Topical Bible: Glory of the Wicked is in Their Shame

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The phrase "glory of the wicked is in their shame" encapsulates a biblical theme that highlights the paradoxical nature of the wicked's pride and the ultimate futility of their pursuits. This concept is rooted in the understanding that what the wicked boast about and take pride in is, in reality, their disgrace and downfall.

Biblical References:

1. Philippians 3:18-19 : "For as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things." This passage from the Apostle Paul addresses the misguided priorities of those who oppose the teachings of Christ. The "glory" they seek is tied to earthly desires and indulgences, which ultimately lead to their ruin.

2. Proverbs 3:35 : "The wise will inherit honor, but fools are held up to shame." This proverb contrasts the outcomes of the wise and the foolish, indicating that while the wise receive honor, the foolish—often synonymous with the wicked—are associated with shame. The implication is that the pursuits and achievements of the wicked, which they might consider glorious, are inherently shameful.

3. Isaiah 5:20 : "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter." This verse speaks to the moral inversion practiced by the wicked, who take pride in their perverse understanding of good and evil. Their "glory" is in their ability to deceive and distort, which is ultimately their shame.

Theological Insights:

The concept of the wicked's glory being their shame is deeply rooted in the biblical worldview that distinguishes between the temporal and the eternal. The wicked often find glory in their power, wealth, and indulgence, which are transient and ultimately lead to spiritual emptiness. This is contrasted with the eternal glory promised to the righteous, who seek God's kingdom and His righteousness.

The Bible consistently warns against the allure of worldly success and the pride that accompanies it. The wicked's glory is often tied to their rebellion against God, their self-sufficiency, and their pursuit of sinful desires. This false glory is fleeting and ultimately results in shame, as it is built on a foundation that cannot withstand the judgment of God.

Moral and Ethical Implications:

From a moral and ethical standpoint, the idea that the glory of the wicked is in their shame serves as a cautionary tale for believers. It underscores the importance of aligning one's values and pursuits with God's will rather than seeking validation and success through worldly means. The believer is called to discern the true nature of glory and to pursue that which is honorable and pleasing to God.

The theme also serves as a reminder of the ultimate justice of God. While the wicked may appear to prosper and find glory in their shameful acts, their end is destruction. This assurance of divine justice encourages believers to remain steadfast in their faith and to trust in God's righteous judgment.

Practical Application:

In practical terms, this biblical theme encourages believers to examine their own lives and motivations. It challenges them to consider whether their pursuits are aligned with God's purposes or if they are seeking glory in things that are ultimately shameful. It calls for a re-evaluation of what constitutes true success and glory, urging believers to seek the honor that comes from God rather than the fleeting accolades of the world.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Philippians 3:19
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Whether a Character Can be Blotted Out from the Soul?
... Consequently, after this life the character remains, both in the good as adding
to their glory, and in the wicked as increasing their shame: just as the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether a character can be.htm

Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and ...
... and course were of God, and tended so much to his glory, fools or wicked men would ...
For they delight in nothing but what is agreeable to their humour, to ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/section v scriptures showing the.htm

Another Season,
... the name of Christ as much as many wicked men value ... hazard death or hell rather than
have their names disgraced ... own, and should you not prefer his glory and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/flavel/on keeping the heart/xi another season.htm

"Boast not Thyself of To-Morrow, for Thou Knowest not what a Day ...
... 4), but that shall undoubtedly be their shame and confusion ... I am, that many boast
of wicked designs, and ... They account their glory not to take a wrong without ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon vi boast not thyself.htm

2 Cor. Iii. 5
... this Proposition, that it is the truest Glory to such ... to administer Comfort to
themselves in their falling into ... and riseth up again: but the Wicked shall fall ...
/.../sermon xiv 2 cor iii.htm

Philippians iii. 18-21
... Crucify thyself, not that thou mayest slay thyself, God forbid, for that is a wicked
thing, but as Paul ... And their "glory is in their shame." (1 Corinthians ...
/.../homily xiii philippians iii 18-21.htm

Matt. xxvi. 17, 18
... by the good only but even by the wicked; so bad men ... one toward another; and account
such more their enemies than ... of lust, or of the mad desire of glory, or anger ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily lxxxi matt xxvi 17.htm

Habakkuk's Rhapsody of the Chaldeans
... treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up ... filled with the
knowledge of the glory of the ... also, That thou mayest look on their nakedness ...
/.../habakkuks rhapsody of the chaldeans.htm

(On the Passion, viii. : on Wednesday in Holy Week. )
... cross of Christ was to be not shame but glory. ... Lord they could think of nothing but
their wicked deed, having ... foster with pure and free heart the glory of the ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/sermon lix on the passion.htm

The Controversy Ended.
... the shame, yet greater is the joy and the glory. ... divine, every face reflecting the
likeness of their King ... multitudes of the righteous and the wicked, He declares ...
/.../the great controversy between christ and satan /42 the controversy ended.htm