaketh for love and joy in God, and therein lies all his sin. Not that he willingly chooseth sin, as it is sin, but chooseth this delight and joy that he takes for good, as the rest and repose of his soul. Which, because he doth without any striving against it, or displeasure at it in his will, therefore is it sin; for he judgeth it to be a joy in God, and it is not so, and, therefore, sinneth he mortally. (John Climacus)

Spiritual pride is the foundation of idolatry and hypocrisy. Through pride, the sinner worships self instead of God.

Pride can obscure the idol so completely the sinner may be entirely sure of his or her true faith in and relationship with God. Pride allows self-serving behavior to be justified as God's will.

This prideful error regarding God's intent allows - may even drive - the sinner to attitudes and acts that are dismissive of or hateful to neighbor. This hypocrisy exposes the underlying idolatry.

We cannot love God and despise neighbor. Our neighbors - close at hand and far away - are God's emissaries to our heart and mind.

In loving our neighbor, we love God. In self-sacrificial service to neighbor we may exorcise our temptation to self-serving pride.

The image is of the Pharisee and the Publican.