The Impact of Humility

Introduction

Our topic this evening we are looking at is not an unfamiliar passage. Our topic tonight is something that we all too often need a reminder to live out in our lives. The topic is humility. Humility has been viewed in culture both positively and negatively, correctly and wrongly. Friedrich Nietzsche described humility as such ““HE WHO DESPISES HIMSELF FEELS AT THE SAME TIME A CERTAIN RESPECT FOR HIMSELF AS BEING A DESPISER OF HIMSELF.” In an article written at the Universtiy of California-Berkeley the author basically likened humility to having a tolerant worldview.

In Nietzsche’s case he falls short in his definition because the person still has self at the forefront of their thoughts. In the case of the article written UC-Berkeley, humility is not being tolerant of another’s belief system or worldview. If this was true then we as Christians would not be humble in any form because their is a sinful worldview that we do not nor can we tolerate. This being said, we can live humbly when worldviews are disagreeing. Where humility is being practiced we are not living in anxiousness about life but rather it opens the door to trust God and see his grace active in our lives. The author of this article says that the worry that comes along with humility is a “dark-side” and can lead to negative results. However, scripture states otherwise! In our own text we see that humility opens the door for trust in God and not worry. It opens the door to thrust your cares and concerns to God and live out Proverbs 3:5-6.

Proverbs 3:5–6 NASB95

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

Humility defined:

Sure humility is not thinking highly of yourself. It is also in the same light not thinking to less of yourself. It truly is thinking of others over yourself. John Calvin described Christian humility as:

Institutes of the Christian Religion Chapter XII: Necessity of Contemplating the Judgment-Seat of God, in Order to Be Seriously Convinced of the Doctrine of Gratuitous Justification

Christian humility consists in laying aside the imaginary idea of our own righteousness, and trusting entirely to the mercy of God, apprehended by faith in Christ.

Jonathan Edwards shorter definition of humility: “Having a right sense and estimate of oneself before God and others.”

Similarly it has been defined as “having a right view of yourself in relation to God and others.”

Calvin also states this as the purpose of our lives.

The great point, then, is, that we are consecrated and dedicated to God, and, therefore, should not henceforth think, speak, design, or act, without a view to his glory. (Calvin, Institutes, 260).

If our purpose in life is to glorify God, and it is—then a key way we glorify God is living humbly before others and Him!

Big Idea: Humility facilitates God’s grace in the Christian’s life enabling them to serve others and to trust God.

I. Christians are commanded to live in humility toward one another, 5b.

Working off our definitions of humility we see humility is grounded in knowing our need for God and our need to depend on God. Earlier we briefly looked at Proverbs 3:5-6

Proverbs 3:5–6 NASB95

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

In order to live this verse out humility is necessary. When it comes to living out humility toward one another Peter gives a command to the Christian. This command is to clothe oneself in humility. This command calls for you and I to act. We need to be putting on the clothing of humility each day. This means each day we need to be putting on a willingness to serve one another. It does not matter your age, humility is to be put on as Christ put it on to wash the disciples’ feet.

As we are to put humility on in order that we may serve one another how may we at times put on a counterfeit humility or a false humility?

False humility is when you manipulate others to believe that you are humble when you are not. It is discrediting yourself so that those around you think you are humble.

This looks like when you may have done something in church or for someone and you receive a compliment for it and you say something along the lines of “it was not that great. It is no big deal.” It is a big deal to God if your are serving him. He is allowing you to receive praise that you can then shift that praise to God.

Other examples of false humility we fall prey to are fishing for compliments, deflecting praise, and self-deprecating jokes. These all take on the form of false humility.

True Humility is marked by serving one another. Turn to Philippians 2:1-4

Philippians 2:1–4 NASB95

1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

This passage shares with us traits of humility before others:

Unity of mind - think the same way;

Unity in love - express mutual love for each other

Unity in spirit - act as if they were one person

Unity in purpose - common mindset emphasis

Unselfish and not conceited

Regard others as more important than yourself by looking out for their interests

1 Peter (Application Overview)

At its core, this “humility” that Jesus and the apostles preach is the mindset that puts the needs of others first, that diminishes oneself for the sake of ministering to others, as seen par excellence in Philippians 2:1–11.

Paul all throughout 1 Thessalonians discusses the one another relationships that take place within the church. In order for us to stir each other to love and good works we must humble ourselves. None of us have reached spiritual completion. We ought all to be striving for spiritual completeness and understanding of those who are behind us and ahead of us.

Smooth relations in the church can be preserved if the entire congregation adorns itself with humility.

Humility is the oil that allows relationships in the church to run smoothly and lovingly

(Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 238.)

We as a church must be acting unselfishly and with one mind and purpose. We are to have the mind of Christ! We will come back to the second part of verse 5 as it stands as the theological reason for why we are to clothe ourselves in humility.

Before we get their though we are going to look at the other area of life we are to humble ourselves. We are commanded to live in humility before God.

