Latest / Reformed Thinking / Brothers, Don’t Confuse Uncertainty with Humility | John Piper
Transcript
- 0:00Podcast intro audio reformed thinking.
- 0:03Welcome everyone to the Deep Dive.
- 0:05If you're looking for clarity, you're in the right place.
- 0:09Today we're going to be taking a close look at something that
- 0:13really touches all of us. The surprising way that holding
- 0:17a conviction, you know, really believing something is true, can
- 0:22get misunderstood in our culture.
- 0:23That's right, we've got some source material here that sheds
- 0:25light on how just asserting what you believe, what you hold to be
- 0:28true, can sometimes lead to a really unexpected accusation.
- 0:31Yeah, it's like virtue gets flipped on its head.
- 0:33Exactly. We'll be looking at how what was
- 0:36once seemed pretty widely as a good thing.
- 0:38You know, taking a clear stance on truth is now frequently
- 0:41labeled as prideful, arrogant even.
- 0:44So our sources help us understand why this happens, and
- 0:46maybe more critically, what true humility actually means in this
- 0:49whole landscape. We're going to unpack this idea
- 0:52that modesty has, well, sort of settled in an unlooked for
- 0:54place. OK, let's unpack that.
- 0:56Our mission for you today, the listener, is really to gain some
- 0:59clarity on these cultural dynamics that are at play.
- 1:02We want you to understand the genuine nature of humility and
- 1:05see how maintaining conviction when it's rooted rightly isn't
- 1:09arrogance at all. It's actually an act of love.
- 1:12I The modern misunderstanding conviction branded as arrogance.
- 1:18All right, so where do we start? Our sources begin by
- 1:21highlighting a pretty striking observation someone made GK
- 1:24Chesterton way back in 19 O 8. Yeah, 19 O 8 and what's
- 1:28fascinating is how much he seemed to foresee, you know, a
- 1:31lot of what we experienced today in conversations about truth and
- 1:33belief. It's.
- 1:34Almost like he had a Direct Line to our times.
- 1:37So what was his Internet? Well, he talked about humility
- 1:39in the wrong place. That was his phrase.
- 1:41He noticed that modesty, which he thought should really govern
- 1:44our personal aspirations. You know, how we think about
- 1:46ourselves and our own flaws. That modesty had shifted.
- 1:49Instead, he saw it settling on conviction itself, on our very
- 1:53certainty about truth. And that's where it was never
- 1:56meant to be. Humility about truth itself?
- 1:58That sounds odd. It is.
- 2:01Think of it like trying to use a hammer to drive a screw.
- 2:05It's the wrong tool for the job and you get weird results.
- 2:08So what did he mean by this this inversion?
- 2:11How did he explain it? Well, Chesterton pointed out
- 2:14that in his view, a person was sort of designed to be doubtful
- 2:17about themselves, you know, aware of their own frailties,
- 2:20their limitations, but certain about objective truth.
- 2:24He called this divine reason, these foundational truths that
- 2:28exist whether we like them or not.
- 2:30But he said that order got reversed.
- 2:32Reversed how? People now tend to assert
- 2:35themselves, their own feelings, their subjective takes with a
- 2:38lot of confidence. That's the part they should be
- 2:40modest about, according to Chesterton.
- 2:42Right, their own abilities or opinions.
- 2:44Exactly. But then they doubt the divine
- 2:46reason, the objective truths they should hold without
- 2:48question, and this leads to this well curious situation he
- 2:53described. Which was?
- 2:54He suggested people might become too modest, too hesitant to even
- 2:58accept the multiplication table. Like afraid to say 2 + 2 is 4
- 3:02because it sounds too assertive. Wow, so a humility that actually
- 3:06stops you from believing basic realities?
- 3:09In a sense, yeah. A misplaced humility that
- 3:12paralyzes conviction. OK, so this leads to a question
- 3:15then. Yeah.
- 3:16How did the idea of relativism change to kind of create this
- 3:20situation? That's a key point in our
- 3:22sources. Relativism isn't just, you know,
- 3:25your truth claim is no more valid than mine.
- 3:27It's shifted. Shifted to what?
- 3:29It's moved more towards an absolute prohibition.
