Philippians 2:5-8: “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Here we read about the attitude of Jesus. He never wanted to rule over people, establishing hierarchy over others, but brought a completely new perspective, a new way of relating to people.
This is also echoed in Matthew 20:25-28: “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.'”
This new perspective emphasizes that Jesus never wanted to humiliate others; instead, He humbled Himself in every situation and never wanted to rule over people but serve them.
Today, many believers and church leaders misuse Jesus’ words, forcing others into humility to establish dominance over them. For example, they may say, “Humble yourself before me or before person XY, because it is written that you must obey leaders, or else you are not in the attitude of Jesus.” All these demands are not in line with Jesus’ attitude; rather, they reflect the attitude of Satan. Generally, we should not yield to such demands.
Humility can lead to many achievements in the world. If an athlete approaches their task with humility, they will achieve success. They will never be satisfied with their performance but will persistently practice, no matter how well they perform. In this humility, they achieve greater success in their field. This is true in all areas, whether in work, business, or anywhere in the world.
Success in these earthly pursuits is always possible when we are captivated by earthly successes, money, well-being, and human ambition.
However, to understand what true humility is, the humility that the gospel speaks of, we must first turn away from the world and everything it offers in a spiritual sense. A true repentance is needed towards God, and we must be captivated by everything that God can give us—the heavenly treasures. These are the virtues mentioned in Galatians 5:22: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,” and similar qualities.
To attain and receive these virtues, we must follow what is written in verses 5:24-26: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Jesus knows that we cannot do this on our own strength, so we need help. Recognizing our weaknesses, admitting our human nature, we can approach God’s throne of grace, seeking mercy and help to crucify our passions and desires and persevere in them. In this right humility, I receive help for a life filled with divine virtues, to live and grow in it.
Just as earthly fighters endure and achieve earthly successes and glory, we, as spiritual fighters, with perseverance, gain victory over sin and receive heavenly glory, divine nature (2 Peter 1:4).
Therefore, let us not yield to false apostles who seek to rule over us, leading us into corruption. Instead, let us understand the message of the gospel, God’s profound work. Let us be free from people, reject all false teachings, so that God can accomplish His redeeming work in us.