As a nouthetic Biblical counselor I frequently have well-meaning, sincere professing believers, when asked why they aren’t obediently applying the principles of scripture that we have discussed, respond with “Well, after all, I’m only human you know.” For a true believer to make such a response, whether knowingly or due to genuine spiritual immaturity (Hebrews 4:12; 5:12-13,14), is to justify their willful disobedience and, in so doing, make a mockery of God’s Holy sinless character while, at the same time, spurning the immutable, daily sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in their life (II Peter 1:1-4; I Corinthians 2:6-16; 3:16-17; Romans 8:28-30,31,32-39; Ephesians 1:15-23; Colossians 2:9-10; 1:9-12,22-23; Philippians 4:13).
Some who read this will immediately deem anyone who would make such a statement to be harsh and insensitive. To the contrary, based on the truth of God’s word, to call a fellow believer to such accountability, in light of the promises in God’s word (II Corinthians 1:17-21) is the most loving thing one can do for that person (Romans 14:1; 15:1+; Galations 6:1-6; Ephesians 3-4; Romans 12:1-2,14-21). You’re probably thinking “What promises is this guy talking about?” and that’s a legitimate question. Let’s look at just two passages, one from Paul’s pen and the other from Peter’s.
In Colossians 2:9-10 Paul speaks of the oneness of Christ with His Father when he declares that “. . . all of the fullness of the Godhead bodily is in Him . . .” and he goes on then to declare that “. . . in Him you have been made complete . . .”. Might I suggest that if one is “complete” in Christ, then he is no longer “only human”, thus the basis of Paul’s humble, confident statement in Philippians 4;13, when he confidently states “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Proverbs 28:1).
Consider now the sufficiency of God’s provision for every true believer as recorded by Peter in II Peter 1:1-4. Peter starts by establishing the fact that true supernatural saving faith is one of the elements of God’s Sovereign regeneration of the dead heart of every one of His elect children. Peter’s opening statement refers to those who are the recipients of his letter as “. . . those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours . . .” and then he continues into verse three where he then declares that God has given them “. . . everything pertaining to life and godliness . . .”. Again, as with our Colossians passage, I would suggest that if one has been given “everything pertaining to life and godliness” then he can never again justify disobedience of God’s word by declaring himself to be “only human”. The fact is, in the economy of God, no true believer can ever rightly explain away his willful disobedience of God’s clear word with the excuse that he is “only human.” Every true believer ceased to be “only human” the instant God saved him. Paul speaks to this fact in I Corinthians 2:15-16 when he states that the person who is spiritual (meaning born again – John 3:1-6) “. . . appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he would instruct Him? But, we have the mind of Christ.”
The following is another of the ways of justifying not trusting and obeying God, albeit perhaps not consciously or intentionally, that is the basis of this brief consideration of “An Example of Untrusting Unbelieving False Humility”.
Herein can we glean insight into why so many well-intentioned, sincere believers, in actuality, often find themselves living defeated, rather than victorious lives as children of God.
Recently a fellow believer lost one of his parents in death. When I received word of his loss I sent him a message letting him know that my wife and I were gratefully and joyfully entrusting him and his loved ones to our infinitely loving and faithful, all-sufficient heavenly Father’s grace. My dear brothers response to this message and the thoughts prompted by it was the motivation for this brief study.
The response: “Thank you Jerry. Indeed His grace is sufficient. It is we who are weak.”
The thought that came to mind immediately was how the second statement made, basically nullified the first statement and revealed a misplaced, misguided reliance on one’s weak self. This saddened me for my brother because of how his second statement, if taken at face value, revealed a line of thinking that is virtually devoid of any evidence of lovingly, gratefully, trustingly resting in the greater truth of his first statement as testified to in the Biblical reality of the Holy Spirit’s immutable, infinite faithfulness in equipping us as believers for victory and joy in Christ in any and all situations as testified to in Romans 8 (“. . . more than conquerors . . .”) and II Peter 1:1-4 (“. . . everything pertaining to life and godliness . . .”).
This type of “humility”, whether conscious or not, that ignores at best or in unbelief, at worst, rejects these precious truths of our Father’s infinite, immutable faithfulness (II Corinthians 1:17-21) is, in a very real way, a prideful false humility that inherently leaves the door open for unbelief by focusing on self and self’s inadequacy and weakness rather than, in trusting, loving faith, resting in the infinite, all-sufficient, immutable power and love and grace of the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work in ones life (II Corinthians 12:9-10).
Seeming humility that focuses on self’s weakness rather than the practical living reality of the all-sufficient, freely bestowed, immutable daily provision of our Father’s enabling grace and love and mercy is a false humility because it fails to trust Him and His faithfulness. By so doing, the individual denies the blessed, all-sufficient immutable provision of God in Christ — it does indeed represent another form of the age old “I’m only human” justification of unbelief rather than believing, trusting, and obeying God.
Romans 8 (all); Ephesians 1:3-14,15-23; Colossians 2:9-10; 1:9-12,22-23; II Peter 1:1-4; Philippians 4:13