- 3:32Basically, you may not seem to speak the truth at all, full
- 3:35stop. So it's not just saying opinions
- 3:37differ, it's saying the act of claiming truth itself is wrong.
- 3:40Pretty much it's become this unwritten rule that asserting
- 3:44objective truth is somehow out of bounds, especially in public
- 3:48discourse. OK, now here's where it gets
- 3:49really interesting. Connecting back to Chesterton
- 3:51when someone breaks this modern rule when they actually do claim
- 3:55to speak a definite truth. What happens?
- 3:57Arrogance. That's the accusation that comes
- 4:00flying back almost immediately. Our sources describe it as the
- 4:04condemnation of choice in the political and religious arena.
- 4:07The condemnation of choice. So it's the default weapon.
- 4:10It seems that way. It's used to shut down the
- 4:12conversation, to discredit the person, often without even
- 4:16engaging the substance of the truth claim itself.
- 4:18Can you give some examples of how this plays out?
- 4:20The sources mentioned some specific area.
- 4:22Sure. For instance, just stating that
- 4:25someone's view of God is, say, wrong and harmful, even if said
- 4:30out of genuine concern, right? That often draws the immediate
- 4:33charge. You're being arrogant.
- 4:34Or another example from the material suggesting that
- 4:38Christians should share Christ with Jewish friends, you know,
- 4:40for salvation. That's classic evangelism.
- 4:43It is, but it's frequently met with charges of being arrogant,
- 4:47judgmental, intolerant. The sources even mention more
- 4:50personal examples, right? Like within a church context.
- 4:52Yeah, telling a church member who's clearly caught in sin,
- 4:55look, you need to repent and come back.
- 4:57Even that can lead to being called judgmental and, yes,
- 5:00arrogant. As if asserting any kind of
- 5:02moral standard is inherently prideful.
- 5:04Exactly, and it happens in theological debates too.
- 5:07The material points to the controversy around open theism.
- 5:10OK, explain that briefly for listeners who might not know.
- 5:13Open theism is broadly the view that denies God knows all future
- 5:18events with certainty, especially free human choices
- 5:21got. It So what happened there?
- 5:23Well. Those who publicly spoke out
- 5:25against it, who wrote critiques arguing from Scripture that God
- 5:28does have complete foreknowledge, they were
- 5:31frequently labeled arrogant just for.
- 5:33Disagreeing theologically. Apparently so.
- 5:36Published criticisms used phrases like outrageous
- 5:39arrogance or talked about narrow, arrogant theological
- 5:43discourse. Our sources named specific
- 5:45people John Piper, Bruce Ware, John Frame, Justin Taylor, who
- 5:49faced this kind of pushback simply for defending a
- 5:53traditional view of God's knowledge.
- 5:55So. It wasn't just disagreement, it
- 5:56was an attack on their character, using arrogance as a
- 5:59label. Precisely.
- 6:00It's presented as a form of intimidation.
- 6:02And this intimidation, often done in the name of a distorted
- 6:05view of humility, tries to challenge the very core of the
- 6:08gospel message by challenging the claim that Jesus Christ is
- 6:12the only path to salvation. Asserting that exclusivity is
- 6:15often seen as the height of arrogance in this framework.
- 6:18And the sources mentioned the cost for those who engage in
- 6:22these debates. Yes, for pastors and scholars
- 6:24who get drawn into these discussions for the love of
- 6:27truth and the good of the church and the glory of God, it's
- 6:30described as a necessary and painful place to be.
- 6:33Necessary but painful. That says a lot it.
- 6:36Does it highlights the personal and professional pressure
- 6:38involved? It's not just intellectual
- 6:41sparring. It's aiming to silence
- 6:43conviction by making it seem morally wrong, specifically
- 6:46prideful. So summing up this first part,
- 6:49what we're seeing is a kind of cultural reversal, yeah.
- 6:53Major one where holding strong conviction, especially about
- 6:56objective truth or core beliefs, often gets mislabeled as
- 7:00arrogance and. This creates real opposition, a
- 7:03real cost for those who stand firm.
- 7:06Especially for those in positions like pastors or
- 7:08scholars who feel called to uphold and teach certain truths.
- 7:12It's a powerful social dynamic trying to make conviction itself
- 7:15seem objectionable. 2 The divine stance.
- 7:19God's opposition to pride. OK.
