What is Humility? And Five Biblical Ways for Us to Grow in Practicing Humility as a Church

What is Humility?

Here is my attempt at a definition of humility: humility is knowing oneself rightly in relation to God and living accordingly. Let’s unpack that a little bit.

1. First, humility is knowing oneself. Humility flows out of a sober self-reflection of who we are as creatures with all of our limitations, as sinners with all of our temptations, and as saints that are entirely dependent on God’s grace.[1]
2. Second, it is therefore, a knowing of oneself rightly. We want to assess ourselves as we really are. Our humility cannot merely be a behaviour change wherein we pretend not to be prideful. Instead, humble behaviour flows out of the self-recognition of who we are—neither over estimating ourselves nor under estimating ourselves.[2] On this, the apostle Paul writes,
   

   say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned (Rom 12:3).

3. Thus, third, humility can only be genuine if we use God as the measure for ourselves and know ourselves in relation to God. John Calvin famously writes, “Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. . . no man can survey himself without forthwith turning his thoughts towards the God in whom he lives and moves.”[3]
4. Fourth, it follows, then, that humility is knowing oneself as a creature in relation to God who is the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Governor of the universe (Isa 40:28; Heb 1:3; Ps 97:1–7). Likewise, humility is knowing oneself as a sinner in relation to God who is the Judge of the world—and who is, in Christ, the perfectly Righteous One and the Saviour of believers (Acts 17:31; Act 3:14; John 3:16). In addition, humility is knowing oneself as a saint in relation to God who through the gracious work of His Holy Spirit has made us new creatures in Christ and by whose grace—spiritually speaking—we are what we are (2 Cor 5:17; 1 Cor 15:10).
5. And, finally, humility involves living accordingly. We must live in relationship to God in accordance with who He is and who we are before Him. God does not encourage sober self-reflection as an end in itself but so that we can grow in love of God and love of others. “What does the LORD require of you,” says the prophet Micah, “but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic 6:8). We walk humbly towards God by living towards others with justice and love.

Five Biblical Ways for Us to Grow in Practicing Humility as a Church

In the last part of this post, I want to think about five biblical ways for us to grow in humility at Hills Bible Church (HBC). Consider this list and think about any other actions you might add to it:

1. Think and speak well of all other Christians at HBC and respect their choices in matters of conscience. Paul writes, “Who are you to pass judgement on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls” (Rom 14:4). Be kind to each other.
2. Come to HBC’s Sunday gatherings with a needy and expectant heart. The author of Hebrews writes, “let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another” (Heb 10:24–25).
3. Recognise that you need God’s help with your many temptations, weaknesses, and struggles and ask God for help. The apostle James writes about these matters. He says that if we are tempted, “we should draw near to God” (Jas 4:8). If we lack wisdom, then we are to “ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (Jas 1:5). And if we are suffering, he writes, “is anyone suffering? Let him pray” (Jas 5:13).
4. Recognise that we need each other’s help and ask each other for help throughout the week. Again, Paul writes, “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Rom 12:4–5).
5. Recognise that other Christians at HBC need your help and seek to serve them. In the verses that immediately follow the previous quote, Paul writes, “having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them”. And, after giving a list of different gifts that believers had at the church in Corinth, Paul continues with a section instructing them on how to serve one another. Here are some examples:
   

   Love one another with brotherly affection” (v. 10). “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (v. 13). “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (v. 15). And “do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly” (v. 16).

We want to grow in humility at HBC and that means living our lives in relationship with God and living lives of love with each other.

[1] This reflects the opening argument of Andrew Murray in his book Humility: The Beauty of Holiness (London, UK: James Nisbet and Co, 1896), 5. He writes, “There are three great motives that urge us to humility. It becomes me as a creature, as a sinner, [and] as a saint.”

[2] I was inspired on this point by Randy Newman in his article on humility for Desiring God entitled “You Are Not Nothing: Five Ways to Pursue Real Humility.” See https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/you-are-not-nothing

[3] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, vol. 1, translated by Henry Beveridge (Edinburgh: The Calvin Translation Society, 1845), 47.