Pleasing God Versus Pleasing Man
1 Thessalonians 2:1-4: "You yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our coming to you was not in vain, but though we had already suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition. For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts."
As Paul worked heartily unto the Lord, he had many opponents and people who sought to discredit his ministry. Writing to the church in Thessalonica, Paul addressed this slander; most of it was spoken by the religious Judaizers. They accused Paul of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ for personal gain. Paul refuted these accusations by reminding the people of the persecution he faced in Philippi. There, he was imprisoned for proclaiming the Gospel.
Instead of preaching for personal gain, Paul preached the Gospel despite the persecution, despite the hardships, despite the ongoing rejection of him and his message. Paul persevered because he had been entrusted to be an ambassador of the Gospel. His ministry was driven by the desire to be faithful to God's call on his life. No impure motives drove him as God himself could testify. Paul rested in God's approval and not man's approval, and he continued his powerful ministry because of God's approval. That became the sole purpose of Paul's life - to faithfully proclaim the message of Jesus Christ, to build the church, and to make disciples.
What is the passion of your life? Like Paul, you have been entrusted with the Gospel message. Are you faithfully proclaiming it to your family, friends, the people in your workplace, and those in your neighborhood? Or does something hold you back from sharing the message of Jesus Christ? More often than not, it is fear that holds us back - fear of others, fear of rejection, fear of persecution, or fear of offending others.
The Lord calls us to break free from the need for human approval so that we can seek God's approval above all else. As Paul said, the Lord is the one who tests our hearts. Let's turn our hearts to him and seek to be faithful in all that he has called us to say and do.
Reflection:
Would your life, works, and words demonstrate your commitment to please God or to please man? How would the Lord like to free you from any fear of man?
As Paul worked heartily unto the Lord, he had many opponents and people who sought to discredit his ministry. Writing to the church in Thessalonica, Paul addressed this slander; most of it was spoken by the religious Judaizers. They accused Paul of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ for personal gain. Paul refuted these accusations by reminding the people of the persecution he faced in Philippi. There, he was imprisoned for proclaiming the Gospel.
Instead of preaching for personal gain, Paul preached the Gospel despite the persecution, despite the hardships, despite the ongoing rejection of him and his message. Paul persevered because he had been entrusted to be an ambassador of the Gospel. His ministry was driven by the desire to be faithful to God's call on his life. No impure motives drove him as God himself could testify. Paul rested in God's approval and not man's approval, and he continued his powerful ministry because of God's approval. That became the sole purpose of Paul's life - to faithfully proclaim the message of Jesus Christ, to build the church, and to make disciples.
What is the passion of your life? Like Paul, you have been entrusted with the Gospel message. Are you faithfully proclaiming it to your family, friends, the people in your workplace, and those in your neighborhood? Or does something hold you back from sharing the message of Jesus Christ? More often than not, it is fear that holds us back - fear of others, fear of rejection, fear of persecution, or fear of offending others.
The Lord calls us to break free from the need for human approval so that we can seek God's approval above all else. As Paul said, the Lord is the one who tests our hearts. Let's turn our hearts to him and seek to be faithful in all that he has called us to say and do.
Reflection:
Would your life, works, and words demonstrate your commitment to please God or to please man? How would the Lord like to free you from any fear of man?
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