This is the first section of a paper given at this year’s Youth Conference. It was intended to be both searching and challenging in the best sense.
The overarching theme of this paper is: what the grace of humility is. It then follows broad divisions: (1) it is to be sought after (2) how it can be obtained (3) how it is to be cultivated. The paper follows the outline given by à Brakel in his chapter on humility, in his The Christian’s Reasonable Service, volume 4.
Introduction.
The Christian has many graces in exercise, but it is humility that emphasises them all. No matter how excellent a virtue is in anyone, the virtue will be dulled if he or she is proud. A believer who is in the way of holiness, who desires to live to the glory of God and to serve the cause of Christ must strive to be humble. The Apostle Paul commends humility: “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil 2:3). The early Church Father Chrysostom said, “The foundation of our philosophy is humility”. William Gurnall says, “Humility is a necessary veil to all other graces”. And J C Ryle adds that “the surest mark of true conversion is humility”. Humility has been defined by à Brakel as “the humble disposition of the heart of the believer – both in a personal sense and toward his neighbour. It consists in having a correct judgement concerning himself, whereby he neither elevates himself above his condition nor wishes to be elevated by others.” Richard Sibbes states that “no grace is stronger than humility”, yet there are few who are truly humble. Humility is despised in our day and taken to be a weakness. But, as Archibald Alexander says, “humility is to the Christian what ballast is to the ship; it keeps him in his proper position and regulates all his thoughts and feelings.”
Quoted in John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, James Clarke, 1962 edition, vol 1, p 232.
Quoted in John Blanchard, The Complete Gathered Gold, Evangelical Press, 2007, p 321.
Quoted in John Blanchard, The Complete Gathered Gold, p 325.
Wilhelmus à Brakel, The Christian’s Reasonable Service, Soli Deo Gloria, vol 4, p 67.
Quoted in Blanchard, The Complete Gathered Gold, p 319.
Humility in Scripture and Doctrine.
As we will see in this paper, the idea of humility is mentioned many times in Scripture, either directly or through the avenue of example. Humility is necessary for the profitable study of the Scriptures: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (Jas 4:6); “The meek will He guide in judgement: and the meek will He teach His way” (Ps 25:9). The concept of humility is mentioned twice in The Westminster Confession of Faith and once in The Larger Catechism. Chapter 3:8 of The Confession, “Of God’s Eternal Decree”, states that the doctrine of predestination will “afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel” (3:8). Robert Shaw in his book, The Reformed Faith, a commentary on the Confession of Faith, makes the point that the doctrine of election “is calculated . . . to humble their souls in the dust before the eternal Sovereign”. Chapter 21:3 of the Confession of Faith, “Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day”, tells us that “prayer with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious worship, is by God required of all men; and that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son, by the help of His Holy Spirit, according to His will, with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance; and, if vocal, in a known tongue.” Shaw comments on this: “We must pray . . . with humility, arising from a deep impression of our own unworthiness and sinfulness”. The Answer to Question 192 of The Larger Catechism states, “In the third petition [of the Lord’s Prayer] . . . we pray, that God would . . . by His grace make us able and willing to know, do, and submit to His will in all things, with the like humility, cheerfulness, faithfulness, diligence, zeal, sincerity, and constancy, as the angels do in heaven”. Simply put, humility is required for the proper receiving of sound doctrine and the sincere personal worship of God. It is therefore a grace to be coveted, valued, exercised and, when obtained, its increase is to be sought. “Covet earnestly the best gifts” (1 Cor 12:31).
The example of humility in the life of the Saviour.
Christ was the ideal man, and our nature reached its perfection in Him. Yet throughout His entire life, He was lowly, condescending and truly humble in His being. The sweetest and most gentle meekness pervaded the whole of His earthly existence. Humility must therefore be a worthy and noble characteristic, as it was an attribute of the Son of God in our nature. We are commanded to follow the example of Christ and to be “clothed” with this grace: “Be clothed with humility” (1 Pet 5:5). We ought to wear this grace of humility like a cloak wherever we go. The sufferings and death of Christ should be a motive for humility. We should labour to cultivate this grace and follow the example of Christ. We must behold the suffering of the Lamb of God and remember the deserved damnation from which He has delivered His people. “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Col 3:12-13).
Humility as the adornment of a true believer.
True humility is only found in a genuine believer. All appearance of humility without grace in the soul is only an appearance without substance. On close examination it will prove to be nothing but pride. An unconverted person has no spiritual life, no spiritual disposition of heart, as they are not united to Christ, the Head from whom all spiritual graces flow. However, a regenerate person has the principle of life in Christ, and therefore a new heart and a new spirit have been put within them (Ezek 36:26). It is Christ, as both the teacher and example of humility, who says, “Learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Mt 11:29). It is those who are united to Christ that have fellowship with Him, that truly know Him and are taught by Him. Their humility is of the same nature as His. “For ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another” (1 Th 4:9); “Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it” (Eph 5:25). The heart is the seat of true humility, but that humility is visible in our life, our appearance and our talk. True humility is a spiritual tendency, a disposition of the heart. The will of the believer embraces, and delights in seeing, this virtue in others. The beauty of this virtue is not something which is to be paraded and put on display for the approval of others. The nature of the regenerate heart is humble and its humility is lasting. All it does should be permeated by the fragrance of humility. The extent to which this is discerned depends on how exercised a person is. The grace of humility is a gift from God and is strengthened through proper exercise by the believer. Humility suits the believer as a creature dependent on the Lord. “He is dependent for life, health and all spiritual things. He is dependent, above all, for spiritual life and health, and all the blessed things of eternity. In strong Scripture phraseology, he ‘lives, moves, and has his being’ in God.”
W G T Shedd, Sermons to the Spiritual Man, Banner of Truth reprint, 1972, p 263.
The objects of humility. The objects of humility are the individual himself and his neighbour. Through regular self-examination, the humble person knows that there is nothing good or desirable which has its source in himself. He is nothing in his own eyes. The humble person chooses the lowest place. He accepts the fact that others can receive more honour, love, enjoyment and prosperity than himself. He can be humble in himself and still do his duty by the power and grace of God. He can do something good or great and still be humble. He can suffer and endure much in providence and still retain his humility and integrity. The humble person also exercises humility towards his neighbour. He acknowledges that it is the will of God that he should love his neighbour and see the best in him, and this encourages him to do so. Whatever sin we see outwardly in others, we know is much worse in our own hearts. When someone humble compares himself to his neighbour, à Brakel says, “he appears in his own eyes as copper compared to gold, and as lead compared to silver”.
Wilhelmus à Brakel, The Christian’s Reasonable Service, Soli Deo Gloria, vol 4, p 69.
Being of this spirit, he honours, loves and serves his fellow men. “Be not high-minded” (Rom 11:20); “For I say . . . to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (Rom 12:3); and “In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil 2:3). “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another” (Rom 12:10).