Young Adults' Group

The Principle Of Humility

by Pastor Mark
February 15, 2018

A blessed and Happy Lunar New Year

I would like to wish all of you a blessed Lunar New Year! May the Lord continue to bless all our endeavours as we enter into the New Year! Last Saturday, we learnt from the example of the Lord Jesus of how He humbled Himself and became obedient to the death…even the death of the cross. (Phil 2:8) He was truly the epitome of what humility is. Let us be deeply moved by His example.

Humility as a principle of life

The challenge is for us to cultivate humility as a principle of life. The Apostle Peter wrote about applying practical humility to how we should relate to each other…especially to those who are our shepherds.

Practical application of humility in our relationships

1. To our elders

“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders.” (1 Peter 5:5)

The elders are a reference to the shepherds in the church. (1 Peter 5:1) We are to honour and to submit ourselves to them. As those who are younger, we can be full of ourselves and seek to do our own things. The word “submit” in Greek is “hupotasso” means to “subject under, to place under”. Let us learn to humbly subject ourselves to our elders…to the shepherds of the church.

2. To one another

“Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility,” (1 Peter 5:5)

The challenge is also for us to learn to submit ourselves to one another. It takes humility to learn to submit to one another. We learn to give regard and respect to our fellow brethren in church. Let us be challenged to be clothed with humility that we may have mutual submission to one another.

Grace to the humble

“for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”” (1 Peter 5:5)

Peter made reference to a text from Proverbs, “Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble.” (Prov 3:34) The scornful is a reference to those who are proud. God would resist and scorn those who are proud. But to those who are humble, He would give grace. God would specially extend His grace to us as we learn to be humble. Let us be challenged to be humble that we may receive special grace from the Lord.

Humbling ourselves before God

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,” (1 Peter 5:6)

Peter gave the challenge to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. He used the imperative to give this challenge. God’s hand is one that is full of power and might. Let us learn to stand in awe of the Lord’s power. Let us humbly submit ourselves to the Lord and He would exalt us in time. Whatever we go through in life, we can learn to cast our cares on the Lord. He truly cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) When we submit ourselves to the Lord humbly, there is nothing we need to worry about. He will take care of whatever concerns we have raised to Him. Let us be challenged to be humble and to submit ourselves to God and to one another.

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