He Gives Grace to the Humble

He Gives Grace to the Humble

“Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” Jas. 4:6.

The Scriptures speak clearly here, as does history. We can read about Korah, Dathan and Abiram and the 250 leaders who rebelled against Moses, but who the Lord punished with death. Num. 16. And about Theudas, who claimed to be somebody, and the 400 or so men who joined him. And also about Judas of Galilee who rose up and drew away many people after him. Acts 5:36-37. In accordance with God’s eternal laws of life, all these men perished, and their followers were scattered and came to nothing.

If we are to make progress, we must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and under the laws that are in the body of Christ. We must also submit to those who God, throughout the ages, places in the church. If we oppose the shepherds and prophets that God raises up, sooner or later God will deal with us. It is one thing not to rebel, and it is another thing to merely accept things as being God’s will. But even this is far from being the best. What is perfect is to bless what God blesses. This is precisely where it is easy to come out of grace. There are fine laws here that everyone must submit to. Those who are humble will find their way in these things, but those who are proud will be led astray. These laws of life have never failed.

God resists the proud, and therefore high-minded and self-righteous people have never been able to partake of any spiritual blessing without first coming to a radical and wholehearted repentance from their pride and their arrogance. It is just as impossible for a proud person, who is up in the heights, to receive grace from God, as it is to get water to flow uphill. Water has always flowed and will always flow downwards, both in the natural and in the spiritual sense. The living water, which brings people healing and life, flows out from the heavenly fountains, and runs down to the lowest point. In this river bed we find those who are humble, working their way down, where they also get fellowship with each other. There in the lowly place is where grace can be found, as well as help, comfort, and blessing. It is there that we meet our Savior and Master, Jesus Christ, who descended into the lower parts of the earth in order to show us the way.

Those who are proud, high-minded and self-confident, trust in themselves, but those who are humble trust in the Lord. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jer. 17:7-8.

Let us follow our forerunner, Jesus, and be preserved with a constant longing and a deep desire to humble ourselves. Let us allow grace to teach us now, while we look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Tit. 2:11-13.