Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Those who live in the Spirit are commanded to walk in the Spirit by refusing empty self-glory, stirring up rivalry, and resenting one another. Vain glory is craving human praise and making self prominent, provoking is stirring rivalry and anger, and envying is resenting others, and these belong to self ruled by the carnal mind rather than to a renewed heart. This refusal is set against bearing the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, as opposed to the manifest works of the flesh that bar from the kingdom of God, for those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. It forbids faultfinding, harsh judging, and evil speaking that tears down brethren, and calls instead for meekness, burden-bearing, and doing good in the secret of church unity as all are united with Christ as the great center. The warning falls especially on striving to be first, tearing down associates, and envying another's esteem from unholy selfish ambition, which God will humble while He honors and lifts up only those who humble themselves and magnify Christ.
Walking in the Spirit
To live in the Spirit is also to walk in the Spirit, and that walk refuses empty praise-seeking, mutual provocation, and mutual envy, showing instead the fruits of righteousness in obedience to the Spirit's teaching. It belongs with the call not to dwell on the faults of others, for such conduct is contrary to the Spirit's way. The warning reaches even ministers who crave praise and become self-exalting and self-sufficient, since that pride blinds to weakness and can lead to ruin.
Vain glory is empty praise, honor, and self-glory, making self prominent and craving human praise, while provoking stirs rivalry and anger and envying resents others for what they are or receive. These belong to self ruled by the carnal mind, not to a renewed heart, and stand opposed to unity, humility, and love. Refusing empty honor that stirs rivalry and envy is the opposite of a pompous, overbearing spirit.
Refusing these attitudes is bearing the fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance — against which there is no law to condemnation. That fruit stands in contrast to the manifest works of the flesh, which bar from the kingdom of God, and to the corrupt tree that brings forth evil fruit. Where the Spirit's fruit appears there is no room for desire for vain glory, provoking, or envying.
Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections, passions, lusts, and desires, and perfection of character is known by this fruit and measured by the Bible standard of walking in the Spirit. To desire vain glory, provoke, and envy breaks that walk and proves a wrong conception of perfection. This walk proves true conversion and renewal unto righteousness, putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness, freed from empty honor, provocation, envy, and all overbearing and oppression, so that pleasant words, true courtesy, and unselfish actions make the character fragrant and no law brings such a life into bondage.
This walk comes through the imputed righteousness of Christ and by abiding in Christ as the branch abides in the vine, keeping God's commandments as those bought with His blood and belonging to Him. So abiding, believers are not fractious when things displease them, but bear love, joy, peace and other good fruit, showing they are fruit-bearers by pure words, unselfish planning in meekness and lowliness, and softened hearts full of sympathy, love, and compassion. Working out salvation with fear and trembling happens because God works in the person both to will and to do His good pleasure, with the Holy Spirit using and fashioning the person after Christ's likeness rather than the person using the Holy Spirit.
Merely assenting to the truth while failing to be sanctified through the truth is deceiving the soul, for right religious experience requires more than an intelligent idea of the theory of truth. Heart and mind must be trained and habits must be in harmony with the expressed will of God, learned by studying His Word and requirements, since weaving incorrect principles into experience produces false ideas of what constitutes a Christian and leads to disobedience to His voice. No one can spiritually discern the character of God or accept Jesus Christ by faith unless life and character are marked by purity, by casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and by bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Living Without Rivalry
The command not to desire empty honor and not to stir up or resent one another forbids faultfinding, criticizing, harsh judging and evil speaking that tears character to pieces and unsettles confidence between brethren. It forbids exalting self by reining others up to one's own ideas, wanting to bring everyone over the same ground of confession one has been over, exercising one's own spirit, and manifesting a harsh, denunciatory spirit. Such provoking by harsh judgment and envying breaks walking in the Spirit and proves a wrong conception of perfection of character, which is known by its fruit and measured by the Bible standard.
