Are You Seeking The Approval Of Men, Or Of God?

Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. -Galatians 1:10 BSB

If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels. -Mark 8:38 BSB

As followers of Jesus Christ, we must not be afraid of what others may think, or else one will compromise God’s Word in favor of people. Christians cannot seek the approval of men because it will become their snare. If we strive to please men, then how can we live out our Christian walk?

How is one ashamed of God’s Word? One is ashamed of the gospel when the person refuses to defend it. You’d rather buckle instead of hurting their pride, knowing that they are wrong over loving the Word of God and speaking up for righteousness’ sake. Many people are being deceived, and not many believers are helping them from deception for fear of men. That is why in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, many will end up apostatizing.

What does God detest?

But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death. -Revelation 21:8 BSB 

Look at the first word that the Scripture uses to indicate someone who is not pleasing in God’s eyes. The word “cowardly” in Greek (Strong’s #1169) means to be timid or fearful.

If you see someone like family or a friend saying something about the Scriptures that’s incorrect, one has to correct it, or if someone is preaching false doctrine, you have to defend the truth for the hearer’s sake.

If you are a Christian, stand up for the truth, love God’s Word, and aim to please Jesus Christ instead of men. Be bold for Jesus. Some only eat vegetables and lack the strength, and others eat meat, digging deeper into the Word and learning to love it and be defenders of it. What good is it if you read the Scriptures but don’t do what it says?

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. -2 Timothy 4:2 BSB

What a shame that some professing Christians will not obey some of what 2 Timothy 4:2 outlines because of fear. If you do that, you will have to answer the Lord when you face Him. We all have to give Him an account.

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What Is The Evidence That You Love God?

How do you know that you love the Lord Jesus Christ? Many will say, I go to church, I read the Bible, I give 10 percent to the church, or I live a good life and don’t do the things that bad people do.

None of those things show that you love Jesus. They are good things, but one can do them with the wrong motive. What did Jesus say how someone can show that they love Him. He said…

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. -John 14:15

Do a self-examination and see how many times you have obeyed the Lord verses your disobedience. See which overtakes the other? Are you striving to be in the Word with the intent of doing what it says?

Reading the Word of God with the desire to do what it says shows that you love God. Criticizing the Bible because you think that it contains errors, not knowing that Satan has filled your mind with doubt is pushing you in the direction of hating God eventually.

The worst thing you can do is proclaim that you follow the Lord Jesus Christ and at the same time attack the very words of the Bible that talk about the One whom you profess to love and live to please.

So, the question is a simple one. Do you love Jesus? Ask yourself how often do you live out God’s Word.

If Jesus Would Come Today, Would You be ready To Face Him?

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds. -Titus 2:11-14

God’s grace came in the form of the person of Jesus Christ. The word “grace” means God’s kindness and mercy to give us a way out of our sins. Once a person dies in their sins, it is all over. Sin is what makes you guilty and death is one’s judgment. As long as a person is living, there is still time, all hope is not lost.

Verse 12 points to Christianity as a way of life. And that life is to reflect the life of Jesus Christ. The world is godless, denying Him through one’s lifestyle. The world and its system only benefits the flesh, how to make one sin even more. The reason for that is because of who is running it. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, it says, “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” The word “god” in this passage refers to the devil. He is the god of this world. No wonder the Lord had to bring it into judgment many times in the past like in Noah’s day.

A christian can be easily pulled into the world. The world and the Holy Spirit are fighting for people’s souls and whichever one goes to, they will be molded into the side they have chosen. A person who picks the world will act like it and the one who chooses Jesus will be like Him. No one can stay in the middle, that doesn’t exist. The middle simply means the world. The good news is that as believers, the Holy Spirit will make sure to transform us daily into the image of Jesus Christ. The transformation is not in the sense of physical appearance but in character. We will hate what Jesus hates and love what Jesus loves.

Also, we will desire to see the return of Jesus Christ since we no longer belong to this world through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. Our home is not here but where God is at. If you claim to be a Christian the qualities mentioned should be in you and if not, you need to be honest with yourself and see if you have truly given your heart to Jesus. We are not promised tomorrow, we are only promised eternal life through faith in Jesus.

“who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed” Jesus came to die for us, taking our punishment upon Himself so that the Father can open up the door of mercy. The Lord wants all of us to live righteously and He has given us His Word as a guide to mirror. The gift of God through Jesus can only be activated by a person’s faith. It is not automatic. You have to choose to believe in Him. There are so many in churches who think they are Christians and are not. Self deception to me personally is the worst kind. I say that because it makes it very difficult for one to recognize it unless an honest self examination takes place—comparing your life with the Scripture.

I have spoken to a Christian who is not looking forward to the return of Jesus Christ but is more into this life and what it has to offer him. To me that’s off, something isn’t right.

Also, ask yourself, do you desire to be more like Christ? Do you love the things that promote godliness? Or, do you swing more into the direction of the culture which is antichrist? Remember, the only one that it will affect if one is not honest is yourself.

We are living in the end times no question about that. Now is the time to be more in God’s Word and prayer, To defend the gospel and Jesus Christ. To preach when it is easy and to preach when it is hard. Press forward with confidence.

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” -Romans 10:11