We sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:6), but Jesus, Paul and other NT writers also commanded us to humble ourselves, consider others better than ourselves, and to prefer and honour one another.
Here are some examples of what it means to humble yourself:
1. Serving others (Phil 2:7, Gal 5:13)
2. Making yourself of no reputation (Phil 2:7)
3. Esteeming others better than yourself / preferring one another (Phil 2:3, Rom 12:10)
4. Not thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to think (Rom 12:3, Gal 6:3)
5. Loving your neighbour as yourself & not biting and devouring one another, and being kind to others (Rom 12:10, Col 3:14, Gal 5:14-15)
6. We are dead to the law and Christ lives in us and we live by the faith of the Son of God (Gal 2:20) and we do not try to be made pefect by the flesh (Gal 3:3)
7. Doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus and with all your heart as unto the Lord and not unto men (Col 3:17, 23)
8. Not glorying in the flesh or in anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 6:13-14)
9. Being longsuffering (patient) and forbearing (enduring or putting up with things) and keeping unity of the Spirit and forgiving others (Eph 4:2-3, Col 3:12-13)
10. Restoring other people who are overtaken in faults, in the spirit of meekness (Gal 6:1)
11. Bearing one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2)
12. Not provoking or envying others (Gal 5:26)
13. Doing good to everyone, especially those of the household of faith (Gal 6:10)
14. Honouring fathers and obeying masters with fear and trembling, doing the will of God from the heart and with good will (Eph 6:2,5-7, Col 3:22).
15. Not being threatening to those who serve you (Eph 6:9)
There are many warnings throughout scripture warning against pride and boasting (e.g. Pr 28:26, Mt 26:33, Luke 18:9, Jn 9:41, 1 Cor 10:12). It is right to gently point out error and to judge all things (1 Cor 2:15), but we also need to honour and love our brothers and sisters and be prepared to listen to them. We are not to judge other people (Rom 14:13). Let’s also not idolise someone who preaches some great truths, and think they never make mistakes, however good we think those people are, as I have seen some people do. Let’s honour and love people. We highly recommend Danny Silk’s awesome book, “Culture of Honour”, see http://www.lovingonpurpose.com/cultureofhonor/#/home/. Divisions are not caused by people questioning things and seeking truth and differentiating truth from error, but divisions are caused by lack of love and honour. My intention is only to love and honour everyone, including those I don’t always agree with. Rom 12:10 sums this up very well: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” Rom 13:8 then says “Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
We recommend Andrew Murray’s book Humility. See http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/murray/5f00.0565/5f00.0565.c.htm or http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9780883681787?redirected=true&gclid=CKHOl5Xls7QCFaTKtAodDWAAgQ