VERSE 26. Let us not be desirous of vain glory.

To desire vainglory is to desire lies, because when one person praises another he tells lies. What is there in anybody to praise? But it is different when the ministry is praised. We should not only desire people to praise the ministry of the Gospel but also do our utmost to make the ministry worthy of praise because this will make the ministry more effective. Paul warns the Romans not to bring Christianity into disrepute. "Let not then your good be evil spoken of." (Romans 14:16.) He also begged the Corinthians to "give no offense in anything, that the ministry be not blamed." (1 Corinthians 6:3.) When people praise our ministry they are not praising our persons, but God.

VERSE 26. Provoking one another, envying one another.

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Old Testament