II. Christians are commanded to live in humility under God, 6-7.

The recipients of this letter were having to endure suffering and hardships. It was with this background Peter is telling them to live humbly under the mighty hand of God.

God through Peter commands us to live humbly before others and here under God. Our ability to be humble among each other truly flows from our ability to humble ourselves before God. It is vital we humble ourselves before God. This morning we looked at the importance of living a life of consistent repentance. Humility is necessary for true repentance. Humility before God says that one’s trust and dependence is properly placed.

This humility is not a passive humility where we sit around waiting for an opportunity to be humiliated. Humility is not waiting or acting out of passive resignation. The humility God desires is active every day. We are not under some mean dictators rule who is heavy handed and purposefully mean. God deals with us as his children and will in the future take the time to bless and exalt us.

Just as the Lord delivered his people from Egypt, so he would vindicate his people in Asia Minor who suffered. The image of a mighty hand emphasizes the power of God. Believers humble themselves before a mighty God, the all-powerful one. (Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 239.)

What excitement to know that God will one day exalt us! When we look at living out humility before God it will help to enrich the church and her ministry. You and I will face tests and trials and we can be excited about the process God is doing in our lives as we submit to his will and plan for our lives. Proverbs 3:34 must have been on Peter’s mind when he stated what he said. When the believer lives in humility before God the church will grow spiritually and likely physically.

Proverbs 3:34 NASB95

34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.

The alternative to living humbly before God is living proudly and arrogantly. It is lving in your own might and capability. Arrogance and pride only brings turmoil, disappointment, and a broken relationship with God and often those around us.God has no room to reward those who think they deserve God’s reward. God in his grace wants to lift up those who are righeous.

Jesus gives to us a perfect example of obedience and humility. Matthew 11:29

Matthew 11:29 NASB95

29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

shares Christ’s heart and also his command to humble ourselves and learn from Christ!

Where does God desire us to humble ourselves:

The husband is not to lord over his wife

The wife is to submit to her husband

The children are to submit to parents

Christians are to submit to the chastening of the Lord.

Workers are to submit to bosses

Church members are to submit the authority God has placed over them.

These are a few areas where we are to humble ourselves before God.

Those who humble themselves in the church will have no problem submitting to proper authority. Gonzaléz (2010, 148) states that although this concept is unpopular in mindset of the world, nonetheless “Giving authority to someone or to some tradition involves being humble—understanding that the person or tradition has something to teach us, that we need to learn something from that person or tradition.” Thus, for a church to function properly, there must be both leadership and those who will willingly follow such leadership. Yet the church’s model of leadership should not resemble the world; the church should not be compared to a corporation, with the pastor as a CEO, as I once heard in a contentious business meeting. Nor should the laypeople in a church resemble disgruntled employees, reluctantly following the boss until they can retire. The Scriptural and Petrine admonitions appropriate instead the image of a herd of sheep led by gentle shepherds who are themselves sheep, led in turn by an over-shepherd who is the Lamb of God.

Paul A. Himes, 1 Peter, ed. Douglas Mangum, Elizabeth Vince, and Abigail Salinger, Lexham Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2017).

How are you humbling yourself in these areas we listed? what about other areas of your life? Are you submitting to the precepts and commands God has set for us?

III. Christians receive God’s grace when obeying God’s command to live humbly, 5b-6.

Humility manifests God’s blessing, 6. - God’s grace! We will in the last day be exalted by God.

By humbling themselves they will experience God’s grace, for God bestows his favor on those who acknowledge their need of him. (Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 239.)

The exaltation Peter speaks of is future in nature and does not pertain to today. God does give us blessings for obedience however this specific text is speaking of future exaltation.

God’s grace is amazing and will lift us high for all eternity!

Humility manifests through dependence on God through life’s concerns, 7

God cares for you!

Humility protects us from worry! Do you find yourself worrying over events and circumstances in your life? Humility says “I can’t but God can!” Now true humility lives and believes this statement and does not just use it as lip-service.

Humble yourself and trust and obey for their truly is no other way to be happy and joyful in Christ! Rest in God’s care!

1 Peter Application Overview

The church does not benefit when a Christian’s life exhibits as much stress as that of a nonbeliever. Indeed, “anxiety about life … can choke out God’s word (Mark 4:19)”; consequently, in every Christian’s life, “For God’s word to be fruitful, there must be a self-forgetfulness that is based on trust in God regardless of circumstances” (Jobes 2005, 313

Conclusion

Micah 6:8 “8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” echos the command Peter has given to the church here in 1 Peter 5:5-7

1 Peter 5:5–7 NASB95

5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

Though Micah 6:8 is not directly given to us as believers today it tells us truths about God’s character and reinforces what he has demanded of us in the church today. God tells us in in Ephesians 4-6 to live righteously, be kind and forgiving toward others, and we see that humility is inherent in true attitude of forgiveness.

This evening has been a simple reminder of our struggle to live humbly with others and seek ways of serving others. It has reminded us the command and responsibility we have to live humbly before God and let his mighty hand guide and direct us in the details of our daily lives, physically and spiritually.