Introduction⤒🔗

Humility was one of the four aspects that characterized the apostle Paul's life and ministry (Acts 20:19,20). It is also to be one of the characteristics of the believers in Christ Jesus in their dealings with one another (Eph. 4:2). Peter writes: "Be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble" (1 Pet. 5:5).

In the Old Testament←⤒🔗

In order to understand the New Testament teaching on humility, it is needful to know the Old Testament teaching with reference to humility. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 the Lord says: "If My people, who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." At various points in 2 Chronicles humility is the criterion by which the rule of the successive kings is judged.¹

Throughout the Old Testament there is the promise of the Lord that He remembers the poor, the needy, the lowly, those who are bowed down. The Lord even assures, for instance in Zephaniah 3:12, that He Himself raises up and keeps such people alive, even though everything seems to be against them. They humbly bow before Him, have high expectations from Him and are truly beggars who live by the mercies of the Lord. The boundaries between the natural and the spiritual element in this regard are not always equally clear.² But there is a rich promise of the Lord for them. He shall stand at their right hand (Ps. 109:31): "The needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever" (Ps. 9:18).

Thus the Old Testament characterizes the people of the Lord as poor, needy, lowly and bowed down, but as having their expectation from the Lord.

In the New Testament←⤒🔗

In the New Testament we hear Jesus inviting precisely the weary and the burdened to come to Him and learn from Him, for He is "lowly (or humble) in heart" (Matt. 11:29). He repeatedly underscores that the one who humbles himself is the one who shall be exalted (Matt. 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14). When at one time the disciples asked Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child to come to Him, put him in the midst of them, and said, "Verily I say to you, Except you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whoever ... shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:1-4). In response to the disagreement among His disciples as to who would sit where in the coming kingdom, Jesus told them that he who would be first, or great, must be a servant (Mk. 10:35-44). He underlined these words by referring to the very purpose of His coming: "For the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto (= be served), but to minister (= serve), and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mk. 10:45).

To Clothe Oneself with Humility←⤒🔗

Those who have learned to know God's compassion in Christ must "be clothed with humility" (1 Pet. 5:5).³ Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ humility has become a uniquely Christian virtue. Apart from that Gospel there is no humility.⁴ The word Peter uses for "to clothe oneself" is a very remarkable word. It describes putting on a garment which was tied over another with a knot, for example a slave's apron. It may well be that when Peter wrote these words, he was reminded of "the upper room, where Peter saw Jesus gird Himself in this way and stoop to wash His disciples' feet"⁵ and heard Jesus remind them⁶"of their status as 'slaves' and 'men sent'." Jesus had clothed Himself with humility. Peter never forgot that. Moreover, Jesus had made abundantly clear that they were "not to stand on their dignity or think too highly of themselves."⁷ The exhortation here is not merely "to feel humble," but "to give humility expression in serving others..."⁸

Humility is more than speaking humbly and in the meantime having many excuses when we are asked to serve. Humility is also more than making a humble gesture but remaining unchanged and being terribly critical of everything and everyone. Humility is our clothing.

However, when the Lord calls us to clothe ourselves with "humility," we do need to remember that the Christian's clothing does not consist merely of 'externals.' That even goes for the clothes we wear each day. When I need a new suit, I appreciate it if my wife comes with me and helps me make a selection. Why? Can't the staff in the men's clothing store help me? Indeed, they can and do, but only to an extent, because he knows me only to an extent. My wife knows me much better. I usually try on several suits and then choose the one of which my wife says (and I agree): 'I like it. It looks like you!' So it is with true humility. It expresses what is inside.⁹

Humility is therefore "not a mere ornament of a Christian. It is an essential part of the new creature. It is a contradiction to be a sanctified man, or a true Christian, and not be humble."¹⁰

The Example of Christ←⤒🔗

Actually I should say: "Christian humility looks like Christ." After all, when speaking about humility, the New Testament points to Christ. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). He was ready to lay down His heavenly glory and divine majesty, become man and enter death and damnation for His own. Therefore: "in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Phil. 2:3b, 4). The biblical "demand for humility" clearly is "to create in us Christlike character."¹¹