- 7:21Before we dig deeper into what true humility looks like, maybe
- 7:24we should pause and establish something really foundational.
- 7:26What's that? What does God himself think
- 7:28about pride? Since arrogance is the charge
- 7:31being thrown around, it seems crucial to get the divine
- 7:34perspective first. Absolutely vital and our sources
- 7:37are well incredibly clear on this.
- 7:39God has a very strong opposition to pride.
- 7:42It's even called the root sin of all sin the.
- 7:45Root sin. Not just a sin, but the source
- 7:48that's. The idea, it's seen as the
- 7:49fundamental rebellion, the desire to be independent from
- 7:52God, to elevate ourselves above our station as creatures.
- 7:56So. What does the Bible actually say
- 7:57about God's stance? The passages cited are direct
- 8:01things like God opposes the proud and that there's a future
- 8:04day of reckoning coming against everyone who is proud and lifted
- 8:07up a. Day of reckoning, yeah.
- 8:09A day when they may be abased, brought low, humbled, the texts
- 8:13say. The pride of man will be
- 8:15humbled, and the loftiness of men will be abased, and the.
- 8:17Result the. Result is that the Lord alone
- 8:20will be exalted in that day. It's not a mild dislike.
- 8:23It's a direct, forceful, ultimate opposition to pride in
- 8:26every form. The sources mentioned specific
- 8:29imagery used in those passages too, right?
- 8:31Yes, things like high mountains, fortified walls, great ships,
- 8:35beautiful crafts, all symbols of human achievement, human pride,
- 8:40human attempts at self-sufficiency or self
- 8:42exultation. And the message is clear.
- 8:46All of it will be brought low before God.
- 8:48So. The principle is, whoever exalts
- 8:50himself shall be humbled. That's.
- 8:52A direct quote highlighted in the material.
- 8:53Yes, and pride is also connected explicitly to evil boasting.
- 8:58Evil boasting like bragging. Yes, but specifically the
- 9:01sources point to boasting about future plans, about what we are
- 9:05going to do without acknowledging God's total
- 9:07control, his sovereignty over life.
- 9:10Like planning our lives as if we're totally in charge.
- 9:13Exactly. The sources reference James
- 9:15chapter 4, verses 13 to 16. That passage condemns saying
- 9:18things like today or tomorrow we'll go to the city, spend a
- 9:21year there, trade, make a profit without.
- 9:23Saying if the Lord wills right. That kind of planning that
- 9:26assumes our autonomy and ignores God's Providence is labeled evil
- 9:29boasting. It shows that pride isn't just,
- 9:31you know, having a big ego. It's also the subtle
- 9:34self-reliance that pushes God out of the picture.
- 9:37OK. So God takes pride incredibly
- 9:39seriously. It's fundamental opposition.
- 9:41Extremely. Seriously.
- 9:43This. Really raises the stakes on that
- 9:45accusation of arrogance then if God opposes the proud so
- 9:48strongly it. Makes the accusation very grave,
- 9:52and it shows why it's so critical for us to understand
- 9:55what true humility is not. Just so we can answer the
- 9:57culture's accusations, no. Much more than that, so we can
- 10:00examine ourselves as the sources put it, Pastors, and really all
- 10:03believers need to think carefully about pride and
- 10:06humility, not mainly to defend themselves outwardly, but to
- 10:10fight against pride within their own souls.
- 10:12That. Internal battle is the real
- 10:14priority. Absolutely.
- 10:15That's where the focus needs to be. 3 True humility, 6 defining
- 10:20characteristics all. Right, so we've seen the
- 10:22cultural confusion where conviction gets called
- 10:25arrogance, and we've established God's very strong stance against
- 10:29actual pride. Now let's get practical.
- 10:31What does true humility look like this?
- 10:33Is where our sources get really helpful.
- 10:34They offer a detailed picture outlining at least six distinct
- 10:38characteristics of genuine humility that counter those
- 10:40modern misunderstandings. 6 characteristics, OK and.
- 10:43The key thing here is that this picture contrasts sharply with
- 10:47that timid uncertainty we talked about.
- 10:49True humility isn't about abandoning conviction, it's
- 10:52about holding conviction correctly.
- 10:54Holding it the right way. So what's the first
- 10:56characteristic? Humility begins with
- 10:59subordination to God in Christ, the.
