Walking with God

“Walking in Humility”

(James 3:13-18 NKJV)  Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. {14} if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts do not boast and lie against the truth. {15} this wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. {16} for where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. {17} But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. {18} now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Humility is one of the products of the Christian life we are not just solitary Christians, God had placed us in the Body of Christ, for the body of Christ to function as God intended, and each member of the Body needs to express humility  

The Humility of the Cross 

(Phil 2:8 NKJV)  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

In the days of the Church, to believe in the Cross meant embracing great humility The Cross was a symbol of great shame, But God has chosen this horrible death as a means to deal with mankind’s greatest problem: self.

(1 Pet 1:18 NKJV) knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 

When Adam and Eve sinned, they chose the way of self.  Ever since, self has been the root of every sin. When Jesus died on the Cross, God dealt with two things:

Sins 

(1 John 2:2 NKJV)  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.      

Self 

(1 John 2:2 NKJV)  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 

Many Christians receive God’s forgiveness, but then bring an unresolved self over into the Christian life; this is what causes all the dissensions, competition and problems in the Church.

(Gal 2:20 NKJV)  "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I, who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 

The genuine life that comes from Jesus to those who obey God is true or eternal life. Just as physical life is the gift of God, so is eternal life Faith is the central concept of Christianity. One may be called a Christian only if one has faith.

(John 6:63) "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

(Gal 6:14 NKJV)  But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 

But once we realise that we have been crucified with Christ that our self was dealt with once and for all on the Cross, the grace of God is released in our lives to bring true humility.

(2 Cor 5:15 NKJV)  and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Understanding Humility

(Psa 138:6 NKJV)  Though the LORD is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar. 

The pride of self-effort and self-righteousness is fiercely opposed by God.  In fact, pride is sin we need to understand the nature of pride before we can understand the nature of humility.

(2 Tim 3:1-5 NKJV)  But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: {2} For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, {3} unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, {4} traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, {5} having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

False humility

(Col 2:18 NKJV)  Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 

False humility is an outward humility only. This false humility is designed for other people to see. Its focus is self, it is just a subtle form of pride.

True humility

(James 4:10 NKJV)  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 

True humility is recognition that I can’t do it by myself. I need the grace of God and I need other Christians.  The focus of true humility is God, not self. True humility has no hint of self-effort, but admits a total dependence on God. It is the one condition that God requires for grace to continue in our lives.

(James 4:6 NKJV)  But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

Learning from Jesus

(Mat 11:29 NKJV)  "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Jesus is the great example of humility.

If we want to express the kind of humility that pleases God, we must learn from Jesus, Jesus showed that true humility is not just speaking humble words. It is acting in humility by serving others-taking up our cross on behalf of others.