Galatians 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. It would be consolatory could we think this exhortation, though necessary in the apostles' time, had become unnecessary in ours. But, alas, how different is the truth! How much vainglorying is there among the professors of the name of Christ, even among those of whom charity obliges us to hope that their profession is genuine! How do they glory in their distinctions! One boasts of his connection with a rich and powerful, ancient and venerable establishment; another glories in his being a Dissenter. One boasts of the imposing splendour, and another glories in the primitive simplicity, of their respective modes of worship. Even far less discernible marks of distinction become grounds of glorification, and this provokes to angry controversy, and this again produces strife, jealousy, enmity, malignity. Were we more spiritual it would be otherwise. We should glory chiefly in the grand principles of Christian truth, in which all really good men are agreed; and our attachment to these would produce attachments to all who really believe them. While every man sought after, and endeavoured to communicate to his brother those views of truth and duty which he conceived he had obtained from his Bible — "speaking the truth in love" — there would be no provoking one another, except to love and good works; and instead of envying and hating one another, there would be general edification of the body in love. (John Brown, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.WEB: Let's not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another. |
    |