HUMILITY
Humility is the most essential of character qualities for a number of reasons.
First of all for a person to come to faith in Christ, he must have a degree of humility. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Mt 18:3,4
What childlike aspect was Jesus referring to? Humility characterized by one's teachability. That is, adults are not characteristically teachable as children are due to their having too much pride. Thus when you treat an adult as a child they feel humiliated. But humiliation is a common experience among those who come to faith in Christ in that we have to admit the fact that we are guilty, we have lived sinful lives, and we need to be saved. We have to furthermore admit that we cannot know God by our own wisdom, but must be told of him and his ways by the scriptures. And thus much of our former ideas and theories have to be replace with what the Bible actually tells us. Thus a humble person is open to correction, which is in fact one way to identify the humble.
Seeking the Lord is contingent upon one's humility. The Bible says, "Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger." Zep 2:3
Humility also esteems one in God's sight. He says, "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." Is 66:2 And "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:14 Therefore "clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 1Peter 5:5
Humility is an essential character quality for living the Christian life. For to live the Christian life is to be a "disciple" of Christ. But "disciple" literally means a "learner". And to be open to learning, one must be teachable; one must be humble.
So also being a disciple of Christ means to follow his example of humility as it is written, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!" Php 2:5-8
Humility is the most essential of character qualities for a number of reasons.
First of all for a person to come to faith in Christ, he must have a degree of humility. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Mt 18:3,4
What childlike aspect was Jesus referring to? Humility characterized by one's teachability. That is, adults are not characteristically teachable as children are due to their having too much pride. Thus when you treat an adult as a child they feel humiliated. But humiliation is a common experience among those who come to faith in Christ in that we have to admit the fact that we are guilty, we have lived sinful lives, and we need to be saved. We have to furthermore admit that we cannot know God by our own wisdom, but must be told of him and his ways by the scriptures. And thus much of our former ideas and theories have to be replace with what the Bible actually tells us. Thus a humble person is open to correction, which is in fact one way to identify the humble.
Seeking the Lord is contingent upon one's humility. The Bible says, "Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger." Zep 2:3
Humility also esteems one in God's sight. He says, "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." Is 66:2 And "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:14 Therefore "clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 1Peter 5:5
Humility is an essential character quality for living the Christian life. For to live the Christian life is to be a "disciple" of Christ. But "disciple" literally means a "learner". And to be open to learning, one must be teachable; one must be humble.
So also being a disciple of Christ means to follow his example of humility as it is written, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!" Php 2:5-8