- 11:01Starting point, the absolute foundation is a real heartfelt
- 11:05sense of being beneath God, specifically beneath God in
- 11:09Christ beneath. God, what does that mean?
- 11:11Practically it. Means recognizing a simple yet
- 11:14massive fact. God is above, we are beneath.
- 11:18It's acknowledging our place as creatures before the infinite
- 11:21Creator. He's the Potter.
- 11:22We're the clay. That fundamental relationship
- 11:24it. Sounds simple, but maybe
- 11:26profound in practice it. Really is the sources use that
- 11:29biblical image. We're not even worthy to untie
- 11:31his sandals. It stresses the infinite gap
- 11:34between God's attributes, His greatness, power, wisdom,
- 11:37justice, truth, holiness, mercy, grace, and our own limited
- 11:41fallen nature and. It's not just knowing this
- 11:43intellectually. No, the sources emphasize.
- 11:46It's a heartfelt sense, a feeling of the truth.
- 11:49It's something that genuinely humbles you when you grasp even
- 11:52a little bit of God's immensity compared to yourself.
- 11:55That makes sense. You see his greatness and your
- 11:58own perspective shifts, right? But there's a caution here, too.
- 12:03We have to constantly guard against pride because it's
- 12:05described as subtle, A creeping contamination.
- 12:08You can even become proud of how humble you think you are or how
- 12:11well you grasp this idea of subordination.
- 12:14Pride and humility? That's tricky.
- 12:16Very so. Vigilance is key.
- 12:18But this starting point, God is infinitely above we are beneath,
- 12:21sets the stage. It means true conviction comes
- 12:24from His revealed truth, not our cleverness or feelings.
- 12:28Our humility is found in realizing our total dependence
- 12:31on Him. 3.2 Humility does not feel a right to better treatment
- 12:35than Jesus. Scott, OK.
- 12:36The second characteristic, This one sounds very down to earth,
- 12:39not feeling entitled to better treatment than Jesus received.
- 12:41Yeah. It's incredibly practical.
- 12:43The logic is straightforward. If Jesus the Master was
- 12:46slandered and misrepresented, called names like Beelzebel,
- 12:50which. Was a terrible insult linking
- 12:52him to demons A. Terrible insult, yes.
- 12:54So if that happened to him, then those who follow him shouldn't
- 12:57be surprised by similar mistreatment.
- 13:00Therefore, humility doesn't retaliate.
- 13:02It doesn't return evil for evil it.
- 13:04Doesn't demand fairness from the world that's.
- 13:06A big part of it, our sources argue that a lot of our anger,
- 13:09our bitterness, our resentment stems from this hidden
- 13:11expectation that we deserve good treatment, or at least fair
- 13:15treatment. But.
- 13:15Jesus didn't promise that he. Didn't he actually promised the
- 13:19opposite persecution, hatred for his name's sake?
- 13:22The material quotes a Christian leader, George Otis, saying a
- 13:26disciple should assume mistreatment and not be
- 13:29indignant. When we get it, assume.
- 13:31Mistreatment. Wow, that's a different mindset
- 13:34it. Is it's a humility that faces
- 13:36opposition without surprise or self pity.
- 13:38It doesn't mean we like it, but we're not shocked or outraged by
- 13:42it as if some fundamental right has been violated.
- 13:45So how does this connect to handling criticism or
- 13:49accusations? Well, true humility isn't thrown
- 13:51off balance by it. It knows opposition is part of
- 13:54the deal. And crucially, the Scriptures
- 13:57give us help here. How?
- 13:58So by. Reminding us that God is the
- 14:01ultimate judge. He will settle all accounts
- 14:03justly, either that justice was met at the cross for believers
- 14:07or it will be met in the final judgement for unbelievers.
- 14:10So. We don't have to carry the
- 14:12burden of vengeance ourselves. Exactly.
- 14:14That frees us. We don't need to keep score or
- 14:16demand immediate payback. We can endure patiently knowing
- 14:20the final verdict rests with a perfectly just God.
- 14:24It allows a certain quietness in the face of unfairness. 3.3
- 14:29Humility asserts truth as service to Christ and love to
- 14:33the adversary. OK.
