...To walk humbly with your God.
“You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
Holiness and Humility
Romans 10:3-4
“Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”
Pride causes us to think that we can be righteous in our own right. It is not in our righteousness but in our realization that we are not righteous in our own right and acceptance of God's righteousness in humility that we find true holiness.
In Luke 18:11-13, the “Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'”
As Isaiah prophesies in 65:5, those “who say, 'Keep away; don't come near me, for I am too sacred for you!' Such people are smoke in my nostrils...” Andrew Murray writes in his book “Humility,” the true test of holiness is whether it produces increasing humility in us.” Holiness is demonstrated in humility.
Goodness and Humility
As Andrew Murray notes, touchiness, haste, impatience, self-defense, and self-assertion in sharp judgments or unkind words are all rooted in pride. Paul says in Philippians 2:3 (NET), “Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.
“It is in our relationships to one another, in our treatment of one another, that the true lowliness of mind and the humility of heart are to be seen” according to Andrew Murray. He notes, our thoughts and actions towards others are the true tests of humility.
In Mark 10:45, Jesus says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. “ Having lowliness of mind, one counts himself the servant of others and shows forth Jesus to others.1
In Matthew 11:29B, Jesus says, “Learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” As Fenelon mentions, If we have truly learned from Him, we will demonstrate this gentle and lowly heart toward others.
“I am nothing without Your love. I'm unworthy but Your death has been enough. I'm completed by Your touch” sings.
Paul writes in Romans 13:10b“Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” It is in the way we treat others that holiness is demonstrated and this holiness is rooted in humility and dependance upon Him rather than self effort.
“Show me what it means to live my life a sacrifice” sings.
Walking with God and Humility
As John Piper Notes in a recent article called, “What Does It Mean to Seek The Lord?” The greatest obstacle to seeking the Lord is pride. “'In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him' (Psalm 10:4). Therefore, humility is essential to seeking the Lord.”
It is in pride that we do not think that we have a need for God and become complacent in our walk. Pride looks at who we are where humility looks at who God is. In Psalm 73:25-26, Asaph cries out, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? And having thee, I desire nothing else on earth. Though heart and body fail, yet God is my possession for ever.”
Andrew writes, “It is the revelation of God, no only by the law condemning sin, but by His grace delivering us from it, that will make us humble.” It is not that we are occupied with our sin, but rather that we are occupied with God that brings deliverance from our selfishness.2
In Amos 3:3, the Lord asks, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
As John Herman writes about Micah 6:8, “King David learned that walking humbly with God meant confessing one’s sin before God. These words are attributed to David: “The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17) 3
So what can I learn from this?
1. It is not in practicing holiness by trying to be righteous in my own right, following all the rules that is important to God. It is our most unguarded moments that we really demonstrate who we are.4 In these times, do I demonstrate humility and trust in God?
In Psalm 131 David says, “My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed myself and quieted my ambitions. I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.”
True holiness demonstrates humility and is rooted in trusting in God rather than trying to get all the actions right. As Luke 8:45 (MSG) says, “It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.”
2. How I treat others is a clear demonstration of my walk with Christ. Whenever I demonstrate touchiness, haste, impatience, self-defense, or self-assertion in sharp judgments or unkind words, my actions are rooted in pride and self.
Proverbs 8:13 (NIV) says, “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” We are not only to hate sin in ourselves but in others as well. Treating others well also does not mean ignoring sin and making allowances for it or never confronting someone.
Sometimes I struggle with indulging people in their sin. I think I am being loving but what I am really doing is being nice and avoiding conflict which for me is often rooted in manipulating circumstances to control outcome.
In Matthew 7:1 (MSG), Jesus says, “Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults -unless of course, you want the same treatment.” But in Luke 6:26 it also says, “There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests... Your task is to be true, not popular.”
3. In humility we recognize that God is everything and we are nothing in our own right, we are the object of His love. In this place of humility we commune with Him, abiding in His love. In John 15:4,9b says “Remain in me, as I also in you...If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Lord, I long for more true humility in my life. I long to walk with You every day. I can see how pride hinders our relationship. Please remove it from my life.
1. Murray, Andrew. Humility. Whitaker House, New Kensington PA. 1982.
2. Murray, Andrew. Humility. Whitaker House, New Kensington PA. 1982.
3. http://www.plchurch.org/sermonsnew/sermon060716.pdf
4. Murray, Andrew. Humility. Whitaker House, New Kensington PA. 1982.
Holiness and Humility
Romans 10:3-4
“Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.”