The Practice of Humility in our Daily Life←⤒🔗

We "cannot be saved unless we become humble."¹² The "gateway to salvation does not lie open unless we have laid aside all pride and taken upon ourselves perfect humility."¹³ Humility "is the hallmark of the child of God." It "means having a poor opinion of yourself, and of your powers and faculties." It "is the opposite of the worldly spirit which urges man to trust in himself, and to believe in himself." It "is the opposite of what is found in the so-called man of the world" with all his "aggressiveness and self-advertisement and ambition and all the brazenness of life..."¹⁴ When God by His Spirit renews us, He teaches us to be aware of our weaknesses and "not to think of ...  (ourselves) more highly than ... (we) ought to think; but to think soberly" (= with sober judgment) (Rom. 12:3). He also teaches us to recognize that all our gifts and talents come from God and are to be used for and in His service.

I wish to suggest some practical guide­lines as follows.

1. In relation to God←↰⤒🔗

Humility is "the cultivated lowliness of a sinful creature who is always in the presence of a great and holy God, and can only live before him through being constantly pardoned."¹⁵ According to the Puritan, John Owen, there "are two things that are suited to humble the souls of men ... (i) a due consideration of God ... in his greatness, glory, holiness, power, majesty, and authority" and (ii) "of ourselves, in our mean, abject, and sinful condition."¹⁶

We must learn "to bow down before a sovereign Saviour who really saves, and to praise him for a redeeming death..." Indeed, "we have not seen the full meaning" of His redeeming death "till we have seen it ... as the centre of the gospel, flanked on the one hand by total inability and unconditional election, and on the other by irresistible grace and final preservation." The "full meaning" of Christ's redeeming death is evident only when it is proclaimed in the light of these four truths. "Christ died to save helpless sinners upon whom God had set his free saving love. Christ's death ensured the calling and the keeping — the present and final salvation — of all whose sins he bore."¹⁷

2. In relationship to our neighbour←↰⤒🔗

True humility involves acknowledging the dignity of others. In true humility no person is 'beneath our feet.' We turn the spotlight away from ourselves to others. We stop insisting on getting all the attention. We do not arrange the conversation so that we will be at the centre. In the life of faith true humility involves dying to our pride and our stubbornness (being unbend­ing) in all sorts of relationships. Then we are afraid to "bully" others with "pious" words. No, then we are not a "push-over" but rather, we are wearing the servant dress of Jesus, ready to wash someone else's feet.

3. In the church services←↰⤒🔗

Dr. John J. Timmerman wrote some years ago: "Church services are unique lessons in humility and faith. Not a single person deserves to be there; every single one is there by grace. There the distinctions outside the service, whether in intellectual prowess, wealth, beauty, or charm, are flattened into need. We are very poor in church; yet because of events in a garden, on a cross and at a tomb ... we worship a God so great that he can hear million of prayers at once and number the hairs of our heads." In church Biblical preaching has "three avowed aims — to humble the sinner, to exalt the Saviour, and to promote holiness..."¹⁸

4. In our afflictions←↰⤒🔗

In the great world around us and in the small world of our home and family we encoun­ter many afflictions and trials which we do not understand and which can bring upon us such darkness that we do not see God leading us. What then? Then we believe and confess in Article 13 of our Belgic Confession of Faith that we should not curiously inquire into what God does, but rather "with the greatest humility and reverence adore the righteous judgments of God, which are hid from us."

5. In the ministry←↰⤒🔗

As pastors and teachers we are to conduct our work in the ministry "with great humility." We should remember that "God who thrust out a proud angel, will not tolerate a proud preacher, either." In teaching others, we should not act as if we had reached the top and all the others have to sit at our feet. We "need also to be open to learn from any that can teach us."¹⁹ Particularly when it comes to humility, we are to be "exemplary to ... (our) flocks and brethren."²⁰ After all, the Lord calls us to "teach the great lesson of ... humility to our people," to "study humility, preach it, as well as possess and practice it."²¹