How are humility and repentance related?

Carlton McLeod explains in this video that humility is naturally coupled with repentance. Humility involves a contrite heart, a recognition of sin, and an understanding that we are the created not the Creator. It is a realization that we are helpless without God. 

Without a spirit of humility before a holy God, we are arrogant. We must see God as holy. Repentance is the essence of the Christian life. It is the posture that God requires in those that have accepted Him. 

Luke 18:14 (NKJV) - "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

The essence of the Christian life, as one of my favorite preachers says, is humility, humility, humility. And that's right along the lines with repentance. It's to have a contrite heart before God. It's when the creature is in right relation with the Creator. It is that moment when we recognize our sin before God because he enabled us, but it is also a life that is lived on a daily basis, still recognizing that we are helpless without him and hopeless without him.

And so without that posture, without that posture of repentance before a holy God, then we're arrogant. And if we live our lives that way, then it is right to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling and check whether or not we've truly seen God as holy and truly been indwelt by the power of the Spirit. Repentance is the essence of the Christian life because that's what the Bible teaches, because that's the posture that God requires in those that have accepted and those that have been blessed by His grace and His mercy.