The Biblical Paradox

1/ HUMILITY IN THE HANDS OF GOD

2/ EXALTATION THROUGH HUMILITY

3/ STRENGTH THROUGH WEAKNESS

4/ THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST

5/ GREATNESS THROUGH SERVICE

6/ LOSE YOUR LIFE TO SAVE IT

7/ DENY YOURSELF AND FOLLOW CHRIST

8/ FORSAKE ALL THAT YOU HAVE

9/ SEEK NOT YOUR OWN, BUT OTHERS EDIFICATION

10/ PAUL'S STATUS AS AN APOSTLE

11/ WE ARE NOTHING, GOD IS EVERYTHING

12/ NOT OUR WILL, BUT GOD'S WILL

13/ DOING THE WILL OF GOD

14/ YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE

15/ FIND YOURSELF IN CHRIST

1/ HUMILITY IN THE HANDS OF GOD

JOB 22:29
When they cast you down, and you say, 'Exaltation will come!' Then He will save the humble
person.

JOB 5:11
He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

PSALM 34:18
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

PSALM 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart-- These, O God, You
will not despise.

PSALM 147:3
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

PROVERBS 3:34
Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the
humble.

ISAIAH 57:15
For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in
the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the
humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

ISAIAH 66:2
For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist," Says the Lord. "But on this
one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.

JAMES 4:6-10
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the
humble."
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purity
your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to
gloom.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.

1 PETER 2:21-23
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that
you should follow His steps:
22 "Who committed no sin, Nor was guile found in His mouth";
23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten,
but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

2/ EXALTATION THROUGH HUMILITY

MATTHEW 18:4
Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

MATTHEW 23:12
whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

LUKE 14:7-11
7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best
places, saying to them:
8 "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest
one more honorable than you be invited by him;
9 "and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you
begin with shame to take the lowest place.
10 "But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited
you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of
those who sit at the table with you.
11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

LUKE 18:9-14
9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
despised others:
10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other
men - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
12 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but
beat his breast, saying, 'God be merciful to me a sinner!'
14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who
exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.

1 PETER 5:5-6
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive
to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the
humble."
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due
time.

3/ STRENGTH THROUGH WEAKNESS

ISAIAH 40:29
He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.

ROMANS 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for
as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:27-31
27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has
chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God had chosen, and the
things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption--
31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."

2 CORINTHIANS 12:9-11
9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in
weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ
may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses,
for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
11 I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been
commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing.

2 CORINTHIANS 13:3-4
3 since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in
you.
4 For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are
weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

2 CORINTHIANS 13:9
For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be
made complete.

HEBREWS 11:34
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made
strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of aliens.

4/ THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST

MATTHEW 11:10
"Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than
John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

MATT 19:30; 20:1-16
30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
1 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire
laborers for his vineyard.
2 "Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his
vineyard.
3 "And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4 "and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' And
they went.
5 "Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.
6 "And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them,
'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'
7 "They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard,
and whatever is right you will receive.'
8 "So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers
and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'
9 "And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a
denarius.
10 "But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise
received each a denarius.
11 "And when they had received it, they murmured against the landowner,
12 "saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who
have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'
13 "But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree
with me for a denarius?
14 'Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.
15 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I
am good?'
16 "So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

MARK 10:31
But many that are first will be last, and the last first.

LUKE 7:26-28
26 "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.
27 "This is he of whom it is written: 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will
prepare Your way before You.'
28 "For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the
Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."

LUKE 9:48
for he who is least among you all is the one who is great.

LUKE 13:30
And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.

5/ GREATNESS THROUGH SERVICE

MATTHEW 18:1-4
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven?"
2 And Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,
3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you
will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven.

MATTHEW 20:25-28
25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it
over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.
26 "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him
be your servant.
27 "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--
28 "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom
for many."

MATTHEW 23:10-12
10 "And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.
11 "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 "And whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

MARK 9:33-35
33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it
you disputed among yourselves on the road?"
34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the
greatest.
35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall
be last of all and servant of all."

MARK 10:42-45
42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered
rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
43 "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be
your servant.
44 "And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a
ransom for many."

LUKE 9:46-48
46 Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.
47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him,
48 and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever
receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great."

LUKE 22:24-27
24 But there was also rivalry among them, as to which of them should be considered the
greatest.
25 And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who
exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'
26 "But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the
younger, and he who governs as he who serves.

