"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ,” Galatians 1:10, KJV.
Focal Passage: Galatians 1:1-10
This passage in Paul’s letter to the Galatians is one example of many which expresses his loyalty and dedication to Jesus Christ. It is one where I’m sure many can identify with, not just intellectually but also intimately. Lord, I praise You regardless of what others may say or think. And the sad part in the walk of a Christian’s life is to decide that God does not belong in certain places. Are we pleasing man or serving God?
“Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father,” verse 4. I think about how awful it would have been if God was selfish, if God was greedy, if God was all these things that man makes him out to be…what a world this would be. Yet the very God that sacrificed so that we may live is not appreciated because of deadlines, board room meetings, and school plays. He is often kept out of office cubicles, break rooms at lunch time, and life altering decisions. Are we pleasing man or serving God?
“I am surprised and astonished that you are so quickly [d]turning renegade and deserting Him Who invited and called you [e]by the grace (unmerited favor) of Christ (the Messiah) [and that you are transferring your allegiance] to a different [even an opposition] gospel,” verse 6, AMP. The times in life that call for loyalty, Christ is sometimes deserted. He patiently waits, hoping that we would call upon Him… for everything we need lies within Him. Oftentimes, comfort is found in things of this world that has no good end; other gods that will have you turning against the true and living God. Again, the subject of spiritual adultery arises, cheating on God and giving glory elsewhere. When we think we’re fighting the devil, sometimes we’re only fighting ourselves.
God is patient extending opportunity after opportunity for us to come to Him. “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near,” Isaiah 55:6, KJV. When that still, small voice says spend time with Me, the response may hurt Him to hear I’ve got more important things to do, not right now: phone calls to make, conferences to attend, reading to catch up on, or cleaning to do. I shudder to think what it would have been like if Jesus had reacted in such a manner in regards to the cross. Are we pleasing man or serving God?
“As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed,” verse 9, KJV. It is a dangerous thing to deny any part of the Bible. If we believe in it, why make excuses in our individual lives? Many blame God for things He did not do, but slow to take responsibility for things that they themselves have caused. When the Bible is bent to conform to one’s style of living, then that gospel is no longer God’s. It is that “other gospel” Paul spoke about. We must conform to the Bible, not it to us. Even if a person in authority, a leader or a teacher, contradicts the Word of God, the Bible states let him be accursed.
“Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah),” Galatians 1:10, AMP.
We can’t fool Him, we can only fool ourselves…
Additional Reference: 1 John 3:1, 1 John 2:15-17
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