Humility

Steven R. Cook

 

äåˆðˆòÂ, €aõnaôwaôh

ôáðåéíïöñïóýíç, tapeinophrosuñneô

 

Tapeinophrosune is translated as “humility” or “modesty.”[1]  Tapeinophrosune refers to one’s awareness of an “inability to cope,” and highlights one’s honesty to admit limitations.

 

1.      Humility is a willing acceptance of the true estimation of reality as declared in the Word of God (divine viewpoint).  A humble person has a true estimation of:

a)      Self worth (Romans 12:3, 16)

b)      Personal ability (Acts 11:6-8)

c)      The world (Matthew 16:26; John 17:13-21)

2.      Humility is the basis of teachability (Psalm 25:8-9; Proverbs 11:2). 

3.      A humble person is aware of his own faults and inabilities, and seeks for God’s mercy and daily provisions to sustain him (2 Cor. 3:4-5; 9:8; 12:7-10).

4.      A humble person submits to legitimate authority:

a)      Family (Eph. 6:1)

b)      Government (Romans 13:1, 5)

c)      Pastor (Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Peter 5:5)

d)      God (James 4:7)

5.      A humble person accepts God’s Word as authoritative (experiential truth).  This authority addresses the believer’s:

a)      Thinking ( Romans 12:3, 16)

b)      Speaking (James 4:11)

c)      Behavior (Philippians 1:27; Colossians 3:12; 1 Timothy 3:15; 2 Peter 3:11)

6.      A humble believer behaves properly toward God (Micah 6:8; James 4:10).

7.      A humble believer behaves properly toward other believers (Ephesians 4:2; Philippians 2:3).

8.      A humble believer accepts Jesus as his role model for humility (Matthew 11:29; Philippians 2:7).

9.      A humble believer obeys God’s commands and walks by faith (Deuteronomy 8:1-5).

10.  A humble believer rejects false humility (Colossians 2:18; 23).

 

Humility is freedom from arrogance. 

 

Arrogance is defined as: an overbearing self importance which leads to rejection of Divine truth and authority.  Arrogance elevates human systems of perception such as reason, logic, and faith to false conclusions about life. 

 

1.      An arrogant person has a false estimation of himself, his abilities, and his world (1 John 2:16).

2.      An arrogant person believes perception is reality.  According to the Bible, human perception is merely a rough approximation of reality, but it is never equal to reality.

3.      An arrogant person has an inflated sense of his own abilities and self worth which leads him to pseudo-confidence (1 John 2:16).

4.      An arrogant person never sees his own faults, only the faults of others (Jude 16).

 

 

 

 

 

 


[1] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., rev. and ed. Fredrick William Danker (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000) 989.