1 PETER 5:1-6
1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the
sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but
willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade
away.
5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of your be submissive
to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the
humble."
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due
time,

6/ LOSE YOUR LIFE TO SAVE IT

DEUTERONOMY 13:6-10
6 "If your brother, the son of your mother, your son or your daughter, the wife of your bosom,
or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you, saying, 'Let us go and serve other
gods,' which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers,
7 "of the gods of the people which are all around you, near to you or far off from you, from one
end of the earth to the other end of the earth,
8 "you shall not consent to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare
him or conceal him;
9 "but you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and
afterward the hand of all the people.
10 "And you shall stone him with stones until he dies, because he sought to entice you away
from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

MATTHEW 10:37-39
37 "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or
daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38 "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
39 "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

MATTHEW 16:24-25
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow Me.
25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will
find it.

MARK 8:34-35
34 And when He had called the people to Him, with His disciples also, He said to them,
"Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
35 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and
the gospel's will save it.

LUKE 9:23-25
23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross daily, and follow Me.
24 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will
save it.
25 "For what advantage is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or
lost?

LUKE 14:26-27
26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers
and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
27 "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

JOHN 12:25
"He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal
life.

ACTS 20:24
"But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish
my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of
the grace of God.

ACTS 21:13
Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready
not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

PHILIPPIANS 3:7-9
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 But indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain
Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which
is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

REVELATIONS 12:11
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and
they did not love their lives to the death.

7/ DENY YOURSELF AND FOLLOW CHRIST

MATTHEW 16:24-27
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross, and follow Me.
25 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will
find it.
26 "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will
a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will
reward each according to his works.

MARK 8:34-35
34 And when He had called the people to Him, with His disciples also, He said to them,
"Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
35 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and
the gospel's will save it.

LUKE 9:23-25
23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross daily, and follow Me.
24 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will
save it.
25 "For what advantage is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or
lost?

ROMANS 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

GALATIANS 5:24
And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

EPHESIANS 4:22
that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according
to the deceitful lusts,

COLOSSIANS 3:5-6
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness,
passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,

TITUS 2:12
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously,
and godly in the present age,

JAMES 3:16
For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing will be there.

1 PETER 4:2
that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the
will of God.

8/ FORSAKE ALL THAT YOU HAVE

27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore
what shall we have?"
28 So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man
sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging
the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or
children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit everlasting life.
30 "But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

MARK 10:29-31
29 So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or
brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's,
30 "who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time-- houses and brothers and sisters and
mothers and children and lands, with persecutions-- and in the age to come, eternal life.
31 "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

LUKE 14:33
"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

LUKE 18:29-30
29 So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or
brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
30 "who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come
everlasting life."

ACTS 4:32
Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone
say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

9/ SEEK NOT YOUR OWN, BUT OTHERS EDIFICATION

ROMANS 12:10
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one
another;

ROMANS 15:1-3
1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please
ourselves.
2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.
3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who
reproached You fell on Me."

1 CORINTHIANS 10:23-24
23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful; all things are lawful for me, but all
things do not edify.
24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.

1 CORINTHIANS 13:5
does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

PHILIPPIANS 2:1-8
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the
Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each
esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of
men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the
point of death, even the death of the cross.

10/ PAUL'S STATUS AS AN APOSTLE

1 CORINTHIANS 15:8-9
8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I
persecuted the church of God.

EPHESIANS 3:7-8
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the
effective working of His power.
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach
among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

11/ WE ARE NOTHING, GOD IS EVERYTHING

JOB 6:21
For now you are nothing, You see terror and are afraid.

JOB 25:6
How much less man, who is a maggot, And a son of man, who is a worm?"

PSALM 22:6
But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised of the people.

ISAIAH 41:14
"Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you," says the Lord and your
Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:6-7
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the
increase.

2 CORINTHIANS 12:11
I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been
commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing.

JOHN 15:5
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, Bears much fruit; for
without Me you can do nothing.

12/ NOT OUR WILL, BUT GOD'S WILL

MATTHEW 26:39
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible,
let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

JOHN 5:19
Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing
of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like
manner.

JOHN 5:30
"I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgement is righteous, because I do
not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

JOHN 6:38
"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent
Me.

JOHN 8:28
Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He,
and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.

JOHN 12:49
"For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a
command, what I should say and what I should speak."

JOHN 14:10
"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to
you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

13/ DOING THE WILL OF GOD

MATTHEW 6:9-10
9 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed by Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

ROMANS 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

EPHESIANS 5:17-21
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody
in your heart to the Lord,
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
21 submitting to one another in the fear of the God.

EPHESIANS 6:5-8
5 Servants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and
trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ;
6 not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the
heart,
7 with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he
is a slave or free.

COLOSSIANS 3:22-24
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as
men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the
Lord Christ.

1 PETER 4:2
that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the
will of God.

14/ YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE

ROMANS 12:3
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a
measure of faith.

15/ FIND YOURSELF IN CHRIST

PHILIPPIANS 3:7-9
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 But indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain
Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which
is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;