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Eternity 75 - Grace To The Humble
James 4:6 GNB But the grace that God gives is even
stronger. As the scripture says, "God resists the proud, but gives
grace to the humble."
The humble person is the person that submits himself or herself to the truth
and to God's law. The proud person does not submit to God's moral Universe
but defies it in some way. The proud person may think he or she is "above"
morals, or that they are God, or can play God, or they may resist the truth
about Christ and their need for repentance and faith or like an outlaw bikie
they may directly defy God's law. On the other hand humble people integrate
themselves in to the Universe. They sense the way the world is made and
choose to fit in. Proud people crash up against its boundaries all the time.
Hence James writes - God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Humility is having a true sense of place, of knowing where one fits in things
and taking that position with humble gladness and without any pretensions.
It is the bee in the hive, the geese in formation, the child before the
Father, the baron before the King. Daniel was humble before Nebuchadnezzar
- bit Daniel was still a mighty prince in Babylon. Moses was the meekest
man in all the earth (Numbers 12:3) and very humble - but he ruled 2 million
Israelites for forty years. Thus humility is not self-abasement or being
a worm (see Colossians 2:20-23). Rather it is a gracious sense of one's
proper place and priority.
Sometimes in Christian service we can end up "out of place and out
of grace". Its easy to let our vision in ministry give us an inflated
sense of self-worth and an inordinate view of our importance in the scheme
of things. Our ambitions and visions and spiritual understandings can subtly
lead us astray. Only we are right, all the rest are wrong, we are on "the
cutting edge" they are all "traditionalists" and so forth.
Paul calls such ministers "puffed up" (1 Corinthians 4:6, 18,19).
We can become proud, separated from others, and even angry with the bulk
of other Christians. In such a situation we end up without grace - and even
resisted by God whom we serve! If you keep "banging into brick walls
and dead ends". Then look at your heart. Maybe, just maybe you are
not being resisted by Satan - but by God, because you have become proud.
If you think you are in an elite ministry, or have a very special understanding
or a unique anointing - you are in great spiritual danger. Pick up the basin
and towel, and take your place - as a servant! Stop being angry at the body
of Christ and instead finds ways to meet its needs and serve it - and your
ministry will find great grace and take off!
Now, its Ok to be passionate with the passions God has give you for your
ministry. Evangelists should be passionate about the lost and bible teachers
about doctrine and mercy ministry people about the poor and so forth. But
this passion should not lead to a proud or critical spirit. We should not
think we are somehow better than others because of our gifting, calling
or knowledge. I am really excited about my internet bible college, I think
its amazing and wonderful. But I don't think its "better than"
bricks and mortar bible colleges or that I am a crusader with marvelous
new "insights". That would be wrong, rather I seek to have it
serve the church in Asia and to partner with many other excellent ministries.
Unfortunately some Christians see themselves as being able to be critical
of the Scriptures and certain difficult truths - such as the doctrine of
Hell. Many are now inventing doctrines to suit themselves. Others see themselves
as above "old-fashioned morality" and advocate free love amongst
Christian youth. The consequences of this are disastrous. The humble Christian
submits themselves to Christ, obeys the Scriptures, takes their place in
ministry and in the body of Christ, serves His people - and receives great
grace as a result.
Blessings (and grace),
John Edmiston
Visit the Asian Internet Bible Institute