Instead of provoking and envying, those who live in the Spirit must also walk in the Spirit in meekness, burden-bearing and doing good. This walk is shown in pure words, pleasant speech, true courtesy, unselfish planning in the meekness and lowliness of Christ, sympathy, love, compassion and good works to the glory of God. It is kept by bearing one another's burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ, proving true conversion and renewal unto righteousness by freedom from desire for empty honor, overbearing and oppression, with the flesh and its affections and lusts crucified so the tree is made good and its character fragrant. Every avenue of religious exercise must be guarded lest selfishness and pride become interwoven in the work and mar the work of God, with heart subdued and softened by cleansing and with sympathy, kindness, forbearance and love as abiding principles that bless all around and reveal the peaceable fruits of righteousness.
In all work for the Master this walking in the Spirit is done by continually studying Christ's Spirit, life and character, adorning the doctrine by grace and meekness and making internal sanctification visible in outward experience. It is shown by manners, words and spirit that reveal learning in Christ's school, being clothed with humility and bearing no thorns to prick others. It refuses anger toward those who are spiritually blind, refuses harshness of spirit and coarseness of speech, is wise as serpents and harmless as doves so as not to increase opposition, and does all possible to remove prejudice without lessening truth by concession.
It requires seeing all things in an unselfish, clear light, ceasing to dwell on discouraging things, watching and praying trustfully and taking God at His word. It requires letting God plan His own work and assign different gifts and appointments without rivalry, praising Him for evidences of His love and care, and refusing to reveal weakness that would hurt influence. It requires helping less experienced workers with encouraging words as a father while receiving their help, uniting and working cheerfully with brethren instead of insisting on own ideas, laboring faithfully to God and to one another and disinterestedly to cultivate the soil, with loyalty to the Owner of the vineyard and love for one another cleansed by the Holy Spirit from everything savoring of strife. Then rich clusters of fruit testify to the Source from which supplies are drawn, while remembering that the enemy seeks to discourage everyone who works together with God.
This is the secret of church unity, for separation from Christ is the cause of division and discord, while union with Christ as the great Center brings brethren to approach one another just in proportion as they approach Him. Then they are perfectly joined together in the same mind and judgment, with differences and quarrels given up and swallowed up, defects of individual character overcome, and one another built up in the most holy faith. Love, deference and respect must be cherished and manifested among brethren, with no prejudice of brother against brother, no division, discord, or biting and devouring one another, and nothing put into enemies' hands that suggests differences even in opinion. Where love has departed and a destroying spirit prevails grace cannot be bestowed, but where this unity is kept harmony, love, unselfish working, and the peace and power of God are manifested.
The warning bears especially on ministers and workers who crave praise and become self-exalting, self-sufficient and prominent while keeping self in view. Such pride in seeking empty praise and making self prominent can blind to weakness and lead to ruin, stirring provocation and envy toward others. Self must therefore be kept out of sight and Christ magnified.
Chasing honor, striving to be first and stand highest, with provoking, envying and speaking to tear down associates, is unholy selfish ambition bearing Satan's attributes. God knows the spirit and motive behind every work, and at the near judgment every secret motive will appear and every person will be rewarded as their works have been. God will humble such selfish ambition, and that spirit closes the gate of heaven and leaves that class outside the holy city. He will honor and lift up only those who humble themselves under Him, are willing to suffer something for Christ, strive to excel in spirituality, and put away these sins to gain heaven and stand approved of God.
Envy appears when people compare their merits and abilities with others, judge them by their own standards, and resent another worker receiving esteem because they consider themselves superior. Cherishing envy prevents Christian character from reaching perfection. Even what seems a small fault spoils piety, mars purity of soul, and keeps character from perfection.
The call from empty honor to the Spirit's life includes replacing indulged appetite for alcohol and stimulating drink with total abstinence rather than moderate use, with full cooperation with help offered and arousing of the moral powers. It means looking to Jesus and trusting His grace to overcome unnatural craving that has become second nature, keeping the body in healthful condition for service and keeping the intellect clear and active to think candidly and control all the powers. It means thinking soberly and not more highly of self than ought, and glorying in the Lord rather than commending self.
