In the progressing stage of God’s full salvation, the stage of transformation, the believers experience and enjoy the processed Triune God in His triune dispensing. First, they experience and enjoy God as the Father in His love. In this message we shall consider more aspects of this experience and enjoyment of God the Father.
God as the Father in His love gives grace, even greater grace, to the believers, those who are humble. James 4:6 says, “He gives greater grace; wherefore it says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” According to the context, to be proud here means to be proud toward God. Being proud before God causes Him to resist us. To be humble is also toward God, and this causes Him to give us grace, as He desires.
We need to learn to draw near to God (James 4:8) to receive greater grace. Instead of being proud and resisting God, we should receive in meekness the implanted word (James 1:21). Someone who is proud cannot receive God’s implanted word. If we are humble, we shall receive the implanted word, and we shall also receive greater grace.
First Peter 5:5b also says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The Greek word translated “resist” is a strong word for an army preparing to resist the enemy. Peter uses this word to show how strong God is in resisting those who are proud. The Greek word rendered “proud” here literally means showing above (others). To be proud is to show ourselves above others. God resists the one who lifts himself above others and regards himself as better than others. Instead of being proud and showing ourselves above others, we should be humble.
God gives grace to the humble. This grace refers to the Triune God Himself as the life supply being multiplied in the humble believer. This is the multiplied grace (1 Pet. 1:2), the varied grace (4:10), and all grace (5:10). The believers have received the initial grace, yet this grace needs to be multiplied in them that they may participate in all grace. The varied grace of God is the rich supply of life, which is the Triune God ministered into us in many aspects (2 Cor. 13:14; 12:9). God gives Himself as grace, as life supply, to humble believers.
The Greek word for “humble” in 1 Peter 5:5 also means lowly, as in Matthew 11:29, where the Lord Jesus says, “I am meek and lowly in heart.” To be proud is to be high, but to be humble is to be low. If we would humble ourselves in the church life, we need to become lowly. Instead of uplifting ourselves, we should always keep ourselves low. Then we shall be in a position to receive the Triune God as our life supply. We shall receive the grace, even the greater grace, God gives to humble believers.
In the foregoing message we pointed out that in order to see God we need to be pure in heart (Matt. 5:8). This means that being pure in heart is the condition, the term, for seeing God. Likewise, there are conditions for having God draw near to us and for Him to be worshipped by us. In order for God to draw near to us, we need to draw near to Him (James 4:8a), and in order for God to be worshipped by us, we need to worship Him by His Spirit (Phil. 3:3). In like manner, there is a condition that we need to fulfill in order for God to give us grace, and this condition is that we must be humble. When we are truly humble before God, we shall receive His grace, even His greater grace.
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