The Greatest Sin?

I'm curious as to what your thoughts were when you read the title. What do you think the greatest sin is? Murder? Adultery? Homosexuality? Could one sin be the cause of the others

Personally, I think pride is the greatest sin, and the root of all the other sins. Pride means "me first, God next". Or, as John Piper says, "When I go up, God goes down". We wouldn't say that out loud, but our actions and words to others indicate that those are our thoughts. Look at the other sins; isn't our love of self the start to the others? Especially in the church, pride is most subtle and most dangerous. Sometimes Christians can look down at other sinners and their sins when their pride is just as blatant and arrogant to God. Pride has caused more division in the Body than anything else.

I am currently reading Humility by CJ Mahaney, an excellent book. Mahaney talks about pride being the first sin(Satan's fall) and the essence of all sin. Theologian John Stott said "At every stage of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is our greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend." John Piper says that the root of all the other dangers is pride, "doing it our way". Piper goes own to say that he is his biggest danger to himself.

Proverbs 3:34 is so important that it is echoed by both James (4:5) and Peter (1 Pet 5:5). Proverbs 16:5 says God detests the proud of heart, and then gives a warning. They will not go unpunished. God wants our heart to be His, not ours.

I have always visualized pride as us taking God off the throne and putting us on it. Or, as John Piper says, "When I go up, God goes down". What a sad, scary and pious thought. It's all about Him, not about us.