Ever wondered about the profound role of humility in deepening your relationship with God? How did Jesus' life and teachings exemplify humility, and how can we emulate this to transform our lives? How did humility lead to true strength and joy in Paul's journey? Do you want to know how embracing humility can lead to spiritual exaltation and a deeper, more joyful relationship with God?

Humility: The Journey Toward Holiness

When God created the universe, His intention was to share His perfection and blessedness with His creatures, reflecting His love, wisdom, and power. This relationship is one of continuous, absolute dependence on God. Humility, therefore, is the first duty and highest virtue of the creature, while pride, the loss of this humility, is the root of all sin and evil.

The fallen angels and the first humans fell from grace due to pride. Redemption lies in restoring lost humility, and Jesus came to bring this humility back to earth. His life, death, and teachings embody humility, showing us how to live in complete dependence on God.

Jesus' humility, evident in His life and teachings, is a model for us. He continually spoke of His dependence on the Father, not seeking His own will or glory. This life of self-abnegation and submission brought Him perfect peace and joy, and it is this humility that He imparts to us.

We are called to study and emulate Jesus' humility, understanding that we are vessels through which God manifests His wisdom, power, and goodness. True humility acknowledges that we have nothing apart from God, and it is the foundation of all virtue and grace.

In the Christian life, humility should be the chief mark of our relationship with God and others. It is not just a temporary sentiment but the essence of Jesus' redemption and the blessedness of life with God. By seeking and embracing this humility, we open ourselves to a deeper, more joyful relationship with God and a more profound impact on the world.

Can Embracing Jesus' Humility Transform Our Lives and the World?

Humility was central to Jesus' teachings and life. Jesus emphasized humility as a core virtue repeatedly throughout His ministry. In the Beatitudes, He said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." He taught that true greatness in the kingdom of heaven is found in service and humility, using a child as an example of exaltation through humility. Jesus' own life exemplified this, as He came to serve and not to be served.

Despite His clear teachings, His disciples often struggled with pride and the desire for status. They disputed who among them would be the greatest and sought positions of honor. Jesus responded with lessons on humility, urging them to be servants to one another, as He was. He washed their feet, demonstrating that true leadership is found in humble service.

Just as pride is a part of our nature inherited from Adam, humility must become part of our nature through Christ. This transformation is only possible through His presence within us, bringing about a humility that is as natural and effortless as pride once was.

We see this transformation in the apostles post-Pentecost. Initially, they lacked humility despite their commitment to Jesus. However, after receiving the Holy Spirit, they were filled with the humility of Christ. Their lives and writings reflected this change, emphasizing humility as a key Christian virtue.

These stories remind us that humility is not just an ideal but a practical necessity in our daily interactions. True humility before God manifests in our relationships with others, in acts of service, patience, and forbearance. It is through humility that we make room for God's power to work in and through us, transforming our lives.

Embracing Humility: Lessons from Jesus and His Disciples

Isaiah 65:5 warns against self-righteousness, "I am holier than thou." In our current times, the Holiness movement emphasizes holiness in Christ and by faith. Yet, the true test of this holiness is its manifestation in humility. 

Humility allows God's holiness to dwell within us. Jesus, the Holy One of God, exemplified divine humility in His life, death, and exaltation. Counterfeit holiness lacks humility. Even in sacred places, pride can emerge, as seen in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. True humility is the key to sincere holiness.

Humility in the church and among Christians is often missing, replaced by pride and self-assertion. Genuine humility involves considering others better than ourselves and serving them. Holiness without humility is a contradiction. Jesus' humility was the essence of His holiness. We must remember that humility is the disappearance of self in the vision of God as all.

Paul's teachings emphasize humility, as seen in his letters. He acknowledges his past as a sinner and attributes his present state to God's grace. This awareness of sin and grace fosters true humility. Paul's life exemplifies that the deeper the experience of grace, the more intense the consciousness of being a sinner. This humility is not about dwelling on sin but recognizing God's grace and living in its light.

Paul's humility stemmed from his awareness of being a sinner saved by grace. This awareness kept him humble and reliant on God's grace. True humility is not about self-condemnation but recognizing God's redeeming love. It is the revelation of God's holiness and grace that fosters humility. Occupying oneself with God, not sin, brings deliverance from self.

Jesus teaches that pride makes faith impossible. Faith is the confession of nothingness and helplessness, allowing God to work. Humility prepares the soul for living on trust. Pride seeks glory from men, while humility seeks glory from God. True faith and humility are intertwined. The centurion and the mother who sought Jesus' help exemplify great faith through their humility.

The pursuit of holiness often fails due to pride. True humility involves allowing God to be all. Seeking humility leads to deeper faith and blessings. Humility is the path to God's glory. Even those who bring blessings to others can lack humility, hindering the full work of faith. Seeking God's glory frees us from the desire for human glory and strengthens our faith. The deeper we humble ourselves, the closer we are to fulfilling every desire of our faith.

