Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Gal 1:10
The Bible records the statement of Apostle Paul saying that “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. How many times have you come across in life when you have to please God instead of Men, we should please our masters in our work, that’s allowed, Husband and wife pleasing each other as the Bible says in I Corinthians 7 and children obeying parents is pleasing to God and men. But how many times have you come across when you find yourself in a dilemma where you have to please the society, who are demanding something of you and on the other side is God whom you have to please. For example a pastor expecting a believer to come to church at 10:30 and the believer reaches at 11:00. The star question of the day would be why the believer came so late, yet no one tries to neither understand nor encourage that believer who was sick and was not at all able to come to church gathers up his or her strength to make it. Or lets say if the pastor wants to bring some changes into the church and the church wont allow because of their stubbornness, whom should the pastor lean on, to men or to God?
The bible clearly records that he who has please God has been given success in their missions and life, but those who didn’t like Paul says they are not worthy to be called servant of God. Let us run through the Bible and find some portions which will help us to Please God and not men.
Saul: The King Of Israel Pleased Men and Not God
I Sam 15:7-30 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys. Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
The Bible records the statement of Apostle Paul saying that “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. How many times have you come across in life when you have to please God instead of Men, we should please our masters in our work, that’s allowed, Husband and wife pleasing each other as the Bible says in I Corinthians 7 and children obeying parents is pleasing to God and men. But how many times have you come across when you find yourself in a dilemma where you have to please the society, who are demanding something of you and on the other side is God whom you have to please. For example a pastor expecting a believer to come to church at 10:30 and the believer reaches at 11:00. The star question of the day would be why the believer came so late, yet no one tries to neither understand nor encourage that believer who was sick and was not at all able to come to church gathers up his or her strength to make it. Or lets say if the pastor wants to bring some changes into the church and the church wont allow because of their stubbornness, whom should the pastor lean on, to men or to God?
The bible clearly records that he who has please God has been given success in their missions and life, but those who didn’t like Paul says they are not worthy to be called servant of God. Let us run through the Bible and find some portions which will help us to Please God and not men.
Saul: The King Of Israel Pleased Men and Not God
I Sam 15:7-30 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys. Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
As we all know the incident and what happened to Saul. How he disobeyed God and did not destroy everything as he was told. He did evil in the Lords sight due to which the Lord was displeased in him. He tried to convince Samuel that it was his soldiers who kept the best of the sheep to sacrifice to the Lord. But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I violated the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD." But Samuel said to him, "I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!" As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind."
Saul replied, "I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God." So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
The Validity of Jesus’ Testimony
John 8:12-30; When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid." Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me." Then they asked him, "Where is your father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."
"Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world." They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
Slaves and Masters
Eph 6: 5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.
Give to please God not men
Phil 4:18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Children obey your parents
Col 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Summarizing it all let us allow God to work in us in the manner that pleases him. As it says in Heb 13:20 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.