"GOD Opposes The Proud, But Gives Grace To The Humble!"

Everything short of Hell--is a mercy!
(James Smith, "Profitable Portions For the Lord's Day" 1865)

"All of you, clothe yourselves with 
humility toward one another, 
because GOD opposes the proud--
but gives grace to the humble!" 
1 Peter 5:5

The humble man may have anything 

from GOD. Who are the humble? 

Those who have a proper sense 

of their guilt, emptiness, and utter 

nothingness before GOD. 

Divine teaching has . . .
  brought them into the dust,
  stopped their boasting,
  cropped their pride, and
  softened their stony hearts.

Pride is one of the most 

mischievous things in creation! 

It appears to have been the cause 

of the fall of angels, and it certainly 

was the cause of the fall of our first 

parents. 

Pride does more evil in the world, 

in the church, and in the domestic circle--

than anything else; while humility is 

one of the most beautiful, beneficial, 

and pleasing of the graces. 

Humility pleases GOD, approves 

itself to man, and prevents a world 

of mischief and misery!

"The humble" have low views of 

themselves. They see so many sad 

defects on the one hand, and so many 

glaring inconsistencies on the other--

that they are obliged to lay low before 

GOD in shame and self-abhorrence. 

With Job, they cry, 

"Behold, I am vile!" (Job 40:4)

Or, with Agur, 

"So foolish was I, and ignorant, 
I was as a beast before YOU!"
(Psalm 73:22)

"The humble" know that . . .
  their every grace is imperfect,
  their every service is polluted 

    and defiled, and even their very 

    prayers need to be cleansed 

    in the blood of JESUS.

"The humble" have a vivid and 

abiding sense of their deserts. 

They know that if GOD were to 

deal with them in pure justice--

they must be sent to Hell. 

They deserve nothing better. 

Everything short of Hell--

is a mercy! 

They realize this, and it humbles 

them, it makes them willing 

to take the lowest place. 

They feel that all the difference 

between them and the most 

depraved person on earth--

is to be traced to the free, 

sovereign, and distinguishing 

grace of GOD. 

"By the grace of GOD--
I am what I am!" 
1 Corinthians 15:10

They have a humility of disposition, 

so that they do not complain of 

the LORD. HE tries them. 

HE strips them. HE weans them 

from the world. HE . . .
  baffles their schemes,
  frustrates their designs, and
  often cuts off their hopes!

But they justify HIM, and say, 

"It is the LORD! Let HIM do 
what seems good unto HIM!" 
(1 Samuel 3:18)

"The humble" do not cavil at GOD'S Word. 

They receive the doctrines, promises, 

and precepts of the Word, just as 

GOD has revealed them.

   
~  ~  ~  ~

GraceGems has published J.R. Miller's challenging short article, 
"The Word that was NOT Said".