Humble Thyself

Humble Thyself And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself... (Philippians 2:8) I. Definitions. A. humility: The quality of being humble or having a lowly opinion of oneself; meekness, lowliness, humbleness: the opposite of pride or haughtiness. B. humble: trans. To render humble or meek in spirit; to cause to think more lowly of oneself. C. humble: (adj.) Having a low estimate of one's importance, worthiness, or merits; marked by the absence of self-assertion or self-exaltation; lowly: the opposite of proud. D. haughty: High in one's own estimation; lofty and disdainful in feeling or demeanour; proud, arrogant, supercilious. E. pride: The quality of being proud. A high or overweening opinion of one's own qualities, attainments, or estate, which gives rise to a feeling and attitude of superiority over and contempt for others; inordinate self-esteem. II. The Christian is called to humility. A. Humility is a chief garment of God's elect. COL 3:12; 1PE 5:5. B. Humility is basic to our being Christ-like. PHIL 2:3-8. C. A lack of humility towards God and His word keeps many out of the kingdom. PSA 10:4; 131:1-2; MAT 18:3-4; 5:3; JOH 12:42-43. III. Pride is the antithesis of humility. A. It was fundamental to Satan's downfall. EZE 28:17; 1TI 3:6. B. It is on God's “Seven Least Wanted” list. PRO 6:16-17. C. It is the forerunner of destruction. PRO 16:18. D. “Pride month” is an appropriate but condemning title. EZE 16:49-50 c/w ISA 3:9. IV. Pride forbids men from coming to terms with their sin nature and their sinning ways. It is the sincere humble heart that God requires and honors. LUK 18:9-14; ISA 57:15. A. Godly sorrow, confession and repentance is the only way that sin is properly handled. PSA 32:1-6; JOB 42:6; 2CO 2:6-7; 7:10. 1. The “ostrich complex” which denies the reality of the sin is a sin itself. 1JO 1:8, 10; PRO 14:9. 2. The “fig-leaf complex” which futilely tries to cover sin fares no better. PRO 28:13; GEN 3:7 c/w JOB 31:33. 3. The “hardened heart complex” which defies the righteousness of God and His assessment of our sin is especially dangerous. JOB 9:4; PRO 28:14; 29:1; JER 6:16-17; 44:16-17; ROM 2:5; HEB 3:13. B. Humility is a sacrifice for sin that God accepts from us. PSA 34:18; 51:17. C. We ought never to consider ourselves above reproach, correction, judgment, learning or improvement. ROM 12:3; 1CO 8:2; 10:12; PHIL 3:13-15. V. “...God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (JAM 4:6). A. There is a store of grace which only a faithful walk may access. JOH 1:16; ROM 5:2. B. A faithful walk is one regulated by God's word. PSA 119:128; PRO 3:5-6. C. Grace is multiplied unto us through the knowledge of Christ. 2PE 1:2. 1. The enemy of humility (pride) stifles godly wisdom, knowledge and understanding by which grace is multiplied. PRO 1:7; 9:10 c/w PRO 8:13. 2. When we proudly defy God's plain instruction, God justly pinches off our Humble Thyself 6-15-25 Page 1 of 2  understanding and withholds the grace we need to be overcomers. JAM 4:5-10; 1:21. 3. This is called quenching the Spirit (1TH 5:19), and receiving the grace of God in vain. 2CO 6:1. VI. Consider some who learned that grace is withheld or withdrawn from those who will not humble themselves before God and His ways. A. King Saul started out well, but stumbled. 1. God upbraided Saul for his gross disobedience. 1SAM 13:13-14. 2. Saul did not confess or repent of his sin. 3. He sinned more and suffered the consequences of “too little, too late” repentance. 1SAM 15:23-29. 4. God withdrew His spirit from Saul. 1SAM 16:14. 5. Saul made enemies of his friends, family and supporters. 1SAM 18:9; 20:30. 6. Saul's lack of humility (pride) destroyed him. PRO 16:18. B. Israel in the wilderness suffered relatively little while God was preparing them for Canaan, yet they would not humble themselves in the face of goodness or judgment. NEH 9:15-17; HEB 3:8-12. C. King Uzziah was mightily helped of God until pride destroyed him. 2CH 26:15-16. D. Nebuchadnezzar and Herod were judged in an instant for vainglorious pride. DAN 4:30-33; ACT 12:20-23. VII. Consider some who found that God truly honors the humble. A. Solomon was mightily blessed of God because of a correct early attitude. 1KI 3:7-14. B. King Josiah, rather than chafing at the coming judgment of God for Judah's sins, humbled himself and effected great reforms in the land. For this, he received grace. 2CH 34:27-28. C. Even King Manasseh, one of the most vile kings ever, found grace and mercy through humility. 2CH 33:11-13 ct/w 2CH 33:21-24. D. Humbling oneself before God may defer or reduce judgment. 1KI 21:29; 2CH 12:7. VIII. There is a false humility to be avoided. COL 2:18-23. IX. Hardening the heart, chafing against God's laws and judgments, proud self-exaltation, etc. is the way of sin and destruction. A. By contrast, a humble attitude in the face of your sin, your circumstances, God's laws and judgments, etc., is the way of riches, honour and life. PRO 22:4. B. Let men not glory in their power, position, party, possessions or prudence but rather glory in the LORD. JER 9:23-24; GAL 6:13-14. C. “But honour is like the shadow, which, as it flees from those that follow it, so it follows those that flee from it.” (Matthew Henry) D. “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (LUK 14:11). X. (1PE 5:6) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Humble Thyself 6-15-25 Page 2 of 2