- 14:34Characteristic #3 This one seems to hit that conviction equals
- 14:38arrogance, accusation head on. Humility asserts truth.
- 14:42How it? Asserts truth, not to boost the
- 14:44ego, not to win arguments for the sake of winning, but as
- 14:47service to Christ and quite radically, as an act of love
- 14:50towards others, even towards those who oppose us, our
- 14:53adversaries. Service.
- 14:54And love. So the motive changes everything
- 14:56completely if. Truth is valuable.
- 14:58If it's life giving, which the Bible says it is, then speaking
- 15:01that truth becomes a necessary part of loving others.
- 15:03How? Is truths presented as valuable
- 15:05in the sources it's. Shown as the instrument God uses
- 15:08for salvation, for sanctification, growing more
- 15:11like Christ, for preservation from error, for freedom, and for
- 15:15real joy. You.
- 15:16Mentioned some verses earlier, right?
- 15:18Like you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
- 15:21And Jesus praying sanctify them in the truth.
- 15:24Your word is truth and the sobering warning that people
- 15:27perish because they did not receive the love of the truth so
- 15:31as to be saved. So withholding truth, especially
- 15:34saving truth, isn't loving at all it.
- 15:36Could actually be seen as unloving, even cruel.
- 15:39If you believe that truth has eternal consequences, this
- 15:42seems. Clear as in evangelism?
- 15:43Maybe that's. A prime example, and the sources
- 15:45give one. They mentioned that editorial
- 15:47from the Minneapolis Star Tribune back in 1999, right?
- 15:50Where the author argued it was loving for Christians to share
- 15:52the gospel with Jewish people. Yes.
- 15:54And quoted first John 5 point 12 whoever has the son has life
- 15:58whoever does not have the son of God does not have life.
- 16:01A clear statement of Christian belief about salvation,
- 16:04presented as an act of love and concern and.
- 16:07The reaction? Predictable based on what we've
- 16:10discussed. Other clergy responded quickly,
- 16:12calling it unfortunate and arrogant.
- 16:15Proselytizing. They told thoughtful Christians
- 16:18to distance themselves. There's.
- 16:19That arrogant label again. Exactly.
- 16:21The sources state clearly this kind of reaction is an attempt
- 16:25to intimidate and challenge the core gospel message itself.
- 16:29So. The response should be to.
- 16:30Remind ourselves, and maybe each other, that sharing this gospel
- 16:34isn't arrogance. It's intended as love.
- 16:37The motive is key. As Paul says, we do not preach
- 16:41ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord and ourselves as your bond
- 16:44servants for Jesus sake. The.
- 16:45Focus is Christ and serving others, not self.
- 16:48That's the humble posture even when asserting A potentially
- 16:51unpopular or exclusive truth. 3.4 Humility knows it is
- 16:56dependent on grace for all, knowing, believing, living and
- 16:58acting OK. 4th characteristic humility knows it's dependent on
- 17:02grace. Everything, pretty much
- 17:04everything. Knowing, believing, living,
- 17:05acting. It starts with that foundational
- 17:07idea from Ephesians 2. Salvation is by grace, not a
- 17:10result of works. So that no one may boast, no.
- 17:13Room for boasting in our salvation none at all and that
- 17:17principle extends the sources pose that sharp question from
- 17:21first Corinthians 4 what do you possess that you did not receive
- 17:25if you received it, why boast as if it were not a gift that.
- 17:28Covers well everything. Our abilities, our knowledge,
- 17:32our possessions, our spiritual life, all of.
- 17:35It it's all received, therefore there's absolutely no ground for
- 17:39self generated pride in any aspect of our existence or
- 17:42achievements. How does this connect back to
- 17:44that idea of boasting about the future?
- 17:46It connects directly. Remember James 4 warning against
- 17:50planning our business ventures or our year ahead without saying
- 17:53if the Lord wills yes. Calling that kind of presumption
- 17:56evil boasting, right? Because it ignores our total
- 17:59dependence on God's moment by moment, sustaining grace and his
- 18:02sovereign will over all events. It's a practical arrogance,
- 18:05assuming we control tomorrow. So humility does the opposite,
- 18:09yes. Humility consciously submits to
- 18:11God's sovereign rule over every detail of daily life.
- 18:14It rests in His wise and good plans, even when we don't
- 18:18understand them. It's.