Those who live in the Spirit are commanded to walk in the Spirit by refusing empty self-glory, stirring up rivalry, and resenting one another. Vain glory is craving human praise and making self prominent, provoking is stirring rivalry and anger, and envying is resenting others, and these belong to self ruled by the carnal mind rather than to a renewed heart. This refusal is set against bearing the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, as opposed to the manifest works of the flesh that bar from the kingdom of God, for those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. It forbids faultfinding, harsh judging, and evil speaking that tears down brethren, and calls instead for meekness, burden-bearing, and doing good in the secret of church unity as all are united with Christ as the great center. The warning falls especially on striving to be first, tearing down associates, and envying another's esteem from unholy selfish ambition, which God will humble while He honors and lifts up only those who humble themselves and magnify Christ.
Walking in the Spirit
To live in the Spirit is also to walk in the Spirit, and that walk refuses empty praise-seeking, mutual provocation, and mutual envy, showing instead the fruits of righteousness in obedience to the Spirit's teaching. It belongs with the call not to dwell on the faults of others, for such conduct is contrary to the Spirit's way. The warning reaches even ministers who crave praise and become self-exalting and self-sufficient, since that pride blinds to weakness and can lead to ruin.
Vain glory is empty praise, honor, and self-glory, making self prominent and craving human praise, while provoking stirs rivalry and anger and envying resents others for what they are or receive. These belong to self ruled by the carnal mind, not to a renewed heart, and stand opposed to unity, humility, and love. Refusing empty honor that stirs rivalry and envy is the opposite of a pompous, overbearing spirit.
Refusing these attitudes is bearing the fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance — against which there is no law to condemnation. That fruit stands in contrast to the manifest works of the flesh, which bar from the kingdom of God, and to the corrupt tree that brings forth evil fruit. Where the Spirit's fruit appears there is no room for desire for vain glory, provoking, or envying.
Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections, passions, lusts, and desires, and perfection of character is known by this fruit and measured by the Bible standard of walking in the Spirit. To desire vain glory, provoke, and envy breaks that walk and proves a wrong conception of perfection. This walk proves true conversion and renewal unto righteousness, putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness, freed from empty honor, provocation, envy, and all overbearing and oppression, so that pleasant words, true courtesy, and unselfish actions make the character fragrant and no law brings such a life into bondage.
This walk comes through the imputed righteousness of Christ and by abiding in Christ as the branch abides in the vine, keeping God's commandments as those bought with His blood and belonging to Him. So abiding, believers are not fractious when things displease them, but bear love, joy, peace and other good fruit, showing they are fruit-bearers by pure words, unselfish planning in meekness and lowliness, and softened hearts full of sympathy, love, and compassion. Working out salvation with fear and trembling happens because God works in the person both to will and to do His good pleasure, with the Holy Spirit using and fashioning the person after Christ's likeness rather than the person using the Holy Spirit.
Merely assenting to the truth while failing to be sanctified through the truth is deceiving the soul, for right religious experience requires more than an intelligent idea of the theory of truth. Heart and mind must be trained and habits must be in harmony with the expressed will of God, learned by studying His Word and requirements, since weaving incorrect principles into experience produces false ideas of what constitutes a Christian and leads to disobedience to His voice. No one can spiritually discern the character of God or accept Jesus Christ by faith unless life and character are marked by purity, by casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and by bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Living Without Rivalry
The command not to desire empty honor and not to stir up or resent one another forbids faultfinding, criticizing, harsh judging and evil speaking that tears character to pieces and unsettles confidence between brethren. It forbids exalting self by reining others up to one's own ideas, wanting to bring everyone over the same ground of confession one has been over, exercising one's own spirit, and manifesting a harsh, denunciatory spirit. Such provoking by harsh judgment and envying breaks walking in the Spirit and proves a wrong conception of perfection of character, which is known by its fruit and measured by the Bible standard.
