Isaiah 66:5 Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

Yesterday I spoke to you about the mystery of His will. Here it is in Isaiah 66:5. Christ dwells in you. Let, allow, do not hold back, surrender to His will and let Him shine. Let His appearance be your joy. Anything less than this is vain glory and will not lead to the saving of those that are lost.

Galatians 5:25-26 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

What is vain glory? To explain that we first must properly define glory. Glory is the essence of God Himself, in person and reputation of His Son Jesus Christ, in whom all things exist. Vain glory is anything in which the end result is anything but His Glory. That is a vast number of things.

It begins with idol worship. The crude image of a wooden idol symbolizes something created by man. In this modern era it is proper to extend this image to anything and everything which gets the majority of your attention. Attending to the worship of Jesus Christ has in large part taken second place to all the creations of man. Television, football, the internet, music, movies, role playing games where players take on a character within the story line, and the list goes on and on. There is no end to the distractions. Notice I didn’t even list the lusts of the flesh. These were just attention getters. 

2 Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

I asked the Lord, “Why did you not perfect me at the first?” I knew He could, so why not? His answer was simple and direct.

“If I did there would be nothing keeping you here.”

My response, “Yes, that’s the point.” His answer made me feel ashamed.

“And what of the others?”

Then I knew exactly what He meant.

Hebrews 2:1-5 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

Angels cannot carry forward a mystery they do not share. It takes men and women in Christ to carry this message to the lost.

Ephesians 1:8-12 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.