Trinitarian Joy: Cultivate Humility

(from http://blog.9marks.org/2010/01/cultivate-humility-part-1.html)
by Ryan Townsend

"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."James 4:6

In his booklet From Pride to Humility, Stuart Scott has compiled an insightful list of 30 biblical indicators as to whether pride is resident in our hearts. Read these slowly and prayerfully.

1. Complaining against or passing judgment on God (Numbers 14:1-4, 9, 11; Romans 9:20)
2. A lack of gratitude (2 Chronicles 32:25)
3. Anger (Proverbs 28:25; Matthew 20:1-16)
4. Seeing yourself as better than others (Luke 7:36-50)
5. Having an inflated view of your importance, gifts and abilities (Acts 12:21-23)
6. Being focused on the lack of your gifts and abilities (1 Cor. 12:14-25)
7. Perfectionism (Matthew 23:24-28)
8. Talking too much (Proverbs 10:19)
9. Talking too much about yourself (Proverbs 27:2; Galatians 6:3)
10. Seeking independence or control (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 5:21)
11. Being consumed with what others think (Galatians 1:10)
12. Being devastated or angered by criticism (Proverbs 13:1)
13. Being unteachable (Proverbs 19:20; John 9:13-34)
14. Being sarcastic, hurtful, degrading, talking down to them(Proverbs 12:18, 24)
15. A lack of service (Galatians 5:13, Ephesians 2:10)
16. A lack of compassion (Matthew 5:7, 18:23-35)
17. Being defensive or blame-shifting (Genesis 3:12-13; Proverbs 12:1)
18. A lack of admitting when you are wrong (Proverbs 10:17)
19. A lack of asking forgiveness (Matthew 5:23-24)
20. A lack of biblical prayer (Luke 18:10-14)
21. Resisting authority or being disrespectful (1 Peter 2:13-17)
22. Voicing preferences or opinions when not asked (Philippians 2:1-4)
23. Minimizing your own sin and shortcomings (Matthew 7:3-5)
24. Maximizing others’ sin and shortcomings (Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 18:9-14)
25. Being impatient or irritable with others (Ephesians 4:31-32)
26. Being jealous or envious (1 Corinthians 13:4)
27. Using others (Matthew 7:12; Philippians 2:3-4)
28. Being deceitful by covering up sins, faults, and mistakes (Proverbs 11:3; 28:13)
29. Using attention-getting tactics (1 Peter 3:3,4)
30. Not having close relationships (Proverbs 18:1-2; Hebrews 10:24-25)

Why Trinitarian Joy?

For me the most astonishing reality that I have learned is that God takes ulitmate joy in himself. This ultimate joy is revealed in Scripture through the roles and relationships within the Triune Community. Whether we look at Creation, Fall, Redemption or Consumation, God -through the roles and relationships of the Trinity- is always orchestrating his supreme joy and exhaltation in himself.

God created us in his image so that God might see himself in us. In other words, as children of God we are tools of God's delight. This is not to say that God needs us to experience delight for he is perfectly satisfied in community with himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. However, God creates man out of the perfections of his trinitarian joy whereby man's joy is fulfilled in putting God's greatness on display. In other words, we have been created to join intimately into God's trinitarian joy wherein we are satisfied and God is glorified.

Now sin has destroyed our life with God for we have exchanged the glory God for the glory of his creation. We have neglected God as the source of all joy and have sought for intimacy elsewhere. 'But God who is rich in mercy...' lovingly glorified his Son by deploying Him to purchase up sinners unto Himself from their damnable state. And the Son lovingly glorified the Father through his obedience thereby securing a people unto His name. And in the wisdom of God the Spirit was sent to glorify the Son by tranforming these ransomed sinner into Christlikeness. Is it not evident that God's joy in himself secures our joy in him?

As God's family, it is through the cross that we have access into the holy place before God's throne. The gospel intimately joins us again into the joyful fellowship of our Triune God.

Since God is committed to making himself great, his promises of a restoration are sure. The Father will continue to make much of his Son and the Son will make much of his Father. And one day all those whom the Son has purchased will be presented holy and blameless before the Father. Not only will we be glorified but creation itself will be fully subjected to the authority of the Son who will restore all things for the glory of the Father.

When all is said and done, it is obvious that we were not created unto ourselves to bask in our frail, finite-selfworth, but rather we were created for nothing less than an infinite triune God who has rescued us from our damnable self-interest and has made us alive unto Himself.

Therefore, take joy in that which God takes joy in, God.

Cultivate Humility - Part 1