Many people in the world today, are becoming slaves to their own self importance. The structure of our societies is such, that people fight hard for career advancement, social and educational elevation, and status, thus getting caught into a web of vanity, pride and self importance. Of course vanity has been a human "companion" since the dawn of time, but still it is most evident in the technologically advanced societies of today.
It is important to understand what the word "vanity" and "being vain" means today. Today we consider a person vain, when he or she manifests a behaviour of complete devotion to materialistic things or values. Good looks, fancy clothes and houses, expensive cars, a good social status, riches, etc. We regard people as vain, when they take pride in these materialistic things, and let them rule their lives. When a person becomes attached to these things, and their sole aim is to maintain and multiply them, we simply call them vain. In Biblical terms, this word has more or less the same meaning. It means a materialistic person that clings to the world. However, it also means a person that strays from the way that God indicates, because of his or her attachment to materialistic things.
But what does the Word of God teaches us about vanity? Should Christians be vain? God most certainly didn’t intend his children to be this way. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1st John 1.5). Vanity, like everything negative, does not come from God, or is in any way endorsed by God. All negatives, including vanity, come from our prime enemy, the god of this world, (2nd Corinthians 4.4) who is the Devil. Unfortunately, many believers fall into the trap of vanity, influenced by the materialistic world around them. They find themselves admiring their achievements, their cleverness, or in many cases their physical beauty, where they should thank God for all the things they have achieved. In 1st Samuel 12.20-12.21 we read:
1 Samuel 12:20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
1Samuel 12:21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
It is clear from these two verses that vanity does not profit us, or delivers anything to us. Vanity is a result of turning aside from following God. In other words, going for vain things means that we live our lives not the way that God teaches. Instead, we should choose to "serve the Lord with all our hearts". The existence of vanity in a believer’s personality is bad news: It means that he or she is in danger of moving away from fellowship with God. It means that they are after things that "…cannot profit, nor deliver…". It is up to the believer to strengthen their fellowship with God by admitting this problem, and addressing it correctly. (See also Jeremiah 16.19). Furthermore:
Job 35:13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
It is evident here that vanity does not come from God. Quite the opposite. God does not regard vanity, does not appreciate it. The word "regard" is a somewhat free translation of the Greek word "epeevlepee" in the Greek text. This word is made of two parts, the word "epee" which means "upon", and the word "vlepee" which means "see". What this verse is teaching us, is that God does not "epeevlepee" vanity, he does not "see upon" vanity. Thus, vanity is a negativity, that is not appreciated by God. One might confuse this verse, thinking that vanity is ignored by God. However this is not true. The phrase "…God will not hear vanity…" in this verse, does not mean that vanity is ignored by God. We certainly will not score any points with God by being vain! A believer trapped into the web of vanity, is only damaging his fellowship with God, by doing things that God clearly disregards.
The book of Psalms is a very good source of information regarding vanity. There, we read:
Psalms 4:2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and¯ seek after leasing?
Once more God in His Word condemns vanity. The glory that we enjoy being sons and daughters of God, is being turned into shame when Christian believers let themselves become vain. The word "leasing" in this verse, is a translation of the Greek word "psevdos" which means "lie"in the Greek text. Seeking after vanity, is like seeking after a lie that gets us further away from fellowship with God who is the only truth. Furthermore:
Psalms 12:1 Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
Psalms 12:2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
The word "faithful" in the first verse is a somewhat free translation of the Greek word "feelaleethees" in the original text. This word is made out of two parts. The first part, "feel-", is derived from the word "feelos" which means "friend". The second part, "aleethees" is a word that means "truthful". It becomes clear that in these verses the word "faithful" in the English text means "a friend of truthfulness", a truthful person. What becomes clear from the study of these verses, is that being vain is not an indication of a truthful person. Quite the opposite. People "…with a double heart…", two-faced people display vanity in their lives. (see also Isaiah 59.4). Also in Psalms:
Psalms 24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Again we see that people with "…clean hands and a pure heart…" are people that do not give in into vanity. Again in Psalms:
Psalms 119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.
God’s instructions towards his children couldn’t be more clear here. Vanity is something that should be avoided. It is very easy in our world to become vain and concentrate on materialistic things. Temptation is strong and persistent all around us, and looking towards God is the only way we have to avoid falling into this trap (see also Proverbs 30.8).
Psalms 144:11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood:
Again God in His word says exactly what He means. People clinging onto vanity are only capable of "falsehood", of lies and false things.
In the book of Proverbs we read:
Proverbs 12:11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
The phrase "void of understanding" in this verse is again a somewhat free translation of the Greek phrase "enthe-ees frenon". The word "enthe-ees" means "in need of", and the word "frenon" means among other things "sense". What God teaches us here is that a person who seeks after vanity, or takes up vain people as role models, is "in need of sense", in other words he is foolish. It couldn’t be more clear.
Some people might still need more proof than the verses already mentioned. In Jeremiah 2.5 we read:
Jeremiah 2:5 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
When we walk after vanity, when we become vain, we move ourselves further away from God. It cannot get clearer than this.
A lot of people today take immense pride in their intellectual accomplishments. According to God this is wrong, as we see in 1st Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1 Corinthians 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
No degree of human knowledge and wisdom counts for anything in the eyes of God. Therefore, bragging for what we know is also vanity, that might endanger our communication and fellowship with God. The fact that God does not want his children to be attached to the vanity of this world in the form of enviousness and glory-seeking, can also be found in Galatians 5.26. In Ephesians we read:
Ephesians 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Ephesians 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Ephesians 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Ephesians 4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Ephesians 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Ephesians 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
It becomes clear here, that the vanity of the mind results in many evils like "…being alienated from the life of God…" ,"…having the understanding darkened…", "lasciviousness"(which is similar to lechery or lust), "greediness", to name a few. Boy, there is a lot of negativity here! And all this derives from the human tendency to attach themselves to materialistic values, to cling themselves to this world. It all derives from vanity. This is the first step of moving away from God, and once this is done, it’s along way downhill.
For a believer that wants to stay close to the truth that God is, it is not good enough to pray to God, speak in tongues for hours, and then go out in the evening just for the sake of showing off his new BMW and doing other things dictated by vanity! It is very easy to get trapped like this, and before you know it you start dedicating less and less time to God and His word, until in the end you are taken over by the world completely.
The good news is that God gives us a solution to this problem. By reading all this chapter of Ephesians 4 to the end, it becomes clear what the solution is: PUT GOD FIRST! Forget the old man inside that keeps prodding and poking trying to get back on the surface. Instead "…put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.". Don’t give any time to the old man at all. This is the only way according to God’s word. Thank you for reading this.
Tasos