With All Lowliness

With All Lowliness

“But He Giveth more Grace...unto the Humble”
James 4:6

Last week I introduced you to our theme of the year – walk worthily – with the weekly bulletin article and a sermon of the same title taken from Ephesians 4:1 – 7. Three Christian graces were mentioned, “lowliness,” “meekness,” and “longsuffering,” as some of the particulars of how to walk worthily. Over the next three weeks I would like to examine with you in greater depth each of these graces with the hope and prayer that you will pursue their further development in your lives and in your walk with the Lord.

“Lowliness” is basically humility, and is a prominent Christian grace. It is a state of mind, which in the sight of God is “of great price” (1 Pet 3:4). It preserves the soul in tranquillity (Ps 69:32), and makes us patient under trials (Job 1:22).

It is a great paradox, but unsurprisingly in Christianity, this hard-to-have virtue is the avenue to glory. The greatest promises are made to the humble (for example, see Ps 147:6), and it is absolutely necessary to the service of God. Micah 6:8 tells us, “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to ... walk humbly with thy God.” Christians who want to be worthy are to “be clothed” with it (1 Pet 5:5).

So necessary is this grace in the life of the child of God that He would send afflictions on them in order to produce it. Deuteronomy 8:3, “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna ... that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (esv).

On this point, a Puritan theologian and author wrote, “Man is naturally a proud, selfish creature. Morality may teach him the badness of such a character, but can never produce in him any principle of renovation ... It is only when the divine Spirit puts forth his new-creating power, through the instrumentality of the everlasting Gospel, that the proud selfish sinner becomes the lowly follower of the Lamb.”

Therefore, beloved, we see that humility is the work of grace. Without it, there can be no salvation; for God resists the proud, and sends them away empty.The sweet grace of humility is sent from heaven, and the man who, humbly by faith, receives it will be enabled and made ready for every good work.

Lowliness or humility is a state of mind into which God, by His grace can bring us to. In this state, there is no room for pride. Pride is not made for man, and yet it is in all men. And it is the chief cause of human problems, simply because pride is sin (Prov 21:4)

Without lowliness or humility, you cannot walk worthily; let it be seen by others in your life and conduct, it is your duty. When it is evident it will have a good and positive influence over your interactions with others, and it will render your character and manners loving and amiable.
 
In Him,
Rev Robert Chew