How do I balance doctrinal conviction with humility?
Question 11074
It is one of the most difficult balancing acts in the Christian life. On the one hand, we are called to contend for the faith, to hold fast to sound doctrine, to stand firm on the truth of God’s Word. On the other hand, we are called to clothe ourselves with humility, to consider others more significant than ourselves, to be gentle and patient with those who disagree.
How do these fit together? Is it possible to be both convicted and humble? Can we hold our beliefs firmly while acknowledging our limitations? Can we defend the truth without becoming arrogant defenders of the truth? The short answer is yes—but only if we understand what true humility is and what true conviction looks like. The two are not opposites; they are companions. Rightly understood, they need each other.
The Biblical Call to Conviction
Scripture clearly calls believers to doctrinal conviction. We have already seen Jude’s exhortation to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Paul commanded Timothy to “guard the good deposit entrusted to you” (2 Timothy 1:14) and to “continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed” (2 Timothy 3:14). He told Titus to “hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught” so that he would be able “to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).
There is no virtue in theological uncertainty about matters that Scripture addresses clearly. The person who claims agnosticism about the resurrection, the deity of Jesus, or salvation by grace through faith is not displaying humility but unfaithfulness. When God has spoken, our job is to believe what He has said and to hold it firmly.
Paul himself modelled this conviction. He could say with confidence: “Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). He did not say “well, that’s just my opinion” or “you might have a point.” He stated the truth and warned of dire consequences for departing from it. This kind of conviction is not arrogance; it is faithfulness. We are not confident in our own wisdom but in God’s Word. The difference is everything.
The Biblical Call to Humility
At the same time, Scripture repeatedly commands humility: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12). “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).
Jesus Himself said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). The Son of God—who had more right to assert His authority than anyone in history—described Himself as gentle and lowly. He washed His disciples’ feet. He became a servant. He emptied Himself for others.
Peter commanded: “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another” (1 Peter 5:5). The image is striking: humility is a garment we put on, an intentional choice to adopt a posture of lowliness in our dealings with others. This humility is not mere politeness or social convention. It is rooted in the recognition that we are creatures, dependent entirely on God for everything we have and know. It is rooted in the awareness of our own sin and our need for grace. It is rooted in the example of Jesus, who though He was rich, for our sake became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Why These Are Not Opposites
The key to understanding how conviction and humility fit together lies in recognising what each actually involves. Conviction is confidence in God’s truth. Humility is recognition of our own limitations. These are not in conflict because the source of our confidence is not ourselves.
An arrogant person is one who trusts in his own wisdom, his own insight, his own superior understanding. He believes he is right because of who he is. But a humble person with doctrinal conviction trusts not in himself but in the Word of God. His confidence is not in his own brilliance but in the clarity and authority of Scripture.
This means that the more confident I am in Scripture, the more humble I should be about myself. I did not discover these truths through my own genius; they were revealed by God and taught to me by others. I hold them not because I am smarter than those who disagree but because God has graciously opened my eyes to see what He has spoken. As Paul asked the Corinthians: “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).
Jonathan Edwards captured this when he wrote: “Spiritual pride is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of religion.” The danger for those who care about truth is that we begin to take credit for our knowledge, to look down on those who know less, to confuse our understanding of the truth with the truth itself.
Distinguishing Levels of Certainty
Part of the balance involves recognising that not all doctrines are equally certain and equally important. The early church distinguished between the rule of faith (the core truths all Christians must affirm) and theological opinions (areas where faithful believers may disagree).
Theologians have often used a threefold distinction. Primary doctrines are those essential to the gospel and to Christian identity: the Trinity, the deity and humanity of Jesus, the atoning work of Jesus, salvation by grace through faith, the authority of Scripture—these are non-negotiable. To deny them is to depart from Christianity altogether. Secondary doctrines are significant matters where genuine Christians disagree: the mode and subjects of baptism, church government structures, the continuation or cessation of certain spiritual gifts, the timing of the rapture—these are important, and we should hold our views with conviction, but they do not determine whether someone is a true believer. Tertiary doctrines are matters of even less significance—theological questions that may be interesting but do not warrant division or strong contention.
Humility involves recognising which category a doctrine falls into and calibrating our tone accordingly. We should be uncompromising on primary matters, convicted but charitable on secondary matters, and open-handed on tertiary matters. This does not mean we have no convictions about secondary issues. We should study them, form conclusions, and be willing to explain why we believe what we believe. But we should also recognise that godly, Bible-believing Christians have disagreed on these matters for centuries, and we should extend grace to those who see things differently.
Humility in How We Hold Our Convictions
Even when we are confident about a doctrine, humility should characterise how we hold that conviction. Several attitudes mark the humble theologian.
