Humility
Matthew 7:13“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Why is the only way difficult?
Because it requires humility.
The pride in the heart of man pulls him to one ditch, or the other. There are ditches on both sides of the narrow road.
On one side, pride rages and says "I can accomplish all God requires". This is pride. No one can keep the law. The law is bondage and death. If your plan is to execute your own plan to grow in holiness you are actually putting yourself in the place of Jesus. Only His righteousness will suffice. It has to be imparted to me. I can't earn it. To try, though it seems good to the logical mind that desires to do good, is to actually rebel against God! (Plus it won't work. Pride comes before a fall).
Pride is on the other side, as well. There is a false grace that understands I cannot keep the commandments God requires. However, this pride pulls me all the way across the road into not thinking the requirements apply to me. They do. Jesus didn't come to do away with the law. He came to fulfill it:
Matthew 5:17“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
So, this is a real dillemma: I am required to keep the commandments, but I can't! The only position that keeps both of these realities in the proper place is the narrow road...the way Jesus gave us to follow:
I can only ask and receive. (This is the point of night and day prayer: growing in holiness)
I have to hear God and do what He tells me to do to the best of my ability, and over time He hones my ability...so that I eventually come to the perfect man:
Ephesians 4:13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
This is the point of having the Holy Spirit inside of you: a conversation. One of the main aspects of this conversation is to admit your need, and God supplies what you need. This is the reason the Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes.
The Beatitudes are a progression of steps up the narrow road:
1. Poverty - I admit my need. This is the foundation of repentance. I admit I have need of an ability to obey God. This, over time, should touch every part of my mind, will, and emotions. Without God all three of these parts of my being are dead and depraved. They cannot be like Him without his help.
2. Mourning - I mourn my lack... The very need my admission of poverty has highlighted. I tell God I want to be more like Him knowing I can't, in my own strength, do it
3. Meekness - God gives me, as I repent (an admission of spiritual poverty and mourning it = repentance) what I ask for. I need to receive it in meekness (this is also only obtained by asking). A little gift of goodness is a lot of incentive to more pride! I have to resist that (more poverty
:) )
4. Hunger and thirst for righteousness - Tasting the first three Beatitudes stirs a hunger and a thirst. I feed it with more of the same food...asking for more of God.
5. Mercy - as I see this process change me, rather than accuse those who aren't "holy", I learn to have Mercy seeing all of my increase as a gift obtained from asking, not a product of my superior discipline.
6. Purity - my clear and growingly humble view of holiness helps me start to see who God really is. He becomes the reward for holiness...and the source.
7. Peacemaking - as I see who God is, I see his heart for those around me. I enter into the ministry of reconciliation with humility and mercy...going in first and leading those interested, not arrogantly trying to push people in to what I don't actually do. The first and second commandments are now actively leading me.
8. Persecution and reviling - as I live on fire for the Lord, the enemy rages through those I am learning to have a heart for. I bless those who curse, pray for those who spitefully use me...I learn to love my enemies.
This is humility. This is the difficult and narrow way. It is impossible for man. It is only walked from the bottom up. Seeing that I can't do any of it...I start by telling Jesus I want Him to help me...and I start climbing.
This is the only way.
Matthew 5:1And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15“Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
17“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
This is what Jesus paid for: that I could follow him up the hill he climbed. This is only possible by hearing God via the Spirit and bearing the fruit of His leadership.
Jesus didn't pay for a political solution, a material solution, a short-cut...he paid for the kingdom to come from inside of me, out to world like a baby being born. There is no resurrection without this cross...only He can bear it, but I must have let Him bear it through me!
Any other gospel is false.
Luke 14:27“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
28“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
29“lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30“saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
Romans 7:14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
16If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
17But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
20Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
22For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
14“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Why is the only way difficult?
Because it requires humility.
The pride in the heart of man pulls him to one ditch, or the other. There are ditches on both sides of the narrow road.
On one side, pride rages and says "I can accomplish all God requires". This is pride. No one can keep the law. The law is bondage and death. If your plan is to execute your own plan to grow in holiness you are actually putting yourself in the place of Jesus. Only His righteousness will suffice. It has to be imparted to me. I can't earn it. To try, though it seems good to the logical mind that desires to do good, is to actually rebel against God! (Plus it won't work. Pride comes before a fall).
Pride is on the other side, as well. There is a false grace that understands I cannot keep the commandments God requires. However, this pride pulls me all the way across the road into not thinking the requirements apply to me. They do. Jesus didn't come to do away with the law. He came to fulfill it:
Matthew 5:17“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
So, this is a real dillemma: I am required to keep the commandments, but I can't! The only position that keeps both of these realities in the proper place is the narrow road...the way Jesus gave us to follow:
I can only ask and receive. (This is the point of night and day prayer: growing in holiness)
I have to hear God and do what He tells me to do to the best of my ability, and over time He hones my ability...so that I eventually come to the perfect man:
Ephesians 4:13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
This is the point of having the Holy Spirit inside of you: a conversation. One of the main aspects of this conversation is to admit your need, and God supplies what you need. This is the reason the Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes.
The Beatitudes are a progression of steps up the narrow road:
1. Poverty - I admit my need. This is the foundation of repentance. I admit I have need of an ability to obey God. This, over time, should touch every part of my mind, will, and emotions. Without God all three of these parts of my being are dead and depraved. They cannot be like Him without his help.
2. Mourning - I mourn my lack... The very need my admission of poverty has highlighted. I tell God I want to be more like Him knowing I can't, in my own strength, do it
3. Meekness - God gives me, as I repent (an admission of spiritual poverty and mourning it = repentance) what I ask for. I need to receive it in meekness (this is also only obtained by asking). A little gift of goodness is a lot of incentive to more pride! I have to resist that (more poverty
:) )4. Hunger and thirst for righteousness - Tasting the first three Beatitudes stirs a hunger and a thirst. I feed it with more of the same food...asking for more of God.
5. Mercy - as I see this process change me, rather than accuse those who aren't "holy", I learn to have Mercy seeing all of my increase as a gift obtained from asking, not a product of my superior discipline.
6. Purity - my clear and growingly humble view of holiness helps me start to see who God really is. He becomes the reward for holiness...and the source.
7. Peacemaking - as I see who God is, I see his heart for those around me. I enter into the ministry of reconciliation with humility and mercy...going in first and leading those interested, not arrogantly trying to push people in to what I don't actually do. The first and second commandments are now actively leading me.
8. Persecution and reviling - as I live on fire for the Lord, the enemy rages through those I am learning to have a heart for. I bless those who curse, pray for those who spitefully use me...I learn to love my enemies.
This is humility. This is the difficult and narrow way. It is impossible for man. It is only walked from the bottom up. Seeing that I can't do any of it...I start by telling Jesus I want Him to help me...and I start climbing.
This is the only way.
Matthew 5:1And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
13“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15“Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
17“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
18“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
19“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
This is what Jesus paid for: that I could follow him up the hill he climbed. This is only possible by hearing God via the Spirit and bearing the fruit of His leadership.
Jesus didn't pay for a political solution, a material solution, a short-cut...he paid for the kingdom to come from inside of me, out to world like a baby being born. There is no resurrection without this cross...only He can bear it, but I must have let Him bear it through me!
Any other gospel is false.
Luke 14:27“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
28“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
29“lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30“saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
Romans 7:14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
16If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
17But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
20Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
22For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
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