Clothed with Humility
1 Peter 5
- 5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
- 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Intro: One of the struggles we all face today is the matter of pride. In spite of our faults, failures and weaknesses, we somehow manage to always find a reason to be proud. The Bible is filled with hundreds of references to pride and humility. It is so important that it is one of the main keys to God sending revival.
- 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
This passage of Scripture deals with several aspects of humility.
A. Our Pattern
- Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Jesus Christ set an example of what it means to humble himself.
B. Our Proof
- vs. 5b …Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:
When we are truly humble, it will be apparent.
It will produce an outward demonstration of what is going on in our heart and mind.
A proud heart will produce a proud look. A humble heart will produce a humble look.
- Proverbs 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
- Proverbs 21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
Proverbs 6
- 16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
- 17 A proud look,
C. Our Promise
- 5c … for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
This promise is two-fold:
1. God will resist the proud
2. God will give grace to the humble
James quoted Peter here:
- James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
D. Our Promotion
- 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
It’s much better when God does the exalting!
- Luke 14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
- James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
Being Clothed with Humility says a lot to me. Here are three of them:
I. Being Clothed with Humility is a Decision
You and I pick out our clothes every day, several times a day.
We shop for our clothes, we try them on, we buy them and we wear them.
We look through our clothes multiple times a day with many different options to choose from.
We wear what we want to wear, regardless of the event or the reason.
The Bible tells us to be clothed with humility.
That means we do it intentionally.
We look at the options and we choose humility.
1 Peter 2
- 21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
- 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
When people attack us, we choose to ignore them.
When people lie about us, we continue doing what God has called us to do.
When people mock us and laugh at us, we keep doing what we know is right.
When we find ourselves in the minority, and the naysayers outnumber us, we do not become insecure.
II. Being Clothed with Humility is a Declaration
“Your Clothes Say It for You” was a book title by a godly lady written years ago dealing with women’s modesty.
You’ve heard the phrase, “Dress for Success.”
People judge you by your apparel.
Your clothing makes a statement.
When you and I choose to be clothed with humility, that also makes a statement.
Our humility is a declaration of:
A. Our love for Jesus Christ
B. Our life is not our own
III. Being Clothed with Humility is a Deflection
We as humans tend to judge and classify people by their clothing.
James warned of this in the church.
James 2
- 1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
- 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
- 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
- 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
When we are clothed with humility, we deflect the attention, the praise and the glory away from us.
We do not become the center of attraction.
We do not cause people to go out of their way for us; we lower ourselves in their eyes and lift up others.
Notice our text
- 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Jesus set that example in His ministry in multiple ways.
- John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Here are just a few verses that explain this idea:
Romans 12
- 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
- 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
- 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Philippians 2
- 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
- 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
1 Peter 3
- 8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
- 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
- 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: