Jun 28

Written by:
6/28/2011 2:36 PM 

Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant ...



Paul was accused by the Judaizers of watering down the Gospel because of his desire to win or persuade Gentiles to come to Christ.  His answer to them again is blunt: “If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”  There were plenty of people who disapproved of Paul’s Gospel of Truth.  The Judaizers wanted him to go further than salvation by faith alone, and enforce a faith-plus-law-works gospel.  Pagans in the Roman world just wanted him to go away.  But these detractors didn’t matter to Paul.  Their impact upon new believers mattered, but not their insults and disapproval.  It was because he had God’s approval in Jesus Christ.  He wanted more than anything else to please the One Who had loved him and graciously approved of him in Christ.



As we seed to deepen and mature in our relationship with Christ, an important question to regularly ask ourselves is, What direction is our desire for approval headed?  Is it going in the direction of God, or is it being redirected through the approval of employers, friends, family members or others?  Are we doing what we know is glorifying and pleasing to God, or are we being pragmatic and political? 



The approval of a friend, family member or leader isn’t a bad thing.  Loving others with faithfulness, commitment, time and attention should result in their approval.  Working hard and doing a quality job should result in promotions and raises.  But there can be a fine line between being approved by others and having their approval as our main motivation.  We are motivated to love and please God because we have received and are experiencing His love for us in Christ.  If others disapprove of what we know God approves of, we must disregard their disapproval. 



Martin Luther, the initiator of the Protestant Reformation, was deeply troubled by his knowledge of God’s character.  He would write, “Love God? Sometimes I hate Him.”  And, “Sometimes Christ seems nothing more than an angry judge who comes at me with a sword in His hand.”  God’s grace had been so obscured by church teachings and human law-works that there was no Light in his life.  He would re-discover the Light and that Truth was found in Scripture alone, that salvation was by God’s grace alone, that salvation was received through faith alone, that salvation was purchased by Christ alone, and that God alone deserved our glory.  When he announced his discoveries and their implications, he was called before the religious authorities to see if he would take back his ideas and save his relationship with the official Church.  His famous response was:



“Your imperial Majesty and Your Lordships demand a simple answer.  Here it is, plain and unvarnished.  Unless I am convicted of error by the testimony of Scripture or (since I put not trust in the supported authority of popes or of councils, since it is plain that they have often erred and often contradicted themselves) by manifest reasoning I stand convicted by the Scriptures to which I have appealed, and my conscience is taken captive by God’s Word, I cannot and will not recant anything.  For to act against our conscience is neither safe for us, nor open to us.  On this I take my stand.  I can do no other. God help me.  Amen.”



Luther willingly denounced human authority, peer pressure, social status, and popular opinion, to instead, follow his conscience as God led him.  The results have been a gift of God to all of us. 



May you stand for what pleases God, for what is right and true, and may the results be gifts of God to all who you know and more!



Jesus Christ went to the cross in order to save you and reconcile you to God because He loves you!  He thinks you are really something special!  So forget about trying to please people and win their approval.  Instead, be Jesus' servant and seek the approval of God.  Striving to please God because you love Him and are grateful for all He has given you in Christ is the best thing you can do for people — wether or not you gain their approval.