GOD NEITHER SHARES NOR GIVES HIS GLORY TO MAN I AM THE LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isaiah 42:8).
We live in a day when there seems to be more human pride than ever before. Men glory in their achievements of science, education, and industrialization, and yes greatly do they boast in their religious accomplishments. A person who is a braggart or boastful is one of the most obnoxious creatures on earth: most of us, if we are honest, literally despise to converse with a person of this sort. Human pride to the Almighty is of infinite detestation. Matter of fact it is number one on God’s list of abominable things. We read in Proverbs 6:16-19, “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Also observe I Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence.” Someone may be asking, “But is there no room at all for man to boast?” Yes, in this, “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, “he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (I Corinthians 1:30-31). The Apostle Paul refused to glory in any of his natural achievements. He maintained that his pride or glory was only in the cross of Christ. The only essential thing worth glorying in is an understanding and knowledge of the true God. We read of this in Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” Therefore we are allowed to glory, but in what and in whom? Not in ourselves, that is forever condemned. The Lord has purposed to pour contempt upon all human glory, that none should glory in himself, whatever he is or whatever he has. But when a man has a view of the Son of God in His beauty, in His suitability, in His heavenly grace and divine glory, then he can and will glory in the Lord.
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