Instead of provoking and envying, those who live in the Spirit must also walk in the Spirit in meekness, burden-bearing and doing good. This walk is shown in pure words, pleasant speech, true courtesy, unselfish planning in the meekness and lowliness of Christ, sympathy, love, compassion and good works to the glory of God. It is kept by bearing one another's burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ, proving true conversion and renewal unto righteousness by freedom from desire for empty honor, overbearing and oppression, with the flesh and its affections and lusts crucified so the tree is made good and its character fragrant. Every avenue of religious exercise must be guarded lest selfishness and pride become interwoven in the work and mar the work of God, with heart subdued and softened by cleansing and with sympathy, kindness, forbearance and love as abiding principles that bless all around and reveal the peaceable fruits of righteousness.
In all work for the Master this walking in the Spirit is done by continually studying Christ's Spirit, life and character, adorning the doctrine by grace and meekness and making internal sanctification visible in outward experience. It is shown by manners, words and spirit that reveal learning in Christ's school, being clothed with humility and bearing no thorns to prick others. It refuses anger toward those who are spiritually blind, refuses harshness of spirit and coarseness of speech, is wise as serpents and harmless as doves so as not to increase opposition, and does all possible to remove prejudice without lessening truth by concession.
It requires seeing all things in an unselfish, clear light, ceasing to dwell on discouraging things, watching and praying trustfully and taking God at His word. It requires letting God plan His own work and assign different gifts and appointments without rivalry, praising Him for evidences of His love and care, and refusing to reveal weakness that would hurt influence. It requires helping less experienced workers with encouraging words as a father while receiving their help, uniting and working cheerfully with brethren instead of insisting on own ideas, laboring faithfully to God and to one another and disinterestedly to cultivate the soil, with loyalty to the Owner of the vineyard and love for one another cleansed by the Holy Spirit from everything savoring of strife. Then rich clusters of fruit testify to the Source from which supplies are drawn, while remembering that the enemy seeks to discourage everyone who works together with God.
This is the secret of church unity, for separation from Christ is the cause of division and discord, while union with Christ as the great Center brings brethren to approach one another just in proportion as they approach Him. Then they are perfectly joined together in the same mind and judgment, with differences and quarrels given up and swallowed up, defects of individual character overcome, and one another built up in the most holy faith. Love, deference and respect must be cherished and manifested among brethren, with no prejudice of brother against brother, no division, discord, or biting and devouring one another, and nothing put into enemies' hands that suggests differences even in opinion. Where love has departed and a destroying spirit prevails grace cannot be bestowed, but where this unity is kept harmony, love, unselfish working, and the peace and power of God are manifested.
The warning bears especially on ministers and workers who crave praise and become self-exalting, self-sufficient and prominent while keeping self in view. Such pride in seeking empty praise and making self prominent can blind to weakness and lead to ruin, stirring provocation and envy toward others. Self must therefore be kept out of sight and Christ magnified.
Chasing honor, striving to be first and stand highest, with provoking, envying and speaking to tear down associates, is unholy selfish ambition bearing Satan's attributes. God knows the spirit and motive behind every work, and at the near judgment every secret motive will appear and every person will be rewarded as their works have been. God will humble such selfish ambition, and that spirit closes the gate of heaven and leaves that class outside the holy city. He will honor and lift up only those who humble themselves under Him, are willing to suffer something for Christ, strive to excel in spirituality, and put away these sins to gain heaven and stand approved of God.
Envy appears when people compare their merits and abilities with others, judge them by their own standards, and resent another worker receiving esteem because they consider themselves superior. Cherishing envy prevents Christian character from reaching perfection. Even what seems a small fault spoils piety, mars purity of soul, and keeps character from perfection.
The call from empty honor to the Spirit's life includes replacing indulged appetite for alcohol and stimulating drink with total abstinence rather than moderate use, with full cooperation with help offered and arousing of the moral powers. It means looking to Jesus and trusting His grace to overcome unnatural craving that has become second nature, keeping the body in healthful condition for service and keeping the intellect clear and active to think candidly and control all the powers. It means thinking soberly and not more highly of self than ought, and glorying in the Lord rather than commending self.