Study Notes Series

The Doctrine of Humility

Humility is not just modesty. It is not just self effacement or downcast eyes. It is not ignorant acceptance of recognizing all others as your superior. It is not turning the other cheek until you're beaten senseless. Humility, True Godly Humility, begins when you gain knowledge of God's Word in your soul. When you have a true knowledge of your own worth, and begin to understand that all that you are, you have from your relationship with Christ, you begin to live a life of humility.

1. Humility recognizes that we are all worthless unless exalted through our relationship with Christ:

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men¹ after²the flesh, not many mighty,not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen³ the foolish⁴ things of the world to⁵ confound⁶ the wise; and God hath chosen the weak⁷ things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things⁸ of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should gloryin his presence. But of him are⁹ ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written,¹⁰ He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

¹ “Wise men” refers to the Greek philosophers who arrogantly expounded and debated on “truth”, as if they had a corner on the market.
² kata, Greek preposition of norm or standard, according to the [norm or standard of the world]
³ eklego, aorist middle indicative = chosen, selected. This text emphasizes that God Himself chose to save us, even knowing our destitute estate. As Jesus Christ said: John 15:16 (KJV) "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." This emphasizes the fact that we have no need to brag – we weren't much when God called us. If we boast, then like the Psalmist said; Psalms 34:2 (KJV) "My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad." Let us boast in the Lord!
⁴ moros = dull or stupid. from which we get our word "moron". God called the least intelligent of the world, according to worldly standards.
⁵ hina = for the purpose of
⁶ schune = to put to shame or discredit
⁷ asthenes = strength less, more feeble
⁸ agenes = not of noble birth, savages
⁹ eimi, pr ac ind = you keep on being
¹⁰ perfect passive indicative = as it stands written. see Jeremiah 9.23

2. True humility doesn't stoop to self-righteousness. We promote the righteousness of God as shown in the Scriptures, and uphold what He dictates – not our own opinions. Humility also recognizes that the unbeliever will not act like a believer, but the unbeliever needs to accept Christ as Savior before he or she can begin to act in a truly godly manner.

1 Corinthians 2:14

"But the natural¹¹ man receiveth not¹²

the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can¹³ he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

Matthew 21:12-13

"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.¹⁴"

¹¹ psuchikos = soulish, refers to the unbeliever, a person who is spiritually dead.
¹² dechomai, Present Active Indicative & negative me = never will receive or embrace
¹³ dunamai & negative me = does not have the inherent power to do
¹⁴ quoted from Isaiah 56.7

3. Humility doesn't judge another believer's walk with God based on my opinion, or my supposition. We must judge all things by Scripture, our rule of faith:

Romans 14:1-8

"Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's."

4. We are called to be humble as Christ was humble, serving the Father in His Plan:

Phillipians 2:5-8

"Let this mind be¹⁵ in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."

¹⁵ (eimi, Present Indicative Active= keep on being

Luke 23:9-11

"Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate."

Isaiah 53:7

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. "