This weekend, many Americans have been fixated on watching their favorite college football teams play to secure a spot in a postseason bowl game. Postseason games are important because they provide additional exposure for college teams, revenue, and other awards for colleges.
Personally, I’m not a sports fanatic and only watch certain nontraditional sports, which I played growing up as an Army brat. Despite being active, I don’t put my strength, focus, and time into playing sports. I am not knocking those who do find enjoyment in them; it’s just not how God created me specifically (Psalm 139:14, Jeremiah 1:5, Ephesians 2:10).
This is the human pursuit of greatness and glory played out on a sports field for the whole world to see. However, if we aren’t careful, this pursuit of greatness and glory can lead to sin:
- Pride
- Selfishness
- Lust
- Arrogance
Although I’m not into the sports scene, I can easily see a spiritual connection to them. Success and greatness often lead to pride, and pride will blind us to other sins in our lives (Deuteronomy 8:2-3, Proverbs 11:2; 29:23).
Regardless of the nature of our success (sports, financial, health), success and earthly greatness can lead to pride and self-glorification. I understand this because I too, enjoy the thrill of physical activities and need to fight the temptation to become prideful, boastful, or fail to glorify the God who gives me the physical abilities (Deuteronomy 8:18, Isaiah 40:29, Philippians 4:13).
As God’s people, our goal is to glorify God, not ourselves or to seek the world’s approval (Psalm 96:2, 1 Corinthians 10:31).
What Is Glory
Glory can be confusing or divisive if it isn’t understood correctly. If mishandled, it can blind us like pride. It is defined as “Praise, honor, or Thanksgiving, extended by a common consent: renown.”
When we misplace glory, we tend to focus on the wrong things and people in life. Mankind’s sinful nature seeks self-glorification instead of glorifying God, who deserves all of the glory for everything.
When we listen to our hearts and seek the praise that is only due to God, we are pursuing attention for ourselves. This attention easily leads to pride that takes us away from God.
That is why the Bible has a lot to say about glory, what it is, and who deserves it (John 1:14, Romans 3:23, Hebrews 1:3). It is obvious that glory is a spiritual principle.
God’s people are called to live in a way that honors and brings glory to God, not ourselves (Psalm 115:1, 1 Peter 2:12). God set His people apart from this world for His glory, not our happiness, comfort, or glory (Deuteronomy 7:6, 1 Peter 2:9).
Yet, 2000 years after the church began, God’s people want to be great like the world and follow a man who promises earthly greatness because he wants the glory for himself.
The early church fathers emphasized not being like the world and doing everything for God’s glory (John 15:19, Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 2:10, Colossians 3:17, 1 Peter 2:9). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about glory and where it comes from.
Kāḇôḏ
The Torah reveals God’s glory through the creation account and His displacing of the darkness in the universe (Genesis 1:1-7). God created mankind in His image to bring Himself glory (Genesis 1:26-28).
However, Satan deceived the first Adam into seeking greatness and glorifying himself (Genesis 3:4-6). Because of man’s sinful nature, we seek greatness and self-glorification (Genesis 11:4).
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for glory is kāḇôḏ, and it can also mean “Honor, splendor, riches, reverence, or abundance,” depending upon the context it is used in.
That is why God called His people to be set apart from this corrupt kingdom to bring glory to Himself by being different from the world (Leviticus 19:2, Deuteronomy 28:9).
Judaism not only emphasizes the glory of God, but also for God’s people to display it in their lives and actions:
- Prayer
- Torah study
- Keeping God’s law
- Observing the rituals of God
- Humility
- Serving others
When Jesus came as a humble King, He declared that He didn’t come to abolish God’s law, but to fulfill it because He knew God’s people couldn’t keep it (Matthew 5:17). Jesus humbled Himself out of His love for the Father to bring glory to God (Matthew 20:28, John 12:28; 17:4).
Our Lord was there in the beginning to witness God’s glory and the creation of the world (John 1:1-3). Our Rabbi taught His followers to live in a way that brought glory to God, not themselves (Matthew 5:16).
He rebuked His Disciples for seeking positions of greatness because He knew they wanted to glorify themselves (Mark 10:35-45). Jesus opposed the religious leaders of His day because they were prideful and didn’t glorify God, but did the work of Satan (Matthew 23:1-39).
Israel
Israel, the people, not the land they occupy, are called to be a nation dedicated to God, not themselves or the ways of this world (Leviticus 19:2). When God’s people seek to be more like the world, we are no longer glorifying God.
Anytime we put our hope in earthly might, political parties, or earthly leaders, we have turned from God and His glory (Psalm 146:3, Isaiah 31:1, Jeremiah 17:5). God’s people cannot put their faith in earthly strength or greatness.
Yet, this week, Israel continues to launch attacks on other nations and even their closest neighbors in an attempt to be great. God’s people have chosen to be more like the world than to reflect God’s glory (1 Chronicles 16:24, Isaiah 43:7).
God’s people are called to glorify Him by their lives, not just their words. When we don’t, we have become more like the world than the God we want to glorify:
- Deceptive
- Prideful
- Vengeful
- Unforgiving
Through Jesus, the church is grafted into Abraham’s family (Romans 8:17, Galatians 3:29). Thus, the 21st-century church is called to glorify God by being different from this temporary kingdom that is only concerned about earthly greatness and self-glorification.
Many in the church today have forgotten that they are called to be humble servants because they want to be great and comfortable. They have forgotten to let God exalt them so that He may be glorified (Luke 8:14, James 4:10).
The great Charles Spurgeon declared, “Our great object of glorifying God is to be mainly achieved by the winning of souls.” It is only when we humble ourselves and let God work that we truly give Him kāḇôḏ!
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