Historical Posts
Pleasing Men, or God?
Is it more important to be pleasing men, or God?
Someone, when asked the secret to success, replied: “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” He was right on target. Those of us who seek to preach and teach Jesus would be wise to keep those words in mind and be aware of whether we are pleasing men, or God.
The apostle Paul warned the churches of Galatia: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 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. 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 1:6-10). It’s clear that Paul was more interested in pleasing God than men!
Jesus was far more interested in pleasing His Father than in pleasing men. The Pharisees (a sect of Judaism) found His message terribly offensive. The disciples came to their Lord and said, “Do you not know that the Pharisees were offended…” (Matthew 15:12). The Lord responded: “Let them alone, they be blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14). Jesus clearly demonstrated whether He would please men, or God. Jesus had not come to court the favor of men. His aim was to please His Father (John 5:30).
We will never succeed in our service to Christ until we are more concerned with pleasing God than men. Our message must not be determined by what people want to hear, but what God wants us to say. The charge to Timothy is still valid. “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside unto myths” (2 Timothy 4:2-4). In essence, you know whether you should seek to be pleasing men, or God. Don’t be a people pleaser. There is no success when we seek to please men. There can be no failure when we please God. Who do we seek to please? Have you started seeking to please Him by accepting His salvation?
Salvation: Hear - Believe - Repent - Confess - Be Baptized - Live Faithfully
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Have You Surrendered All To Jesus?
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Introduction
- To surrender, to submit, or to be subject to, means: to yield your will, power, or control, to the will or authority of another. The Bible teaches us to be subject:
– Church subject to Christ – Ephesians 5:24
– Higher powers / government – Romans 13:1-2
– Masters (Employer) – 1 Peter 2:18
– Wife subject to their own husbands – Colossians 3:18
– Christians to the shepherds of the flock – Hebrews 13:17
The world views submission to God as a weakness, but Jesus shows us and the Bible teaches it’s a strength – Matthew 26:39. - There are a number of things that can prevent one from surrendering all to Jesus, such as covetousness, greed, materialism, pride, and selfishness. In our society, one device in Satan’s arsenal to prevent one from surrendering all to Jesus is “radical feminism”, which attacks the institutions of God, marriage, and the church.
- When a person decides to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, they have resolved to yield or surrender their life to Jesus in every way. A person who thinks he can only give a very small part to the Lord, and the rest to the world or family, has not learned the meaning of “surrendering to God” – Joshua 24:15; Matthew 6:24. When you have been washed in the blood of Jesus, you have surrendered your life with Jesus Christ on the cross – Galations 2:20.
You Must Surrender Your Personal Affections to Jesus
- The things that are of great value to you, which are precious in your sight, such as family, education, accomplishments, career, clothes, and entertainment, you must surrender to Jesus, if you want eternal life – Matthew 19:16-22.
- To surrender all to Jesus, you must be willing to forsake all worldly pleasures (Hebrews 11:24-25 “Moses”). Because in James 4:4, the Word of God teaches, the friendship with the world is enmity with God. To be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God.
- In order for you to surrender all to God, your love and devotion to God must be greater and superior than your love for your personal desires, and interests. Are you willing to surrender all to Jesus to become His disciple? Luke 14:25-27, 33.
Are You Ready to Surrender Your Life to Jesus?
- There are a number of people doing good things in this life. However they have not surrendered their life to Jesus, and are lost. In Romans 10:1-3, Paul’s earnest desire and prayer for Israel is that they might be saved, because they had a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. They established their own righteousness and ignored God righteousness.
- How many of you are willing and ready to offer your body, talents, time, and resources as a living sacrifice to God? Paul beseeched the brethren to surrender their lives to Jesus as a living sacrifice – Romans 12:1. If you really love God, you will surrender your life to Him – John 14:15; John 15:14.
- Jesus died on the cruel rugged cross and God raised Him to life that you might live. If you have not surrendered your life to Jesus, why not come obeying Jesus today?
Salvation: Hear - Believe - Repent - Confess - Be Baptized - Live Faithfully
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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Submit to God to be Free from Sin – Romans 6:16-18
Text: Romans 6:16-18
Introduction
- The world that we live in teaches us to empower self (becoming your own god), to gain happiness and success instead of submitting yourself to God, to be blessed and prosper (Psalm 1:1-3).
- When you make the decision to submit to self or the world, you’re making a decision to be enslaved to unrighteousness and death. This is why you need to yield yourself to God to be made free from the bondage of sin (John 8:31-32).
You Become Servants to Whomever You Submit
- In Romans 6:16, the Bible teaches us whoever you choose to submit to becomes your master whom your will serve. This is why it is important to know of a surety who you decide to submit to (God or Satan).
- Satan packages sin with so much glitter and gold to make it look like a great deal to be his servant. But Satan never shows you the fine print that says obeying & serving him will lead to eternal death (1 Peter 5:8).
Become a Servant of Righteousness by Submitting to God
- In Romans 6:17-18, the Spirit of truth conveys that the Christians at Rome were at one time servants of sin, but made the decision to obey the doctrine of Christ, to become free from sin and servants of righteousness.
- In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, we find the Christians at Corinth were at one time unrighteous, but they decided to submit to God.
- If you are tired of being in the bondage of sin, if you are feed up with the painful consequences of walking in darkness, why not deny yourself and obey the doctrine of Christ to save your life and become servants of righteousness (Matthew 16:24-26).
HEAR BELIEVE REPENT CONFESS BAPTISM LIVE FAITHFUL
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Presented at the Gahanna-Jefferson Church of Christ on Wednesday, January 18, 2012.
Content by Harry (Andy) Anderson Jr.Return to the Home Page