When the term ‘humility’ is encountered, it is often perceived in a singular, downward direction, as an act of sacrificing one’s ego in service to others. But what does it truly entail to embody the humility of God? There is no more fitting source for investigating God’s humility than examining the incarnational paradigm of Jesus Christ. Karl Barth, a significant theologian of the 20th century, asserts that the humility of God in Christ cannot be confined to a mere descent for it also encompasses an active process of elevating humanity to know God. In other words, God’s humility is inherently two-directional in relation to humanity.
All the perfections of God originate and culminate in love, establishing love as the essential nature of God’s being. God’s humility, manifested through incarnation, transcends the dimensions of metaphysical to physical, eternal to the space-time, while his being remains constant in love. In humility, God is never estranged from himself as his being remains unwaveringly rooted in love. It is through love and by his grace that God poured himself out in humility. Moreover, this humility can never be fully comprehended unless seen in its inseparability from freedom. God did not humble himself in Jesus Christ out of coercion or obligation, but out of his own free will. It is in his ever-expanding freedom that God chose to humble himself in his Son in reconciliation with the world.
The humility of God cannot be merely characterised as an attitude but rather as an ongoing journey. The journey commences with the initial step of descent to earth, from eternity into the temporal history of God and humanity, as exemplified in the Christ-event. The Christ-event can be comprehended through the incarnational birth, life, teachings, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and the second coming of Christ. Conversely, it is also perceived as a continual act of humility, wherein Jesus persists in interceding on our behalf with the Father. In sum, the journey of God’s humility constitutes a dialectical drive that oscillates between heaven and earth.
It is this very journey that we, as the Church, are called to embark on. This journey, on one side, embraces the frailty and injustice present in the world as it is, while on the other, it simultaneously guides humanity toward the fullness of life in Christ. The fullness of life is empowered by the Spirit of Christ and navigated through humility, with the ultimate aim of responding to the call for justice. In the light of God’s humility, we are summoned to be incarnate voices of love and justice in the regions where we reside.
The fulfillment of God’s humility can only be upheld as a mystery. Since the eschatological aspect of God’s humility is beyond human comprehension, we do not fully understand what it truly means for God to humble himself by sitting alongside glorified humanity in judging the world forever. However, it is essential to note that God’s journey of humility, which began in eternity, is also fulfilled beyond the space-time dimension, reaffirming that his humility is an enduring journey rooted in love.
