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The Amish Voice 9
In response to Levi Schwartz’s ques-
tion in the March issue of the Amish Voice,
on pride (hoffart) and humbleness (demut.)
The simplest concept of what humility is, can
be gained by having small thoughts about
oneself. Humility is the fundamental law for
all salvation. In James 4:6 and in I Peter 5:5
is written the same thing, “God resisteth the
proud, but giveth grace to the humble.” It is
noteworthy that it is first written, God re-
sisteth the proud.
Both James and Peter go on to tell us to resist
the devil. And why should we resist the dev-
il? Because he is the one who whispers to us
in order to get us to have high thoughts about
ourselves. When some things go well for a
person, the devil comes and tells them, “You
are really quite something, there really is
something special about you,” and tries to
puff them up. His chief weapon is to puff
people up, in whatever vocation it may be.
But God opposes the proud.
When we are proud, God is our opponent. He
gives grace to the humble. To receive grace
means to receive help that I need. We receive
only as much grace as the humility we pos-
sess.
When it can’t be noticed
that there is any progress in
your life, it is because you are not re-
ceiving grace. You can accomplish a
lot in your own human strength and attempt
to compensate for a lack of grace by being
zealous in different things. You can be capa-
ble and good, as a human being, but all that
human goodness and ability doesn’t help if
God opposes you. You aren’t acknowledging
and you aren’t judging
yourself, but defending
yourself instead.
He who humbles himself-
voluntarily abases himself
-will be exalted. If you are
a little bit humble, it will
succeed a little bit, and if
you are especially hum-
ble, it will succeed espe-
cially well.
The law regarding humility is like the laws
of nature. The whole creation would perish if
everything didn’t go exactly according to
laws. When God gives grace, then one re-
ceives very precisely that degree of grace-
that means help, new light, salvation, trans-
formation.
A given amount of humility yields exactly-
by weight and measure-the same amount of
help and salvation. There are no exceptions.
It is a universal law. This also applies to un-
converted people. It is by His grace that it
succeeds, and grace means help.
There are two aspects to the word grace. One
is the atonement and the forgiveness of sins.
But grace also means help. To experience
grace is to receive true light, life victory and
glory, all in accordance with the laws of hu-
mility.
God is interested in thoroughly saving us. It
all depends on how we take things. Each one
must understand this as well as he can. If you
don’t understand it, then hide it in your heart
so you can receive light later. Bet-
ter late than never. Now then: It’s
written about love that he who
doesn’t have love is nothing. This
would appear to be a different,
very central issue. But it really
isn’t. We cannot get love if God
doesn’t give it to us, and He gives
it to the humble.
We have heard and read a lot of
wonderful things about love and
the spirit of faith, etc. And it is
very important. But if we’re not humble, we
won’t receive anything. In accordance with
this, the wisest thing to do is getting smaller
thoughts about ourselves, and to use every
opportunity to humble ourselves.
To humble oneself of your own volition,
represents the highest degree of humility.
This is not the same as being humbled. God
is the one who does that, to the proud and
high-minded, that they might not be con-
demned with the world. I Cor. 11:32
Felty Yoder, Salem, KY
(270) 988-4145
In the Jan. issue, in Eli Stutzman’s article on, “How Shall
We Ever Please God,” He states that the first husband is the
Law of Moses. Now, I know that Watchman Nee explains it
that way, but it’s not the way we see it. We understand the
first husband to be the flesh (the old man that needs to be
crucified and die on the cross). The law is quite simply what
binds the woman to the husband. Romans 7:2. When the
first husband is out of the way, the law becomes superflu-
ous. —Felty Yoder, Salem KY
————————————
Eli Stutzman Replies:
Thank you for your response. The verse in
question is from Romans 7:2
For the woman which hath an husband
is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the
husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
The passage is intended as an allegory (parable) showing the Hebrews
(see verse 1) how the old law of Moses can no longer be in force for a
believer. As an allegory (using a parallel story to illustrate a point) it
can only be used to demonstrate that particular point. The death is
past tense.
Matthew Henry commentary says: [2. We are married to Christ. The
day of our believing is the day of our espousals to the Lord Jesus. We
enter upon a life of dependence on him and duty to him: Married to
another, even to him who is raised from the dead, a periphrasis of
Christ and very pertinent here; for as our dying to sin and the law is in
conformity to the death of Christ, and the crucifying of his body, so
our devotedness to Christ in newness of life is in conformity to the
resurrection of Christ. We are married to the raised exalted Jesus, a
very honourable marriage. Compare 2 Co. 11:2; Eph. 5:29.]
As to the flesh, it does not die instantly, it has to be dealt with
throughout our lifetime. The law is out of the way, so now we either
serve in the spirit or in the flesh.
That the righteousness of the law
might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the
flesh
, but after the
Spirit.
(Romans 8: 4)
Dealing with the flesh is an ongoing process, so the admonition is
always in the present tense. There is far more in various commen-
taries than I could possibly post here, but I hope this will suffice.
Humility
Pride
Responses from previous articles
that appeared in the Amish Voice