God's Opposition

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." –James 4:6

Sometimes when you say something too much it isn’t heard, but when you say it less, it is heard louder. During the whole book thus far, James has never mentioned the word ‘grace.’ He seems more bent on calling people to personal and communal holiness mixed with very practical application. Martin Luther even called the book of James ‘the epistle of straw’ because its theology seems at a distance to be so contrary to that of Paul. But here, in one verse, James gives us something that helps us remember how we can really live out what he is teaching. How do we live it out? By God’s grace. What attitude must we have to receive his grace? Humility.

Now let’s be clear here that we can’t earn our salvation. It is still a free gift. But we can’t come to God in our arrogance. In the spiritual progression that we see in the beatitudes (Matthew 5), it starts with “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” If we are going to live the life that God wants us to live, we have to both be humble and receive God’s grace.

But if God truly opposes the proud, this has a profound impact on the religious community. Ultimately, we can have a great systematic theology, have great programs in place, and have the most talented people, but yet are arrogant and proud, then God is not for us. He is opposed to us. The essential trait in every leader is humility. How are you living out God’s grace through your humility?