This post is part of a series of core Christian principles for new believers. For more, visit the series archive.
Explore the importance of honor and respect in a spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Bible tells us the highest form of love in marriage is:
A woman giving respect to her Husband (Eph. 5:33)
A man to giving honor to his Wife (1 Peter 3:7)
So how are these two applied to our relationship with God?
As you know, God created the institution of marriage and instilled these fulfilling desires in us. Both have a more significant meaning than what's on the surface.
Let's analyze the first one, respect.
What's love got to do with respect?
Respect means to display an attitude of high esteem and thoughtfulness.
In the Bible, the principle of respecting God is synonymous with the 'fear' of the Lord.
Fearing God is a crucial topic because it's mentioned over 300 times, showing how God responds to a person who respects Him and the linked benefits.
See the scriptures below.
"Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him."
- Psalm 33:8 (KJV)
"And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation"
-Luke 1:50 (ESV)Since God is everywhere, even in our minds, true reverence can be shown in our mental attitude and physical actions.
Try these practical ways of giving respect to our God.
Acknowledge God's presence by carrying yourself in a well-pleasing manner to our King.
Don't be disrespectful by using profanity and vulgar language.
Yield your desires to the will of God by being mindful of the things that matter to Him.
Keep your environment clean, in a state where God is comfortable next to you.
Illustration: Imagine the most highly respected person in your life (your grandparent, boss, or mate) hanging out with you all day.
Would you be ok if your friends were cussing up a storm while in their presence?
Would you change the station when something inappropriate comes on?
Would you eat the fresh produce at the grocery store without paying for it?
Out of respect for that person, I hope you would attempt to protect them and their integrity by making thoughtful choices.
If you can do this for a mere human, there should be no problem upholding a respectful attitude toward our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
You must choose to stay near our holy Heavenly Father OR to leave His presence for the love of the world because God will not tolerate being disrespected.
...do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. - James 4:4 (NASB)What's love got to do with honor?
Honor means to recognize the importance and value of someone.
Honoring God is much more than displaying an attitude of respect.
It requires genuine and deeply rooted admiration that comes from understanding who He is, what He has done, and how much He is worth to you.
How do we honor God?
One way we can do this is with our glorifying speech and praise music.
Ex. God is awesome; God is supreme; God never makes a mistake.
When we say positive things about God, we bring honor to His name by acknowledging His greatness out loud and to others.
He hears everything we say and think, so don't wait to give honor to our marvelous God.
How to give God glory?
You're probably thinking, how can I give God glory when I don't have any?
Well, when the opportunity arises to give or receive glory, simply reflect it back at God.
Giving God the glory happens when we choose not to take credit for something that God has done. Instead, we humble ourselves by admitting God's blessing in our lives.
Here are a few social examples:
Giving Glory:
Incorrect: I am a self-made successful person, pulling myself out of ruins.
Correct: I have no control over the circumstances in life; it was by God's grace that led me to where I am today.
Receiving Glory:
Comment: "Wow, you have accomplished so much in your life!"
Incorrect: Yes, I know; thank you for noticing my efforts.
Correct: Only by God's power was I able to achieve this much.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. - Matthew 23:12 (NASB)Always remember that God gives you the strength, the vision, the capabilities to accomplish success in life, and only He can allow you to enjoy it.
How do I humble myself?
Biblically, humility is the quality of recognizing yourself as inferior to God and submitting to His will.
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. Psalm 25:9 (ESV) -If you combine the principles of respect, honor, and giving glory to God, you will be well on your way to true humbleness.
If you need a bit of direction, see the humbling examples Jesus Christ set for us.
He washed the feet of His disciples (John 13:1-17)
Humbled himself by being obedient to death (Philippians 2:6-8)
Christ became poor so that we might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9)
As Christians, we are to follow Christ by imitating Him. (Philippians 2:5)
Humility is not a choice; it's a chance to do the right thing.
If we do not humble ourselves, God will do it for us, the hard way.
See the amazing story of King Nebuchadnezzar below.
God warned him to be humble, and when he didn't listen, God took his sanity and rulership.
"Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. The king began speaking and was saying,
‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty?’
While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying,
‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the animals of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’"
- Daniel 4:29-32 (NASB)
"But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever..."
- Daniel 4:34 (NASB)In conclusion, humility is not about having low self-esteem, but the perspective to see that the world does not revolve around you and your life.
God has plans for every created being in the universe, our lives have just as much significance as another, yet no one can come close to the glory, honor, and respect that our God has.
One day everybody on Earth and in Heaven will come to this same conclusion.
"...at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
- Philippians 2:10-11 (NASB)
Scriptures:
"The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant." - Psalm 25:14 (ESV)
Songs:
'Get The Glory' by Leon Timbo, Northern Lights United
"You've given grace to us and you are here choosing to love us
We join and give you glory,
You alone, you alone, get the glory..."
'Behold (Awe & Wonder)' by Valley Creek Worship
"Behold His glory, behold His power
In awe and wonder we crown You Lord of all
Behold our King enthroned in majesty
In awe and wonder we crown You Lord of all..."
Sermons:
Proving That You Fear God – $4.50 (MP3)
Fearing God's Holiness - $4.50 (MP3)
Dr. Tony Evans explains all the many facets of fearing God... In this series, you will learn that to fear God means to hold Him in high reverence. To biblically and spiritually fear God, the way we are meant to fear God is the overall purpose of this series.
Moving forward, I pray you'll honor God with all of your respectful choices. In [Step 9], we will get into the details of speaking with God directly.
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