The utter importance of humility can be seen in the following quote by William Law though humility is not directly mentioned. Without humility in the soul all the religion that self can produce is diabolical as it is the religion of self. All the use of Scripture and all that we do with it will be for self unless the soul is humbled. When all that the soul does is for self, it is being like the devil who is the most selfish creature in the universe. When the soul uses Scripture for self, it is being like the devil because that is how he uses Scripture as well. Perhaps it could be said that without humility the proud heart is like the devil and has the venom of the devil coursing through its veins. True humility, however, is when the soul has been emptied of self and now Christ lives in the soul and exercises the divine life in the heart of those who are humble. But the diabolical nature of external “Christianity” that those in the bondage of self have is something that perhaps cannot be stressed enough.
“Therefore it must be added that a religion of self, carried on under the banner of Christ-whether it contend for Scripture doctrines or for worldly glory and prosperity-has more of a diabolical nature than that of the Jewish Pharisees. The highest and last working of the mystery of iniquity is this living for self, Satan, and the world under cover of a lip-profession of denying self, of being crucified with Christ, of being led by His Spirit, of being set with Him in heavenly places. Those who boast of their heavenly position in Christ, while living to self, stand in the fullest opposition to the gospel though they contend loudly in words for all orthodox doctrines.” (William Law)
Law speaks of the highest and last working of the mystery of iniquity as being in living for self, Satan, and the world while under the cover of a lip-profession of denying self. Can this really be the highest working of iniquity? Is this worse than murder? Is this worse than adultery? Is this worse than lying and stealing? The story of Simon in Acts 8 shows something of this:
“20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right right before God. 22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 “For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”
Simon believed and was baptized. He was in with Peter and perhaps even thought he was a true believer, but his heart had not been changed. He wanted to impress people and make money by having the power to give people the Holy Spirit and thought that this could be obtained by giving Peter money. Peter said that it was wickedness and that Simon was in “the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” When a person professes Christ and desires to use Christ for the benefit of self, it is a very wicked act. Peter said that Simon should pray to the Lord that “if possible the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.” This may be a reflection that Simon might have went so far in this sin that he had crossed the line. But do “evangelicals” today do things that are really all that different? Don’t they ask for gifts and money in order to pray for people so that the Spirit will heal them? Don’t they in reality try to sell Christ or the Spirit? Don’t we see that many ministers are in it for themselves rather than God as Phil 2:21 points out? Do we see the utter wickedness of using the name of Christ to serve self?
Jesus has set out with a great deal of clarity several times that anyone must deny self in order to follow Him. He has told us that the soil of the heart can believe and yet the seed by choked by worries and the world. But the soul that has not been humbled (emptied of self) will use religion and Christ Himself to serve the interests of self. This points to the utter need of a humbling of the soul in order to be converted in the first place, but also of a true believer that must seek true humility. Apart from humility a person is full of self and wants to serve self, and that goes so far as using or manipulating Christ (at least in the thoughts and intents) to serve self. We can study the Bible simply to serve the lusts of self. While we may not often think of it that way, it is surely diabolical.
In Scripture sexual immorality is a way of joining Christ to a prostitute. The professing believer who uses Christ for self also joins Christ to idols. We are blinded to the ways of sin because pride always wants to view sin in light of self. We are blinded to the true ways of God because we want to see God and His glory in light of self. The unhumbled self is to that person the true god and true idol. The unhumbled self wants the whole word and even God to bow at its feet and serve it. Humility is utterly necessary for all our religion not to be idolatry.
God Loves... Himself 
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