Unity and Love in the Church (3)

Two great evils are mentioned here: strife and vainglory.

1. Strife. In order to make the congregation more capable to do what Paul is recommending them to do, he warns against strife and their own glory. He urges them to be humble and to deny themselves. They should not give in to those carnal passions.

•It is contrary to the well-being of the church: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16).

• It is the corruption of Christian society: “Let us walk ... not in strife and envying” (Rom. 13:13). “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (Jam. 3:16).

• It is the destroying of the faith: “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” (John 5:44).

The literal meaning of strife is: “quarrel-sick,” to be keen and intent to fight and quarrel. Some delight in fighting, they want to cause trouble, it is their sole purpose in life to differ from other people. It is impossible to please them, and it is with them as it was with Esau: “His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him.” They strive for strife’s sake, they always must have something special, something different from the general feelings. They want to walk only in their own way, and then they force that way upon other people too. They even dare to shove the truth to the side, and slander and defame the name of others in order to maintain their own name.

How is it possible that there will be unity when there are contentions and striving for human glory? Such is impossible, of course: In that place will be only confusion, for everyone speaks his own language. Strife is the mother of discord. In place of wrangling and bitterness, everyone wants to be in the right, and be more than another. It is better to search together than to strive together.

2.Vainglory. It means a desire, an attempt to gain vain honor, “Let us not be desirous of vainglory” (Gal. 5:26).

Vainglory is nothing else than to be seen, and to be honored and praised of men. It is the seeking of other people’s favor, and to have an important place and name among them. Paul speaks of vainglory, which has no value before God and for ourselves. It is nothing but a disgrace and a dishonor before the Lord. Vainglorious people are people who do good with an outward appearance, only to be seen of men. It goes straight against God’s honor and brotherly love. “Charity suffereth long, and is kind: charity envieth not: charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up” (1 Cor. 13:4).

Vainglory is not becoming in ministers or other office-bearers. They must only be honored for the work that they do, and those that labor in Word and doctrine are worthy of double honor. Oh, might this lesson be learned in the Church of Christ! Do you remember how Jesus’ disciples disputed together, who among them should be the greatest? How much damage these things do to the church! Are we mourning for the sad condition of the church? Let us show that we have learned differently, and let us stay away from strife and vainglory. There is no better counsel to be given than to walk according to the Word of God. We are not of this world, and therefore should seek the honor of God and He will honor us.

Evil must be left alone, but that is only half of the matter, for the good must be done also.

“In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3b).

Love true lowliness and meekness by esteeming each other.

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Eph. 4:1-2). “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29). “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another” (Rom. 12:10).

We should be very careful in the treatment of others. In other words, we must be ready to help and support others, as if they are superior to us. Jesus said: “Whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister.” Meekness is not taught in any other school but in the school of Jesus Christ. The literal meaning of the word is: to have low feelings of oneself, to think little of oneself, to be close to the ground.

We must not talk lowly, but be lowly. We must esteem ourselves as being nothing, and the Lord everything, and we must need Him in all we do and trust His Word alone.

We must not talk lowly, but be lowly. We must esteem ourselves as being nothing, and the Lord everything, and we must need Him in all we do and trust His Word alone. God’s people have learned to know themselves and they have experienced how condemnable they are in themselves. They know all too well that everything that they possess has been received of the Lord. This frame and this feeling is especially fitting for the bishops in the church.

Esteeming another person better than ourselves is the acceptance that that person is more excellent, greater, and better than we are. We must be small in our own eyes, but the neighbor must be great. You see, that is the fruit of lowliness of mind. Those who think little of themselves have great thoughts of the Lord and of others. The fruit of this lowliness and meekness is unity and it binds together.

“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Phil. 2:4).

The original meaning of this expression is: to view everything with an observing and watchful eye, just as a marksman keeps his eye on the target. Let nobody view and keep an eye on what is most advantageous for himself, but always be on the lookout for what is the most advantageous for another. “Don’t be selfish” is a hard lesson for our flesh; they are unpleasant words for an egotistic person, and these words are easier said than done. Paul not only condemns something: “Look not every man on his own things,” but he also recommends something: “Every man look on the things of others.”

Promote other people’s benefits as Jesus has done; because as Christians, it behooves you to follow the example of Christ.

“Look.” It means to watch something intently, with great interest, to keep the eye trained on something. That is not the way we must look at ourselves. We may be thankful for the gifts and talents that the Lord has given to us, but we may not exalt ourselves, or be prevented from looking at others. Another aspect of this expression is: It certainly does not mean that we should mind someone else’s business!

“Every man.” Nobody excepted; it is a duty for all Christians. We actually should not be surprised that there is so much strife: let everyone look at himself.

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5).

Paul says: “Don’t think that I am asking you to do something unreasonable, for I do not demand of you more than Jesus has done.” Literally: let the same affections and intentions be in you, as were in Christ. Let your conduct be the same as Jesus’ conduct. Paul sets Christ before them as the great example of lowliness and meekness. Promote other people’s benefits as Jesus has done; because as Christians, it behooves you to follow the example of Christ. Advance and further the well-being and salvation of others in the denying of yourself. Christ has emptied Himself. He took upon Him the form of a servant. Be then followers of Christ!

Christ All in All

Lord, fill Thy servant’s soul today
With pure seraphic fire,
And set his tongue at liberty,
And grant his soul’s desire.

O may he preach the Word of God
With energy and power;
May gospel blessings spread around,
Like a refreshing shower.

May God’s eternal love and grace
Be sweetly felt within;
While he is preaching Christ the Lord,
Who bore our curse and sin.

May burdened sinners lose their load,
And downcast souls rejoice;
May doubting souls believe today
They are Jehovah’s choice.

May Christ be first, and Christ be last,
And Christ be all in all,
Who died to make salvation sure,
And raise us from the fall.

O may Thy servant now today
Proclaim salvation free,
As finished by the Son of God,
For such poor souls as we.

— Daniel Herbert

Rev. H. Hofman is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed congregation of Chilliwack, British Columbia.

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