From his sermon Pride and Humility, delivered at New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, 1856:
“Now let us briefly enquire, in the first place, what is humility? The best definition I have ever met with is…to think rightly of ourselves. Humility is to make a right estimate of one’s-self…
Humility is to feel that we have no power of ourselves, but that it all cometh from God. Humility is to lean on our beloved, to believe that he has trodden the winepress alone, to lie on his bosom and slumber sweetly there, to exalt him, and think less than nothing of ourselves. It is in fact, to annihilate self, and to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ as all in all.”
From his sermon A Mournful Defection, delivered at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, 1877:
“Remember, dear brethren and sisters, if you would be preserved from falling, you must be schooled in humility, and keep very low before the Lord. When you are half-an-inch above the ground, you are that half-inch too high. Your safety is to be nothing. Trust Christ, but do not trust yourself. Rely on the Spirit of God, but do not rely on anything that is in yourself.”
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I heard a definition of humility. It went something like this. “Humility is taking what God gives you… ”
I expected the guy telling me to say more and then he said, “That’s it.”
Made sense to me!
If we were to think rightly of ourselves, we would see ourselves as utter wretches, depraved and desperate for the grace of God in all things. The truth and extent of our depravity is humbling. That’s another reason why theology is important; if your theology of man is wrong, you will have a view of self that is too high.
Great quotes from Spurgeon.
Good points @Johnnie and @Nathan. The doctrines of grace are so important and humbling because they are God-centered, not man-centered. All boasting and glory are His. Eph 2:8-9