Holiness is proven by the humility it produces.
As Christians, we pursue holiness when we pursue God. Holiness IS His essence. It's the same overcoming holiness that made the Israelites beg Moses to go to the mountain instead of them and Isaiah to cry out "Woe is me! I am undone." It's the core of revival and the power of Christ to sustain life, heal bodies, and call forth the dead. It's the power we share when we give away what we've been given by the Holy Spirit.
But instead, much of the church is plagued by counterfeit holiness, which is evidenced by the lack of humility.
"In the creature, humility is the one thing needed to allow God's holiness to dwell in him and shine through him. In Jesus, the Holy One of God who makes us holy, a divine humility was the secret of His life and His death and His exaltation; the one infallible test of our holiness will be the humility before God and men which marks us. Humility is the bloom and the beauty of holiness." - Andrew Murray, Humility (emphasis is mine)
Humility is the bloom and the beauty of holiness. Blessed are the poor in spirit...blessed are the meek...blessed are the humble because they are like Christ.
"In their spiritual history men may have had times of great humbling and brokenness, but what a difference this is from being clothed with humility, from having a humbled spirit, from having that lowliness of mind in which each counts himself the servant of others, and so shows forth the very mind which was also in Jesus." - Andrew Murray, Humility (emphasis is mine)
Clothed with humility rather than an experience of a moment of humility. Having a humbled spirit rather than a prideful one. Counting ourselves the servant of others rather than counting others as resources in our mission. Showing the mind of Christ.
How does one properly demonstrate or live this mind of Christ and humbled spirit?
It seems that if we watch the following—in ourselves and in those we follow—we will see which spirit reigns in our hearts:
How we respond when opinions are given to us and when we give our opinions
How we respond when work is assigned to us and when we take on work/roles
How we respond when our faults are exposed and when we expose others' faults
How we treat other Christians
How we treat those in the world
"Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all." - A. Murray
Humility is the gauge of how much of God's presence and power is active in our lives.
Grace provides the revelation of God that becomes our All in All.
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