“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6b ESV1
Read James 4:1-5:20
Let me be clear: there is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and there is nothing you can do to make God love you less. God is love (see 1 John 4:8, 16). Perfect love is His character and cannot be swayed by human effort. And your salvation is not dependent on your works. Jesus has already accomplished everything necessary to pay for your sin and give you His righteousness. You need only repent and believe, and God takes care of everything else (see John 6:29 & 27).2 But God’s favor and blessings are conditional. James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote:
“‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (James 4:6b).
God’s resistance to the proud and approval of the humble wasn’t a new concept to the Jewish believers to whom James wrote. Similar statements are found in the Old Testament (see Job 22:29, Psalms 138:6, Proverbs 3:34, and Isaiah 57:15, 66:2). Jesus modeled and taught this (Matthew 23:12), and Peter wrote about it (1 Peter 5:5). But James expounded upon it.
The fourth and fifth chapters of James explain what pride and humility look like. As we consider each of these characteristics, I challenge you to ask yourself, “Does that describe me?”