Humility for the Christian

By Dwayna Litz

© LTW Worldwide April 2006

Humility for the Christian is different from the other types of humility people boast of having. The Hindus have humility. They ridiculously boast of being “highly enlightened” while having “no ego.” The New Age Gurus, the Buddhists, and all other belief systems have very profound definitions of humility. The human ear often hears such romanticism as lofty wisdom, impressive to the intellect. And spirits are at work to give people faith in such humility and enable them to walk in such humility. All people believe in humility and have a type of humility, but to people who don’t subject themselves to the Bible, the definition is relevant to whatever the person “feels” it should mean.

But, oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus that would touch a heart and bless a person with the humility of a Christian. Humility for the Christian is “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Humility for the Christian is a supernatural work of God done by His mercy and unmerited totally by man. He supernaturally moves through the Holy Spirit and gives the Christian the ability and desire to live for Jesus. The Christian doesn’t give Christian terms new meanings to suit their piety. The Christian does not judge the Bible, but lets the Bible judge him or her. How different it is to be a Christian! What a different love we have than the love of this world and the love taught by all other religions. Even Satanism teaches of love. Anyone can have “humility” and “love.” But, for the Christian, humility and love involves dying. It involves the cross. By the mercy of God, we have a different Spirit, a different Gospel, a different love, a different humility, a different righteousness, and a different suffering.

Righteousness for the Christian is not attained by pious living. No amount of time spent in silence can produce righteousness for a Christian. But to the Hare Krishnas, for instance, their righteousness is anomalous to this. They get their righteousness from rising early in the morning and sitting in silent meditation for wee hours. Not so for the Christian. The Hindus and Hare Krishnas boast of watching no television, and their righteousness is attained by such disciplines. Not so for the Christian. Our righteousness is a different righteousness, not of works lest any man should boast. We get our righteousness in the blood of Jesus alone. Only that blood can save. When we stand before God we are judged based on our righteousness---whether or not we have ever been washed in the blood of Jesus. We are not judged based on anything else! Our love for Him produces the fruit, but no good deeds or pious living can the Christian boast in having. There is no room for boasting except in Jesus and the blood He has shed for us.

Humility for the Christian is exemplified in the book of Hebrews:

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Hebrews 2:10-11.

Jesus is not ashamed to be my brother, through my suffering! It is in my suffering that He looks down and says, “She’s mine.” What intimacy in not just having Him as my Friend, but having Him as my Brother. Not just that, but He aids me in my suffering as a Christian, and He aids me in my humility as a Christian, as a love gift the Father has given to the Son. My life as a Christian is a love gift to Jesus for His glory. This is humility, and this is true and everlasting love and the righteousness of God in the Spirit that only a Christian can die daily to embrace:

“Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” Hebrews 2:17-18

Let the Christian not boast in humility. Let the Christian boast in the cross. “In the hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie promised long ages ago” (Titus 1:2).