- 18:19A posture of continuous reliance.
- 18:21Exactly. And that posture keeps us from
- 18:23the arrogance of thinking we're self-made or self-sufficient.
- 18:26It fosters a quiet confidence, not in ourselves, but in God's
- 18:30control and goodness. It takes the pressure off us to
- 18:33manage the universe. 3.5 Yeah, humility knows it is fallible
- 18:39and so considers criticism, yet holds unshakable conviction all.
- 18:44Right #5 This one seems to hold 2 ideas in tension.
- 18:48Humility knows it's fallible, and it holds unshakable
- 18:51conviction. How does that work?
- 18:53It's a crucial balance. On the one hand, we acknowledge
- 18:55our limitations, Paul says. We see in a mirror dimly.
- 18:58We know, in part, we aren't infallible.
- 19:01Our understanding is incomplete. So we.
- 19:03Should be open to correction. Teachable.
- 19:04Absolutely. A wise person listens to
- 19:06counsel, considers criticism true humility, knows it has
- 19:09blind spots, and can get things wrong in its understanding or
- 19:12application. OK.
- 19:13That's the fallibility part, but the unshakeable conviction part.
- 19:16Humility also understands that despite our limitations, God has
- 19:19provided a basis for genuine, firm human conviction.
- 19:23He hasn't left us entirely in the dark.
- 19:24Where? Does that firm basis come from
- 19:26from? God's objective revelation of
- 19:28himself, primarily in Jesus Christ and in His inspired word,
- 19:32the Bible. The call is to humble ourselves
- 19:34under the objectivity of this revelation and embrace with
- 19:38conviction what He has said. So the humility isn't about
- 19:41being uncertain about God's Word, but about our own perfect
- 19:45grasp of it. That's.
- 19:46A good way to put it, we are fallible interpreters, but the
- 19:49revelation itself is trustworthy and provides a solid foundation.
- 19:53We don't have exhaustive knowledge, but we can have true
- 19:56knowledge based on what God has clearly revealed How?
- 19:59Does this play out in practice, like in sharing our faith or
- 20:02teaching? The source is connected to
- 20:04knowing the fear of the Lord. We persuade others that
- 20:07persuasion isn't timid. It's done with all authority and
- 20:10authority derived from God's Word, not our own status.
- 20:13There's also a reference to overcoming, yes.
- 20:15Revelation 12.11 By the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our
- 20:19testimony, believers conquer, even if it means loving not our
- 20:22lives, even unto to death. That shows both dependence on
- 20:25Christ, blood of the Lamb, and confident testimony.
- 20:28So. It's a blend, open to correction
- 20:31because we're fallible, but holding firmly to God's revealed
- 20:34truth with conviction. Exactly.
- 20:36It allows us to speak confidently about what God has
- 20:39said without becoming personally arrogant or refusing to listen
- 20:42when someone offers scriptural correction. 3.6 True humility is
- 20:46a gift beyond our reach. OK.
- 20:49The final characteristic, number six, true humility, is a gift
- 20:54beyond our reach. What does that mean it?
- 20:56Means humility isn't something we can achieve by sheer
- 20:59willpower or effort. If we could, we'd probably
- 21:02become proud of our achievement right the.
- 21:03Paradox you mentioned earlier. Look how humble I've become.
- 21:06Precisely. So genuine humility can't be a
- 21:08product of humans striving, it has to come from outside
- 21:11ourselves. So where does it come from?
- 21:13Our sources describe it beautifully as the gift that
- 21:16receives all things as gift. It's not our achievement, it's
- 21:20the fruit of the Holy Spirit working within us.
- 21:22A. Fruit of the Spirit like
- 21:23Lovejoy. Peace, yes.
- 21:25And it grows specifically from something the gospel produces in
- 21:28US, knowing and feeling that we are desperate sinners and that
- 21:32Christ is a great and undeserved Savior.
- 21:34So it flows out of grasping the gospel itself, our need in
- 21:38Christ's provision. Exactly.
- 21:40It's a response to grace. The more we understand our own
- 21:43unworthiness apart from Christ, and the more we appreciate the
- 21:46incredible, undeserved mercy shown to us in Him, more
- 21:51humility will naturally take root and grow in our hearts.
- 21:54So it's not about trying to be humble.
