The Challenge to Be Humble

The Challenge to Be Humble

"The multitudes followed Jesus Christ; and as He sat on the brow of a hill with the crowd about Him, eagerly awaiting His message,  He opened His mouth and taught them, saying, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.'" (Matthew 5:2-3)

These words must have cut like a whip across the minds of the unregenerate listeners.  If there is anything that a man cannot know by himself, it is that he must take a place of humility before God.  There is a natural repulsion against the idea of being poor in spirit.  Man is rich in pride and he wants to shield himself from any thought of poverty of resources, whether of strength, of morals, or of intellect.  This is the direct statement of the Lord Jesus that there must be a miraculous change in the lives of men if they are to participate with Him in His Kingdom glory.  How can a man see himself properly in the sight of God?  It is only when we have understood the great truths of the holiness of God and the sinfulness of sin that we are forced to flee from ourselves, pleading that we have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  We then ask God to effect within us the miracle of grace which He now promises to perform on the basis of the death of Jesus Christ, the Substitute who died in our place.

But when these words came from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ they were heard by the proud and the arrogant.  Were they not the chosen people?  Did they not have the full assurance that they were the special objects of God’s love?  Little by little, they had come to presume upon their position under law which was, at the same time a position under grace, since they had the access to the altar through their priests, and the way of salvation through the sacrifice.  But they were like that Pharisee who thought, because he fasted and tithed and was not like a wretched publican, that he was not under the wrath of God.  He was continuing in sin, presuming upon the outward form of a misunderstood covenant.

Dr. Barnhouse reminds us that until we see ourselves humble before God there is no hope of salvation or relationship with Him.  Will we let our pride keep us from these precious gifts?

Further Reading: Job 40:6-14