Undoubtedly, the pompus pride of Felix kept him from obeying the gospel. We are plagued today with keeping up with the Joneses. We are plagued with buying things we don't need, with money we don't have, to impress people we don't know. Brethren, we must be honest, paying our debts and meeting our obligations. Pride leads to rebellion.
Pride causes the rule or ruin, boss or burst, attitude.
Such an attitude was possessed by Diotrephes. Church 'bosses' and 'regulators' have imbibed the spirit of Diotrephes. The Scribes were guilty of pride in this form. Spiritual pride causes one to trust his own virtues rather than the grace of God and the blood of Christ. This kind of pride causes one to look down with disdain on the unlearned, illiterate, oppressed, poor and down-trodden.