Possessing True Humility

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil 2:3). To get a clearer understanding of what Paul is saying in this verse it is necessary to contrast this command to what Paul says in 1:17, “The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.” Paul is referring to the individuals preaching Christ, but seeking to advance themselves in the process while Paul is in prison. These individuals are proclaiming the gospel, but they are doing it out of wrong motives. Once again, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, the biblical writer goes to the heart of the hearer. The attitude of our heart does matter (Matt 15:18-19). It is not just enough to moralistically perform the letter of the command Paul gives here in Philippians 2:3. If we act with humility on the outside but all the while have pride and conceit in our hearts over what we are doing, then we are no better than the individuals in 1:17 that were preaching the gospel.

To explain what I mean by acting with humility on the outside let’s say that while at church I am holding the door for all those coming in and saying, “Let me have the privilege of holding the door open for my brother and sister to enter into the house of the Lord.” Yet while I am watching them going in I am thinking and saying in my mind, “What a good example of piety and humility and service I am to these people. Now they can see me for the righteous good man that I am.” This pride in my heart denudes the humility I am displaying outwardly; it is being a lot more like a Pharisee than like a child of God.

This kind of conceit is so easy to have and so hard to fight against. It is such a difficult attitude because we can fool ourselves by the outward actions we are taking. Realizing this difficulty we begin to see why having Christ like humility, that Paul refers to in verses 6-8, is so critical to living out this command. For the deceitfulness of our human hearts makes living this way virtually impossible. To live like this requires the work of the Holy Spirit in our heart, mind and soul. Because only after the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit can we ever hope to live with humility on the outside generated from humility on the inside. May God do so in our hearts and minds today.