First, teachability. The humble person remains open to learning more, to having blind spots exposed, to being corrected where he has erred. This does not mean doubting everything or being tossed about by every wind of doctrine. It means recognising that our understanding is partial and growing. As Paul said, “Now I know in part; then I shall know fully” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
Second, charitable interpretation of those who disagree. The humble person does not assume the worst about opponents. He tries to understand their position in its best light before critiquing it. He attacks arguments, not persons. He assumes good faith unless given clear reason to think otherwise.
Third, recognition of complexity. Many theological questions are genuinely difficult. The humble person acknowledges this rather than pretending that everyone who disagrees is simply stupid or wicked. He can say, “I understand why someone might see it differently, but here is why I find this view most faithful to Scripture.”
Fourth, appropriate tentativeness in appropriate areas. On matters where Scripture is less clear, the humble person holds his views more loosely. He can say, “This is my best understanding, but I hold it with some degree of uncertainty.”
Fifth, willingness to say “I don’t know.” The humble person does not need to have an answer to every question. He can acknowledge the limits of his knowledge without feeling threatened.
Humility in How We Express Our Convictions
How we communicate our convictions matters as much as what we believe. Paul told Timothy: “The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness, in the hope that God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25). Notice the combination: correcting opponents (conviction), but with gentleness (humility). Being able to teach (conviction), but kind to everyone (humility). The two belong together.
Peter likewise instructs: “But in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). We are to be prepared to defend the faith—but with gentleness and respect. The manner of our defence matters. Truth spoken harshly can do as much damage as error spoken kindly, perhaps more, because it discredits the truth in the eyes of onlookers.
This means we should avoid mockery of those who disagree (sarcasm and ridicule may win points with our own tribe, but they poison the atmosphere and make genuine dialogue impossible), caricature of opposing positions (we should represent other views accurately, in terms their proponents would recognise, before we critique them), personal attacks (we engage arguments, not people; we can say “this view is wrong” without saying “you are stupid”), and triumphalism when proven right (if an opponent comes to agree with us, we should receive them graciously, not gloat over our victory).
The Example of Jesus
Jesus provides the perfect model of conviction combined with humility. He spoke with authority that astonished His hearers (Matthew 7:28-29). He did not hesitate to correct error, rebuke hypocrisy, and proclaim truth. Yet He was also “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29). He welcomed sinners, touched lepers, blessed children, and wept over Jerusalem.
His harshest words were reserved for the religious establishment who should have known better—and even then, His goal was not destruction but repentance. With ordinary people, with seekers, with those genuinely confused, He was patient and kind. He met people where they were, asked questions, told stories, gently led them toward truth.
The Pharisees had conviction without humility—and they crucified Jesus. Some of Jesus’ opponents had humility without conviction—and they drifted away when the cost became too high. Jesus alone perfectly embodied both: absolute certainty about truth, absolute gentleness in love.
Practical Steps
How can we cultivate this balance practically?
First, remember the source of your knowledge. Every true thing you understand is a gift from God. “What do you have that you did not receive?” Keep reminding yourself that your theological insight is not evidence of your superiority but of God’s grace.
Second, pray for those who disagree. It is hard to be arrogant toward someone you are sincerely praying for. Ask God to give them wisdom, to bless them, to draw them closer to truth. This softens your heart toward them.
Third, listen before you speak. James counsels: “Be quick to hear, slow to speak” (James 1:19). Understand what someone actually believes before you critique it. You may find they are less wrong than you assumed, or that your objections miss the mark.
Fourth, cultivate relationships with godly people who disagree with you on secondary matters. Get to know them as brothers and sisters, not as opponents. See their love for Jesus, their devotion to Scripture, their godly character. This prevents the demonisation that often accompanies theological controversy.
Fifth, study church history. Recognise that brilliant, godly people throughout the centuries have disagreed on many issues. This should induce humility about our own conclusions.
Sixth, keep the main thing the main thing. In every theological discussion, keep coming back to Jesus, to the gospel, to what unites us as believers. Do not let secondary matters become primary. Do not let disagreement about the millennium obscure agreement about the cross.
Conclusion
Doctrinal conviction and humility are not opposites; they are allies. The person who trusts Scripture more will boast in himself less. The person who understands grace will extend grace to others. The person who knows the truth will love the truth enough to share it gently. We are called to contend for the faith with all our might—but we contend as servants, not as lords. We defend the truth with firmness—but we defend it with tears, not with sneers. We hold fast to sound doctrine—but we hold it with open hands, recognising that the truth is greater than our grasp of it. May God give us the courage of conviction and the gentleness of humility, united in one heart, for the glory of Jesus and the good of His church.
“The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness, in the hope that God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 2:24-25
Bibliography
- Carson, D. A. The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996.
- Edwards, Jonathan. The Works of Jonathan Edwards. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1974.
- Köstenberger, Andreas J. and Richard D. Patterson. Invitation to Biblical Interpretation: Exploring the Hermeneutical Triad of History, Literature, and Theology. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2021.
- Moo, Douglas J. The Letters to the Colossians and to Philemon. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008.
- Packer, J. I. Knowing God. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1973.