James 4:6, 10 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble….Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
This conditional promise of more grace from God depends on humility on our part: if you are humble God will give you grace and lift you up. God indeed gives grace to every person because of Christ, for grace by definition is universally granted to all sinners. However, the proud are so full of themselves they have no room for God and no need for grace. Grace is available, but they cannot receive it.
Therefore, the Holy Spirit must use the hammer of the Law to convict of sin, break down pride, and bring about repentance and humility. Then the sinner is ready to believe the Gospel and receive the grace of God in Christ. Repentance and humility is itself a gift of God worked in us through the Word. Once we are humbled He comes with grace to lift us up. It all works when He exalts us, never when we exalt ourselves.
We need to remain humble every day by repentance and faith and remembering our baptism (drowning, dying, and rising). Pride is so insidious that it raises its ugly head so often in ways that we don’t even notice. How essential it is that we do not let too many days go by without applying Law and Gospel to the heart. Let humility do its work for the Lord has more grace to give.