Identification of the Godly # 2

Identification of the Godly # 2

We mean that when bowed in His presence, in the calmness and quietness of your prayer closet, you own without any qualification that your best performances are defiled by sin - and that in yourself, you are a filthy pauper!

If that is indeed you language before God - it most certainly issues from a humble heart. The heart of the natural man thinks and feels the very opposite, and can no more loathe himself - than transform himself into a holy angel!

THIRD, if you receive everything in the Scriptures as a little child - that is another proof that a miracle of grace has been wrought within you and that you now possess a humble heart. By nature, we are "wise and prudent" in our own esteem.

The enmity of the proud carnal mind rises up against the sovereignty of God, making one vessel to honor and another to dishonor; against the spirituality and strictness of the Divine law, which curses all who deviate the slightest from its holy demands; against the endless punishment of all dying out of Christ. But the regenerate, though there is much they do not understand, accept without murmur or question - all that is revealed in the Word. If you do, that is proof that your pride has been abased before God.

FOURTH, if you mourn over the wretched returns you make unto God, that is further evidence of a humble heart. Nor is this a point difficult to determine. There is no need for you to make a mystery out of it. You know whether you do or do not sorrow over the response you make unto God, for all His goodness unto you. You know whether or not you feel you have ill requited Him, for the multitude of His favors and mercies. You know whether you do or do not grieve over the coldness of your heart, in answer to His loving-kindness; the weakness of your faith, in view of His promises; the feebleness and perhaps the absence of your praise and thanksgiving, for His long-sufferance and faithfulness. If you do make conscience of these things, mourn over them and confess them - though not as feelingly as you ought - that is another proof of a humble heart. As it is faith, and not the strength of it, which saves; so it is such mourning, and not the depth of it, which evidences its spirituality.

FIFTH, if you frankly ascribe to God all the good that is in you - then you have a humble heart. If you freely own that all your springs are in Him, that He has wrought all your works in you (Isa. 26:12), if you honestly disclaim any credit to yourself for any good thing - then your pride has been slain before God - and that is what most matters! If the language of your heart really is, "by the grace of God, I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10), my "sufficiency is of God" (2 Cor. 3:5), that He has worked in me both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13) - then most assuredly, your pride has been subdued. In such case, you will gladly unite in declaring, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us - but unto your Name give glory!" (Psalm 115:1). You will take no credit for - for should you deny the existence of a humble heart - but will unhesitatingly give God all the honor and praise for it.

How thankful we should be that Scripture does not say, God dwells only in those who have complete victory over sin, or those who enjoy unbroken and unclouded communion with Him. Had those been the distinguishing features named - then everyone of us might well despair - most certainly, they had excluded or "cut off" this writer. But we say again, a contrite and humble spirit takes in every regenerate soul. And if you, my reader, measuring yourself by what has been pointed out above, can discern such fruits and evidences of contrition and humility - then so far from its being presumptuous for you to look upon yourself as one saved and indwelt by God, it would be most wicked presumption for you to do otherwise.

~A. W. Pink~

(The End)