C.J. Mahaney - Humility: True Greatness

Humility is seldom thought about in our Christian community. In his masterful way, C. J. Mahaney gives us a much-needed wake-up call on this important subject. I highly recommend this book.

J ERRY B RIDGES
A UTHOR OF T HE J OY OF F EARING G OD

My friend C. J. Mahaney tackles a subject of immense importance. Since God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, what could be more important than understanding and developing true humility as a lightning rod for grace? C. J.s book is biblical, honest, and full of helpful insights. We need less egomania and more humility and servanthood in our churches today. May God use this book to remind us that only the humble are sane.

R ANDY A LCORN
A UTHOR OF I F G OD IS G OOD AND T HE G RACE AND T RUTH P ARADOX

We need to be reminded daily that God is opposed to the proud. We need to be told once again what greatness is in the eyes of God. This is important for leaders in the church, leaders in families, and for anyone who desires to live a life of excellence that is pleasing to Him. I am grateful for C. J. Mahaneys honest and accurate treatment of this accepted sin. Let the truth that is explained in this book break you of pride and reap within you the pleasing aroma of humility. God not only is opposed to the proud, but He exalts the humble.

J OHN M AC AR THUR
P ASTOR AND TEACHER , G RACE C OMMUNITY C HURCH

C. J. Mahaney is not humble. At least, thats what hell tell you. And thats one reason hes so well qualified to write this book. Ive read it. Ive seen humility in his lifeand in the lives of those hes taught. If youre fighting pridelike I amyou should read it, too. And if youre not fighting pride, you really need to read it!

M ARK D EVER
S ENIOR P ASTOR , C APITOL H ILL B APTIST C HURCH
A UTHOR , N INE M ARKS OF A H EALTHY C HURCH

This is the right book from the right man at the right time. More than any other man I have known, C. J. Mahaney has taught me what humility really is. This is a man whose humility is a gift to the entire church. He knows that humility is strength, and that God uses the humble in a powerful way. He understands the danger of pride and calls us all to aspire to a legacy of greatnessa greatness that shows the entire world the glory of God. He points us to a cross-centered worldview that will transform every dimension of life.

R. A LBERT M OHLER J R .
P RESIDENT , S OUTHERN B APTIST T HEOLOGICAL S EMINARY

A wonderful, sobering, humbling, God-centered, Bible-based book on humility by an author who truly exemplifies it in his own life. I especially appreciated Mahaneys suggestions for practical disciplines to help us cultivate humility before God. This message will tend to keep us and our churches from self-destruction due to pride, will make us thankful for little blessings in everyday life, and will bring us closer to God.

W AYNE G RUDEM
R ESEARCH P ROFESSOR OF B IBLE AND T HEOLOGY ,
P HOENIX S EMINARY

In Humility: True Greatness, C. J. Mahaney provides a clear and helpful battlefield manual for the believers ongoing growth, the fight against pride, and the cultivation of humility. C. J. is no dry-land sailor in this conflict. He and his dear congregation manifest the Spirits sovereign grace-work in both their personal and corporate humility and in their seriousness about dealing with pride. A proud Christian is an oxymoron. May the Lord of Glory, who humbled himself unto death, use this book to slay pride in you, and to form in you the true greatness of servanthood and self-denial.

J. L IGON D UNCAN III
C HANCELLOR AND C EO , R EFORMED T HEOLOGICAL S EMINARY

CONTENTS

PART I
OUR GREATEST FRIEND, OUR GREATEST ENEMY
The Battle of Humility Versus Pride

PART II
THE GREAT REVERSAL
Our Savior and the Secret of True Greatness

PART III
OUR GREAT PURSUIT
The Practice of True Humility

To my son, Chad.

F OREWORD

C . J. MAHANEY IS NOT HUMBLE . At least, thats what hell tell you. And thats one reason hes so well qualified to write this book.

Thats what I wrote about C. J. and this book ten years ago, and I feel that even more strongly now. However, this foreword isnt so much about C. J. as it is about humility.

Humility is what you want with you when times are dark and friends are few. Humility can take personal tragedies and find quiet reason to rejoice in Gods reliable goodness. Humility can help us to see more of the truth about ourselves. Humility has power to grant us the ability to carry heavier weights and run longer distances than we ever could without it.

And its precisely because humility is so important that youve made a wise choice to spend some time with this little book. Though this volume is short, its effect in your life can be long, and deep. As I read the Gospels, few things seem to separate me from Jesus more sharply than His utter humility and my repeated lack of it. That difference pains me. And I want to work on that. This book has helped me and continues to do so.

In the pastoral internship at our church, we ask each intern to begin by reading this book and then writing a five-page paper on themselves, using the lenses that C. J. has provided here. These papers are always good exercises for them, and they always lead to good initial discussions among the interns. Its hard to imagine a more important way to begin an internship designed to equip men to serve the Savior who laid down His life for us.

I think this book could help you, too, reader. I pray that it will.

Mark Dever

pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC

president, 9Marks.org

July 2015

INTRODUCTION

W RITING ABOUT HUMILITY is a humbling experience. Who wants to volunteer to write on this subject? Not me. Thereve been countless times while completing this book when Ive been inspired to think, You idiot! Why did you agree to do this? And I could entertain you for hours relating the comments and facial expressions of those who discovered I was authoring a work with this title.

I understand their reaction. If I met someone presuming to have something to say about humility, automatically Id think him unqualified to speak on the subject.

So let me make this clear at the outset: Im a proud man pursuing humility by the grace of God. I dont write as an authority on humility; I write as a fellow pilgrim walking with you on the path set for us by our humble Savior. I can only address you with confidence in the great and gracious God who has promised to give grace to the humble (see James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). That promise forms the heart of this book. And that promise is for every one of us who turns from his or her sins and trusts in the Savior.

The structure of this book is simple and straightforward.

In the first part well learn that, no matter our age or vocation, humility is our greatest friend and pride our greatest enemy.

In part two well discover that genuine humility requires a radical redefinition of success. Well learn from Jesus Christ as He teaches His disciples the nature of true greatness, and why this greatness is attainable only through His death on the cross for sinners like you and me.