Can True Holiness Exist Without Humility in Today's Church?

Jesus humbled Himself even unto death, setting the example for us. Humility and death to self are intertwined: humility is the blossom, death to self is the fruit. Jesus' humility led Him to surrender completely to God's will and die for us, thereby opening the path we are to follow.

In His death and resurrection, Jesus imparted a life that overcame death. This life carries the marks of His death, and in His followers, it manifests through humility. Only humility leads to perfect death, and only death perfects humility. 

Humility means complete self-giving and perfect nothingness before God. Jesus’ ultimate act of humility was His death, which proved His total surrender to God’s will. For us, dying to self is not our work but God’s. Our role is to humble ourselves, accepting our helplessness and relying on God’s grace. This humility is the preparation for God’s mighty work within us.

Paul's experience teaches us that humility can turn trials into blessings. A thorn in his flesh kept him humble, allowing God's grace to manifest more fully in his weakness. Initially, Paul sought deliverance from this trial, but eventually, he gloried in it, finding joy in his weaknesses because they brought him closer to Christ.

Every Christian goes through stages in their pursuit of humility. Initially, we may resist and seek to avoid things that humble us. True humility, however, involves willingly embracing these experiences, recognizing them as opportunities to deepen our reliance on Jesus and to reflect His character.

To reach this stage, we need a new revelation of Jesus. Our humiliations prepare us for a fuller manifestation of His presence. Learning to glory in weaknesses and take pleasure in what humbles us brings deep happiness and joy.

Humility always precedes exaltation. The command is simple: humble yourself. This does not mean we can conquer pride by our own efforts. Rather, we must take every opportunity to humble ourselves before God and others. Accept every humiliation as a reminder of our need for humility.

God promises that those who humble themselves will be exalted. This exaltation is not about external rewards but about receiving more of God Himself. The lower we go, the more we are filled with His glory. True exaltation flows naturally from true humility.

We must persist in acts of humility, trusting God to work within us. This process includes recognizing our pride and our inability to overcome it without divine help. By continually humbling ourselves, we create space for the Spirit of Jesus to dwell in us fully.

Humility transforms our relationship with God and others, leading us to the highest joy and blessing. When we humble ourselves, God exalts us, filling us with His presence and making humility the abiding spirit of our lives.

A Prayer for Humility: "God, make known to me and remove from my heart every form and degree of pride. Awaken in me the deepest depth and truth of humility, making me capable of receiving Your light and Holy Spirit. Amen."

This prayer is a path to divine growth, transforming every experience into a blessing and helping us to grow in the life of God. Humility is not just a virtue but the essence of true prayer and the foundation of a life filled with Christ.

Embracing Humility: The Path Paved by Jesus

Humility is central to our relationship with God, reflecting our absolute dependence on Him. It is the foundation of all virtue and grace, contrasting sharply with pride, which is the root of all sin.

Jesus' life and teachings exemplify humility, emphasizing complete dependence on God, service to others, and self-abnegation. His humility brought Him perfect peace and joy, and He calls us to emulate this humility to transform our lives and deepen our relationship with God.

The apostles initially struggled with pride, but after receiving the Holy Spirit, they embodied Christ's humility, showing that true transformation through humility is possible. This humility should manifest in our daily interactions, characterized by service, patience, and forbearance.

Holiness is inseparable from humility. True holiness involves considering others better than ourselves and serving them, as Jesus did. Paul's teachings highlight that awareness of our sinfulness and reliance on God's grace foster true humility.

Humility is intertwined with faith, as it prepares the soul for trust in God. It involves recognizing our nothingness and allowing God to work through us. The pursuit of holiness and faith often fails due to pride, but seeking humility leads to deeper faith and blessings.

Embracing humility involves a complete surrender of self, akin to Jesus' humility unto death. This process, empowered by the Holy Spirit, aligns us with Jesus' path and fosters spiritual growth.

Humility leads to true strength and joy, as seen in Paul's journey with his weaknesses. Trials and weaknesses are opportunities to deepen our reliance on Christ and find joy in the humbling process.

Finally, true exaltation comes through persistent acts of humility. By aligning ourselves with Jesus and accepting humbling experiences, we invite God's presence and power into our lives, leading to spiritual exaltation and a deeper, more joyful relationship with God.

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Humility: The Journey Toward Holiness

Andrew Murray

5 Key ideas

14 MINS

4.9 (980)

Ever wondered about the profound role of humility in deepening your relationship with God?

How did Jesus' life and teachings exemplify humility, and how can we emulate this to transform our lives?

How did humility lead to true strength and joy in Paul's journey?

Do you want to know how embracing humility can lead to spiritual exaltation and a deeper, more joyful relationship with God?