Character Studies - ElectronicGospel

C. Humility1. truly, it is a matter of humility, for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (cf. James4:6, First Peter 5:5)a. the Ethiopian eunuch is humble enough to sit at Philip’s feet and learn to kneel at Christ’sb. moreover, he is humble enough to submit to being baptized by Philip2. why is baptism such a contentious point, when its importance throughout the New Testament andespecially here is undeniable?a. why do people attend and confess, sometimes even repent and reform, but resist the call to bebaptized so that their sins might actually be washed away?b. baptism is humbling and not to the glory of the baptizer, but to Christ, who was baptized byJohn himself and then underwent a figurative baptism when he died upon the cross (cf. Luke 12:50)3. humility goes beyond submitting to baptism, so that it includes submitting to all the will ofChrist, even and especially when that will conflicts with our convenience, opinion, prejudice or prosperity(Matthew 7:21-27)4. when it comes to baptism or getting up early for worship or resisting a temptation to lie, cheat,steal or lust, it all comes down to having the humility to submit your will to Christ’s (Luke 6:46)ConclusionWe learn much good from the humble example of the Ethiopian eunuch who submitted himself to whatPhilip taught and then obeyed it in the water of baptism.Character Studies! 109