In the progressing stage of God's full salvation, we experience and enjoy the processed Triune God in the dispensing of the Triune God. First, we touch the experience and enjoyment of God as the Father in the love of God. In this lesson we will go on to see other aspects concerning the experience and enjoyment of God as the Father.
God the Father gives grace, even greater grace, in His love to the humble believers. James 4:6 says, "But He gives greater grace;...`God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" Here proud refers to our being proud toward God, and humble refers to our being humble toward God. By being proud toward God, man sides with God's enemy, the devil, causing God to resist man. However, by being humble toward God, being subject to God, the believers withstand, stand against, the devil, causing God to give them grace, as He desires. Hence, we need to draw near to God (4:8) and receive in meekness the implanted word (1:21) that we may receive His greater grace.
Furthermore, 1 Peter 5:5 says, "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." The Greek word rendered resists is a strong word used for an army preparing to resist the enemy. Peter uses this term to show how strong God is in resisting those who are proud. Proud literally means having a show above (others). God resists the one who lifts himself above others and regards himself as better than others. Instead of being proud and having a show of ourselves above others, we should be humble toward God that we may receive the grace given by God. This grace refers to the Triune God Himself as the life supply, which is multiplied in the humble believer. In 1 Peter this grace is called the multiplied grace, the varied grace, and all grace (1:2; 4:10; 5:10). We have received the initial grace, yet this grace needs to be multiplied in us that we may participate in all grace.
The Greek word for humble also means "lowly." In Matthew 11:29 the Lord said, "I am meek and lowly in heart." To be proud is to have a show above others, whereas to be humble is to not have self-esteem. Instead of uplifting ourselves in the church life, we should always humble ourselves and become lowly. Then we will be in a position to receive the Triune God as our life supply, to receive grace, even the greater grace, the grace that God desires to give to the humble. In the previous lesson we pointed out that in order to see God we need to be pure in heart (Matt. 5:8). That is, being pure in heart is a condition for seeing God. Similarly, in order for God to give us grace, we need to be humble. That is, humility is a condition for us to receive God's giving of grace. If we are truly humble toward God the Father, not having self-esteem but becoming lowly, we will receive His grace.