p. 163 | HUMILITY

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 1, 1868

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Review and Herald, Vol. 32, No. 11.

HUMILITY

The tendency of human nature is to exalt self. The natural man likes to get up. If worship is not sought for, admiration is—which is the next thing to it. If you watch your own conduct carefully, you will be astonished to find how soon, when you are in the company of strangers, you do or say something, the tendency, if not the object, of which is to excite admiration. Nor does your conduct, in this respect, differ materially from that of professing Christians generally. That sister's testimony to the enjoyment of perfect love was clear and explicit, and directly to the point. But if her attire had been more plain, and if her tones had been simple and natural, her testimony would have been more generally received and credited. Her undisguised affectation, like dead flies in the costly ointment of the apothecary, spoiled the whole.

Brother, your words in that love feast, among strangers, were, in the main, well chosen; but what was the necessity of your telling how extensively you are engaged in business, and how wealthy you are? Why do professedly Christian ladies so generally disregard, in their attire, the plainest precepts of the Bible? Why, in the erection of Christian churches, are such immense sums expended merely for show and ornament? Ingenious as we may be in finding excuses for these things, pride is at the bottom. Ostentation and show do not render true religion attractive. They pervert, but do not adorn it. They may draw crowds to the church—as fine music, and scenery, and acting do to the theater; but they do not lead them to die to sin and live to God.

Humility is an indispensable ingredient in the Christian character. Whatever else one may have, if he is destitute of this, he has no reason to conclude that he is in a state of salvation. Graces of person and manner do not necessarily imply saving grace. The teaching of the Bible on this point need not be misunderstood. Our Lord commences his sermon on the mount with saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” Matt. v, 3. But poverty of spirit is only another name for deep humility. If the kingdom of Heaven belongs to the poor in spirit, then those who are destitute of this grace cannot enter the kingdom. The want of humility will result in their final damnation. The last sermon which Christ preached in person, corresponds with the first. It was addressed to a popular church. “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Rev. iii, 17.

Beloved, would it not be well for us to inquire of the Lord, if this may not be our true condition? Those who were in this state knew it not. Their profession was of the highest character. If we are really honest, and will welcome the light, the Lord will let it shine upon our hearts, and we shall know our real condition.

The apostles enjoin humility just as explicitly as did the Master. Paul writes to the Romans: “Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.” Rom. xii, 16.

To the church of God at Corinth—one of the most refined cities of that age—he says: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence.” 1 Cor. i, 26.

James says: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James iv, 10. Peter writes: “Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” 1 Pet. v, 5-7. If anything more is needed to enforce upon every Christian believer the necessity of humility, we have it in the example of our Lord. His whole life affords us a lesson of self-denial and deep humility.—“He was rich, but for our sakes he became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be rich.” He, by whom all things were made, resigned the honors of the Godhead, and took upon him the form of a servant, and patiently endured the revilings of those whom he came to save. His companions were chosen from among the lowly of earth, and for them he performed the office of a servant, and left us this injunction: “If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet. John x, 10.

Such are a few of the precepts of the Bible upon this important subject. In tried saints, humility has always been a marked characteristic. Job had the highest commendation from God, but he says of himself: “Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job xlii, 6. David was the mightiest king and conqueror in his day; but to his wife, who ridiculed him for “leaping and dancing before the Lord,” when the ark of the Lord was brought to the city “with shoutings and with the sound of the trumpet,” he said, “I will yet be more vile than this.” God talked with Moses as a man talks with his friend, and set the highest honor upon him; but was he puffed up in consequence? The record says that Moses was the meekest man upon the earth.

Beloved, ponder these things well. The age in which we live is by no means favorable to the cultivation of true humility. The church has become wealthy, and strong in material resources. Tall steeples, frescoed ceilings, painted windows, artistic music, and a congregation arrayed in gorgeous apparel, do not have a tendency to bring us down into the dust at the foot of the cross. Their silent, but powerful influence, is in quite the contrary direction. He who can resist this influence, and keep down where salvation flows, must be more than human. He must have God to help him. Paul appeared to think that the only safety for a true Christian, under such circumstances, was in a precipitate flight,—“Heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.” 2 Tim. iii, 5.

O ye who pride yourselves in anything which, however innocent, or even good in itself, a graceless soul may possess, see your danger, and make haste to humble yourselves before God and man. You must come down or perish forever! You may reckon your wealth by thousands; but you are not one whit better, nor deserving of one particle more of consideration, on that account. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” Let your appearance, your demeanor, your associations, all be of that character that will help to bring you down, and keep you down, in the depths of humility before the Lord. “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”—Earnest Christian.