Pride causes us to think that we can be righteous in our own right. It is not in our righteousness but in our realization that we are not righteous in our own right and acceptance of God's righteousness in humility that we find true holiness.
In Luke 18:11-13, the “Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'”
As Isaiah prophesies in 65:5, those “who say, 'Keep away; don't come near me, for I am too sacred for you!' Such people are smoke in my nostrils...” Andrew Murray writes in his book “Humility,” the true test of holiness is whether it produces increasing humility in us.” Holiness is demonstrated in humility.
Goodness and Humility
As Andrew Murray notes, touchiness, haste, impatience, self-defense, and self-assertion in sharp judgments or unkind words are all rooted in pride. Paul says in Philippians 2:3 (NET), “Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.
“It is in our relationships to one another, in our treatment of one another, that the true lowliness of mind and the humility of heart are to be seen” according to Andrew Murray. He notes, our thoughts and actions towards others are the true tests of humility.
In Mark 10:45, Jesus says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. “ Having lowliness of mind, one counts himself the servant of others and shows forth Jesus to others.1
In Matthew 11:29B, Jesus says, “Learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” As Fenelon mentions, If we have truly learned from Him, we will demonstrate this gentle and lowly heart toward others.
“I am nothing without Your love. I'm unworthy but Your death has been enough. I'm completed by Your touch” sings.
Paul writes in Romans 13:10b“Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” It is in the way we treat others that holiness is demonstrated and this holiness is rooted in humility and dependance upon Him rather than self effort.
“Show me what it means to live my life a sacrifice” sings.
Walking with God and Humility
As John Piper Notes in a recent article called, “What Does It Mean to Seek The Lord?” The greatest obstacle to seeking the Lord is pride. “'In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him' (Psalm 10:4). Therefore, humility is essential to seeking the Lord.”
It is in pride that we do not think that we have a need for God and become complacent in our walk. Pride looks at who we are where humility looks at who God is. In Psalm 73:25-26, Asaph cries out, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? And having thee, I desire nothing else on earth. Though heart and body fail, yet God is my possession for ever.”
Andrew writes, “It is the revelation of God, no only by the law condemning sin, but by His grace delivering us from it, that will make us humble.” It is not that we are occupied with our sin, but rather that we are occupied with God that brings deliverance from our selfishness.2
In Amos 3:3, the Lord asks, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
As John Herman writes about Micah 6:8, “King David learned that walking humbly with God meant confessing one’s sin before God. These words are attributed to David: “The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17) 3
So what can I learn from this?
1. It is not in practicing holiness by trying to be righteous in my own right, following all the rules that is important to God. It is our most unguarded moments that we really demonstrate who we are.4 In these times, do I demonstrate humility and trust in God?
In Psalm 131 David says, “My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed myself and quieted my ambitions. I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.”
True holiness demonstrates humility and is rooted in trusting in God rather than trying to get all the actions right. As Luke 8:45 (MSG) says, “It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.”
2. How I treat others is a clear demonstration of my walk with Christ. Whenever I demonstrate touchiness, haste, impatience, self-defense, or self-assertion in sharp judgments or unkind words, my actions are rooted in pride and self.
Proverbs 8:13 (NIV) says, “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” We are not only to hate sin in ourselves but in others as well. Treating others well also does not mean ignoring sin and making allowances for it or never confronting someone.
Sometimes I struggle with indulging people in their sin. I think I am being loving but what I am really doing is being nice and avoiding conflict which for me is often rooted in manipulating circumstances to control outcome.
In Matthew 7:1 (MSG), Jesus says, “Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults -unless of course, you want the same treatment.” But in Luke 6:26 it also says, “There's trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others, saying what flatters them, doing what indulges them. Popularity contests are not truth contests... Your task is to be true, not popular.”
3. In humility we recognize that God is everything and we are nothing in our own right, we are the object of His love. In this place of humility we commune with Him, abiding in His love. In John 15:4,9b says “Remain in me, as I also in you...If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Lord, I long for more true humility in my life. I long to walk with You every day. I can see how pride hinders our relationship. Please remove it from my life.
1. Murray, Andrew. Humility. Whitaker House, New Kensington PA. 1982.
2. Murray, Andrew. Humility. Whitaker House, New Kensington PA. 1982.
3. http://www.plchurch.org/sermonsnew/sermon060716.pdf
4. Murray, Andrew. Humility. Whitaker House, New Kensington PA. 1982.
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