Pleasing People or Fearing God?

Most of us human beings have a desire in our souls to avoid conflict with other humans. Life is much easier when the folks in your life, your space and your face are happy with you. Agreement is a wonderful thing. BUT, unfortunately, at times the price of agreement is too high. Are we more concerned about pleasing people or fearing (revering as most important) God? Galatians 1:10 says: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? IF I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” I think that makes it plain. If I place pleasing human beings over pleasing God, I am NOT a servant of Christ. In fact, that would make me an idolater. Jesus said, “IF you continue in My Word, THEN you are truly disciples of Mine;” John 8:31b. Ergo, I think it’s a safe assumption that, IF you DON’T continue in His Word, THEN you are truly NOT disciples of His. Lately I’ve seen and heard more and more Christians disregard the Word to avoid confrontation with the world and other believers, or to excuse ungodly behavior. People who say they love the Lord Jesus, but compromise or flat out ignore His commands, many calling it grace. Others excusing themselves with “the Bible says don’t judge.” Yet Jesus Himself said, “IF you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15. There are over 1400 “IF” statements in the Bible. All promises are conditional, including salvation. “IF you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9. Can we then say, “IF” you don’t you won’t?

Judgment

I can hear the “don’t judge” crowd out there right now calling me judgmental. But, we are all called to judge. We are “fruit inspectors” as my friend Becky used to say. We are not called to be wimps or to ignore blatant sin in the family of believers. “It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.” 1 Corinthians 5:12 NLT. The Lord put it on my heart to write today and share, not my opinion, but the Word and its commandments. I’ve used New Testament Scriptures purposely, to answer those who claim that punishment and judgment are reserved for OT believers, and we are under grace. Here are a few NT Scriptures that should end any controversy for us as believers, including topics like abortion, gay rights, premarital sex, having a different set of standards for business, and more. I’ve added some word definitions to aid in understanding, but I encourage you to do your own study. “Or do you not know that the unrighteous (wicked, sinful or evil) will not inherit (to get something from a predecessor) the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators (sex outside marriage), nor idolaters (putting anything or anyone before God), nor adulterers (sex with someone other than your spouse), nor effeminate (a man having or showing characteristics regarded as typical of a woman; unmanly), nor homosexuals (same sex relations), nor thieves (stealing anyone else’s property), nor the covetous (having a strong desire for the possessions of another; jealous), nor drunkards (habitually drunk), nor revilers (abusive speakers), nor swindlers (those who obtain by fraud or deceit), will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. “For this reason God gave them over to degrading (make someone become worse) passions; for their women exchanged the natural (produced by nature) function for that which is unnatural (not being in accordance with nature or consistent with a normal course of events), and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent (sexually offensive) acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty (punishment) of their error (a deficiency or imperfection in structure or function). And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge (show awareness or appreciation of) God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved (showing great moral corruption or wickedness) mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” Romans 1:26-32. Worthy of death? That’s harsh, but also very clear. We must keep in mind that God is a disciplinarian. “For the Lord disciplines (trains to ensure proper behavior: the practice or methods of teaching and enforcing acceptable patterns of behavior) the one He loves, and chastises (to punish or scold) every son whom He receives.” Hebrews 12:6. He not only WILL NOT, but CANNOT act contrary to His Word, including where punishment has been arranged for those who disregard His commands. “But for the cowardly (lacking courage; contemptibly timid) and unbelieving (skeptical) and abominable (causing moral revulsion) and murderers (premeditated killing of another human with aforethought) and immoral (not conforming to the patterns of conduct usually accepted or established as consistent principles) persons and sorcerers (practicers of magic) and idolaters (putting anything or anyone before God) and all liars (those who intentionally provide false statements or information), their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8. These cowardly and unbelieving include those in the church who refuse to take a stand for His Word and His commands. Let me leave a reminder: there is a judgment for the unbeliever. There is also a judgment for those of us who claim to follow the Lord. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed (compensated) for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10.

Worshipping Mother Earth or Just Ourselves? Idolatry.

“For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 1:25. I do not see the Lord sitting in Heaven waiting to swat us like flies. But, like any good father He has taught us. He has left us a guide book on how to live and it clearly states that there is right and there is wrong. He has left us His commandments. He wants us to succeed and He told us how. He is patient and kind. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. This statement also makes it clear that He is waiting for each of us to repent so that we will not perish. Again, if He is waiting, it is because there is indeed the possibility for us to perish. For those who have said, “you did it”, I say, my sin and my mistake does not give others license to sin. My greatest desire is that others will learn from my mistakes and more so from what the Lord has done in my life since offering it to Him. On another note, if you are leading others in a certain direction, you are in fact a teacher. As such, you will be judged more strictly than if you kept it to yourself. “Let not many of you become teachers (a person who causes someone else to know something), my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” James 3:1. This is something to consider if your aim is to convince others of an agenda that is contrary to the Word of God.

Be Separate (Holy)

In conclusion, we are commanded to separate from a brother or sister believer if they are willfully taking part in sin. “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler–not even to eat with such a one.” 1 Corinthians 5:9-11. Again, harsh words for those who choose to ignore the Word and its commandments. We are all sinners saved by grace. Being saved, we must strive to follow the Lord and His Word, with the help of the Holy Spirit, being quick to repent and quick to stand on the Word in every situation. One of my mentors, who recently graduated to Heaven, Dr. Myles Munroe taught me that we claim and stand on Scriptures that are to our benefit (i.e., healing, prosperity, protection, etc.). We need to respect the whole counsel of God, its promises and its admonishments. We must take a stand. We are to infiltrate every area of the earth we inhabit. We are to take over the earth that He has given to us! My only reference to the Old Testament, “The government will be on His shoulders.” Isaiah 9:6. We are his body, including His shoulders. We are to rule and reign in His place, according to His rules, “on earth as it is in Heaven,” Matthew 6:10. Be bold and courageous. Remember, when we stand at the judgment seat of Christ, you will only answer for you and your loyalty to Him. That is not the time to ask, “have I’ve been pleasing people or fearing God?” On that day we don’t want questions, we all want to hear a six word statement, “Well Done, good and faithful servant,” Matthew 25:23. None of us want to hear a one word question, “Well?” Personally, I cannot please any human, including myself, at the cost of displeasing God. I do not apologize if the Word of God offends. I am determined to live my life in agreement with the Word at all costs. I actually thought that was what it meant to be a Christian.