In chapter two of Philippians we are told that we are to possess a humility of mind, and then we are given the example of the humility possessed by our Savior, Master, and Leader. The Greek word for humility of mind is tapeinophrosune. This word means to be lowly or humble. It is a lowliness of mind, a state of mind that esteems itself small. It is a state of mind that has a correct estimation of itself before God, it is a state of mind that regards itself as insignificant before God and before others. It is modest. The way it is used in its context here means we are to responsible for our possession of this state of mind.
Another way for us to paint a picture humility is to understand that it is the polar opposite of pride and arrogance, it is the polar opposite of boasting, it is the polar opposite of selfishness and empty conceit.
In us getting our mind right, we must understand that pride doesn’t just exalt itself against others, but always and ultimately exalts itself against God as all sin is always against God. In the Scriptures, you never see the term humble used to describe the wicked, but you will always see pride associated with wickedness. Let's look at a couple of verses that reveal to us what God thinks about the pride of man.
Isaiah 2:12, 17 For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud and lofty and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be abased. The pride of man will be humbled and the loftiness of man will be abased; and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
Isaiah 13:11 Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud and abase the haughtiness of the wicked….
In Proverbs 6:16-19 there are seven things listed that God hates, that are an abomination to Him, and the first on the list is haughty eyes.
What we see from the Scriptures is that God hates pride, but values humility.
Micah 6:8 He has told you, O Man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.
Zephaniah 2:3 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, seek righteousness seek humility.
So let us consider together why the Lord values the humble man so much, and why humility is esteemed in the eyes of God.
The humble person knows his place before God and before men.
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit,
but with humility of mind regard one another
as more important than yourselves. Do not
merely look out for your own personal interests,
but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4
Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them,
"If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all
and servant of all."
Mark 9:35
The Job answered the Lord, and said,
"I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Your can be thwarted.
Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?
Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.
I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my
eyes see You; Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes."
Job 42:1-6
But now God has placed the members, each one of them,
in the body, just as He desired.
I Corinthians 12:18
O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty;
Nor do I involve myself in great matters,
Or in things too difficult for me.
Surely I have composed and quieted my soul;
Like a weaned child rests against His mother,
My soul is like a weaned child within me.
Psalm 131:1-2
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves
that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:
"Two men went up to the temple complex to pray, one a Pharisee
and the other a tax collector. the Pharisee took his stand and
was praying like this: 'God, I thank You that I'm not like other
people--greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax
collector. I fast twice a week, I give a tenth of everything I get.'
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise
his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest saying, 'God, turn
Your wrath from me--a sinner!' I tell you, this one went down
to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone
who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles
himself will be exalted.
Luke 18:9-14
The humble person is reverent
"For My hand made all these things,
Thus, all these things came into being,"
declares, the Lord.
But to this one I will look, to him who
is humble and contrite of spirit,
and who trembles at My word.
Isaiah 66:2
Tremble, and do not sin;
Meditate in your heart upon
your bed and be still.
Psalm 4:4
But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness
I will enter Your house, at Your holy temple
I will bow in reverence for You.
Psalm 5:7
and My people who are
Called by My name humble themselves and
pray and seek My face and turn from their
wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven,
will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
II Chronicles 7:14
The humble person is teachable
Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.
Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes,
And I shall observe it to the end.
Give me understanding, that I may observe
Your law and keep it with all my heart.
Make me walk in the path of Your
Commandments for I delight in it.
Establish Your word to Your servant
As that which produces reverence for You.
You have dealt well with Your servant,
O Lord, according to Your word.
Psalm 119:18, 33-35, 38, 65
The humble person is contrite
"For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being,"
declares the Lord.
But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite
of spirit, and who trembles at My word.
Isaiah 66:2
Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter
Be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord,
And He will exalt you.
James 4:9-10
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God
produces a repentance without regret, leading to
salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow,
has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what
indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging
of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves
innocent in the matter.
II Corinthians 7:10-11
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God,
You will not despise.
Psalm 51:17
The humble person is a worshiper of God
But as for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness
I will enter Your house, at Your holy temple
I will bow in reverence for You.
Psalm 5:7
For a day in Your courts is better
than a thousand outside.
Psalm 84:10a
"If anyone wishes to come after Me,
he must deny himself, take up his cross
daily, and follow Me."
Luke 9:23
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
Psalm 51:17a
Come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Psalm 95:6
Exalt the Lord our God and worship at
His footstool; holy is He.
Psalm 99:5
The humble person is obedient
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also
in Christ Jesus...Being found in appearance as man,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point
of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:5, 8
Submit therefore to God.
James 4:7a
…He became to all who obey Him,
The source of eternal salvation.
Hebrews 7:9
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand
of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.
I Peter 5:6
Samuel said, "Has the Lord as much delight in burnt
offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams."
I Samuel 15:22
"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"
Luke 6:46
The humble person is wise
"For My hand made all these things, thus all these
things came into being," declares the Lord.
"But to this one I will look, to him who is humble
and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word."
Isaiah 66:2
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
When pride comes, then comes dishonor,
but with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men
but as wise, making the most of your time, because the
days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand
what the will of the Lord is.
Ephesians 5:15-17
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him
show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness
of wisdom...But the wisdom from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and
good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the
seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace
by those who make peace.
James 3:13, 17-18
The humble person is empowered
For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being, declares the Lord.
But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and
Contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word.
Isaiah 66:2
For thus says the high and exalted One
Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,
"I dwell on a high and holy place,
And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.
Isaiah 57:15
But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says,
"God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
James 4:6
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore,
I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so the the power
of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with
weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions,
with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong."
II Corinthians 12:9-10
...whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving
by the strength which God supplies...
I Peter 4:11b
...God is opposed to the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.
For though the Lord is exalted,
yet He regards the lowly, but
the haughty He knows from afar.
James 4:6, Psalm 138:6
The humble person is blessed
The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord
Are riches, honor and life.
Proverbs 22:4
But the one who looks intently at the perfect law,
the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having
become a forgetful hearer, but an effectual doer,
this man will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:25
Blessed are the humble, for they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5
But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.
Psalm 37:11
The humble person will be exalted
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand
of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.
I Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord,
And He will exalt you.
James 4:10
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
And he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Luke 14:11
Here are ten things the Bible teaches us about pride and humility:
1. Pride ultimately exalts itself over God, and humility ultimately makes itself low before God.
2. Pride pushes God away, while humility draws near to God.
3. Pride depends on itself, while humility depends on God.
4. Pride boasts in itself, while humility boasts in God.
5. Pride credits itself, while humility credits God.
6. Pride follows its own path, while humility follows God's path.
7. Pride is self-seeking, while humility is God-seeking.
8. Pride always leads to disobedience, while humility always leads to obedience.
9. Pride is the opposite of godliness, while humility promotes godliness.
10. The proud will be destroyed from the earth, while the humble will inherit the earth.
So, my friends, let us follow the admonition of the following verses:
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus
Philippians 2:5
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matthew 11:29
