Galatians 5:26 (KJV)
Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Interesting that the "vain glory" we find here has turned into one word as though all glory were vainglory.
The letter to the Galatians was prompted by a false doctrine being preached to and sometimes accepted by those people - that Christians were still subject to the Laws of Moses including, perhaps most pointedly (ha!) rules of circumcision. The "vain" glory mentioned here is probably a reference to the glory to be gained by being counted as one who followed those laws and thereby fit in with a certain in-crowd. For Paul, of course, while this would be "vain" - that is, empty of value (though possibly vain in the other, more modern sense, unduly prideful or somesuch) - there is real glory to be gained elsewhere. In Heaven, for instance, or in the eyes of God. There is glory to be earned; don't be led down the wrong path toward "vain" glory.
The provocation mentioned is toward that "vain" glory. People telling others "Hey, have you gotten circumcised yet? Gotta get with the circumcision program..." A bit hard to believe, but there we are. And the envying goes the same way except from the other side "gee, I wish I were circumcised like George..."
Desire, provoke, envy - human emotions and not all bad. Was there ever a more provocative person than Jesus Christ? John the Baptist was so provocative they finally cut his head off. Even that was not the end of his provoking since, as you see, I'm writing about him now, 2000 years later.
The problem Paul was noting with these three emotions, fine of themselves, is that the emotions were being aimed at the wrong thing - at following the laws that bind rather than the Christ that releases. At circumcision of the flesh, not of the heart. When you desire to be more like Jesus, when you provoke others to follow the path of truth, when your envy of Paul's close relationship to God leads you to seeking the same in a healthy way, then the emotions are no biggie. Like so many things in our walk through life and with God, it is a matter of focus. Where do we put our energies? Because where our hearts are...etc.
Interesting that the "vain glory" we find here has turned into one word as though all glory were vainglory.
The letter to the Galatians was prompted by a false doctrine being preached to and sometimes accepted by those people - that Christians were still subject to the Laws of Moses including, perhaps most pointedly (ha!) rules of circumcision. The "vain" glory mentioned here is probably a reference to the glory to be gained by being counted as one who followed those laws and thereby fit in with a certain in-crowd. For Paul, of course, while this would be "vain" - that is, empty of value (though possibly vain in the other, more modern sense, unduly prideful or somesuch) - there is real glory to be gained elsewhere. In Heaven, for instance, or in the eyes of God. There is glory to be earned; don't be led down the wrong path toward "vain" glory.
The provocation mentioned is toward that "vain" glory. People telling others "Hey, have you gotten circumcised yet? Gotta get with the circumcision program..." A bit hard to believe, but there we are. And the envying goes the same way except from the other side "gee, I wish I were circumcised like George..."
Desire, provoke, envy - human emotions and not all bad. Was there ever a more provocative person than Jesus Christ? John the Baptist was so provocative they finally cut his head off. Even that was not the end of his provoking since, as you see, I'm writing about him now, 2000 years later.
The problem Paul was noting with these three emotions, fine of themselves, is that the emotions were being aimed at the wrong thing - at following the laws that bind rather than the Christ that releases. At circumcision of the flesh, not of the heart. When you desire to be more like Jesus, when you provoke others to follow the path of truth, when your envy of Paul's close relationship to God leads you to seeking the same in a healthy way, then the emotions are no biggie. Like so many things in our walk through life and with God, it is a matter of focus. Where do we put our energies? Because where our hearts are...etc.
posted by Steven at 8:26 AM
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