- 21:56It's. More about focusing on Christ,
- 21:58on the gospel, on our desperate need for His grace.
- 22:01As we grow in that understanding and appreciation, humility
- 22:04follows as a God-given result. It's a work of His grace within
- 22:08us, stemming from our identity in Him.
- 22:11Four, living with conviction in a relativistic age.
- 22:14OK. We've painted this really
- 22:16detailed picture now of true humility based on the sources,
- 22:19starting with subordination to God, expecting mistreatment,
- 22:22asserting truth and love depending on grace, balancing
- 22:25fallibility with conviction, and receiving it all as a gift.
- 22:28It's quite. Comprehensive view so.
- 22:30Pulling it all together, how do we live this out?
- 22:32How do we hold biblical conviction in this age where
- 22:34it's so easily labeled arrogance without actually falling into
- 22:38real pride ourselves? That's the crucial application,
- 22:41and the sources conclude with a really vital warning, aimed
- 22:45especially at pastors but applicable to all of us.
- 22:48And that warning is we. Must not confuse timid
- 22:51uncertainty with truthful humility.
- 22:53Don't confuse being unsure with being humble.
- 22:56Say more about that it. Means recognizing that just
- 22:58because you lack conviction or you're afraid to state a truth
- 23:02clearly doesn't automatically make you humble.
- 23:05Sometimes it might just be fear of man, or maybe even
- 23:08uncertainty about God's Word itself.
- 23:10True humility, as we've seen, can coexist with strong
- 23:14conviction. So.
- 23:15It's a call to resist that cultural pressure, to stand
- 23:17firm. Yes, particularly against the
- 23:20intimidation that happens when the core of the gospel, like the
- 23:23uniqueness of Christ for salvation, is challenged in the
- 23:25name of this distorted worldly idea of humility or tolerance.
- 23:29We need to see that asserting biblical truth isn't inherently
- 23:32arrogant, right? When done correctly, motivated
- 23:35by love for God and love for others, rooted in our
- 23:37subordination to Him, dependent on His grace, speaking truth is
- 23:40an act of loving service. It shifts the focus off us and
- 23:43on to God and His Word. That removes the basis for
- 23:47personal pride. Ideally it.
- 23:48Should if our confidence is in God's truth, not our own
- 23:52brilliance, and our motive is service, not self exaltation,
- 23:56then we're standing on humble ground, even if we're speaking
- 23:59boldly. So this whole deep dive really
- 24:01pushes us to look inward, doesn't it it?
- 24:03Really. Does it forces us to ask, is my
- 24:06humility genuine, rooted in the gospel?
- 24:10Or am I letting the world's fear of conviction, it's misuse of
- 24:13the word humility, silence me or dilute my belief in God's clear
- 24:16truth? It's a challenge to discern the
- 24:19difference in our own hearts and actions.
- 24:20A. Necessary challenge based on
- 24:22this material Outro. Well, this deep dive has
- 24:26certainly uncovered, I think, a striking reversal in how
- 24:28humility and conviction are often understood.
- 24:30Today we see how standing for truth can get mislabeled as
- 24:34arrogance. Yeah, that.
- 24:35Cultural dynamic is clear, but thankfully the sources also map
- 24:38out a clear biblical alternative.
- 24:41True humility isn't being wishy washy or uncertain.
- 24:44It's actually a confident posture, one that's totally
- 24:46dependent on grace. And it's that posture that
- 24:49allows us, enables us to assert truth when needed, doing it out
- 24:54of love for Christ and genuine care for others, even when we
- 24:57face pushback. Even when it costs us something.
- 25:00So as you are listener, reflect on this conversation.
- 25:03Maybe consider this. Are there areas in your own life
- 25:06where you might be tempted to confuse that timid uncertainty
- 25:10with genuine, truthful humility? Maybe because you want to avoid
- 25:14that accusation of pride. That's a great question to
- 25:16ponder and maybe also ask. What specific truths is God
- 25:20calling me to embrace with greater conviction?
- 25:23Always remembering, of course, to do so with a genuinely humble
- 25:25heart that relies completely on His grace.
- 25:28Thank you for joining us on the Deep Dive until.
- 25:30Next time, keep pondering what is true.
- 25:32And may God's grace guide your pursuit of truth.