As a wise and gracious Sovereign, God Almighty goes before His elect in the way of Mercy. By nature, we are all ignorant of the way of righteousness. Our natural thoughts towards God, heaven, and hell, always tend towards self-justification by works. Like the Philippian Jailer, who cried out in his fear, "… Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" We would never know the way of absolute grace and perfection through Christ the Substitute unless it was preached unto us. "But Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me (Rom 10:20)." (John 3:27) "John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." In distinguishing love, God the Holy Spirit humbles everyone He saves, shuts the door to every false hope, and reveals Christ in His fullness as The Way. No one else can tolerate the constant preaching of the Cross unless you're blessed of God to have been humbled. "… for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble (I Pet 5:5)."
The Humble are Thankful. This is not the thankfulness of the Pharisee in Luke 18. He was so pleased with himself that he dared to pray, "… God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men…" Oh, but you are exactly like other men, and every saint knows it! We're thankful because we're like the wickedest of men, "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickend us to gether with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)." Our hearts amen the testimony of Hezekiah who said in his humility, "Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back (Is 38:17)." He didn't say that his sins weren't terrible, and he didn't pretend to have played a part in his own recovery. He thanked God for deliverance from the pit of corruption and the forgiveness of sins. Our standing in grace had nothing to do with our choice, free will, faith, faithfulness, intelligence, or anything else apart from Christ.
Christ sincerely offers Himself to every wretched sinner who hears the Gospel, and this offer is rejected. (Who wants to be a wretched sinner dependent entirely upon God's mercy?) Yet, Christ offered Himself to God as a blood sacrifice and loosed His elect from every final repercussion of sin. God has accepted us in the Beloved! "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation" (Heb 9:28). I don't know where our sins are… the Scripture says they're forgotten, remembered no more, cast into the depths of the sea, and behind God's back (Is 43:25 / Heb 10:11-18). Yet, I do know and speak with absolute certainty that they are no longer on us. Christ took them, and they are no longer on Christ because God punished them and raised Him from the dead in righteousness.
The Humble are NOT constantly trying to fix other people. When you have the unfortunate burden of meeting someone that desires to be the 'spiritual corrector' of everyone else, then you've met an arrogant self-righteous spirit. The self-righteous (since they're better than everyone else) are constantly on the look out for what you need. Never mind that Christ deals with each of us individually and says to us all, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:5).
These poor souls have everything under control and know everything. Yet, without knowing, they have fallen into the snare that the Holy Spirit warns against in Galatians 6. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." The church at Galatia was falling prey to self-righteous religion. Their joy was gone and members who should have been looking to Christ alone for righteousness, holiness, and forgiveness began judging and comparing themselves with one another for their 'peace' with God. The old saying goes that some people aren't happy unless they're standing on someone else's back. Yet, no matter whom you step on to try to get a little closer to God, you've stumbled and your pride has taken you a little further away. "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (Matt 23:12).
The Humble believe God. The only people who can lastingly minister unto others are you who've been taught your own impotence and thereby God's grace. You don't put confidence in yourself, and therefore your exhortations, warning, rebukes, and words of comfort unto others give glory to God by trusting Him (Rom 4:20-22). Just as you rely upon Him for the health of your own soul, rely upon Him for others. Now, rather than being angry with those who don't seem to be keeping pace, the burden of their salvation is laid upon Christ, and you are liberated to simply LOVE them. My brethren, as we give our lives in the ministry of the Gospel {and we must give our lives according to the ministry that we have received of the Lord (Acts 20:24)}, let us call the Sabbath a delight and rest in the perfection of Christ. Don't think for a second that God needs the smoothness of your speech or the earnestness of your tones to win souls, and you'll speak the truth in love. Our confidence is that God will save all of His people by the preaching of the Cross. Christ said, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). Therefore, "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together."
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