Whom am I trying to please?
Galatians 1:9-10 (ESV)
As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
I have struggles... I am not perfect, nor will I ever be. If I could be perfect... and do enough good deeds from now on until I die... then Christ would not have needed to die at all! (Gal 2:21) However I cannot say "oh well I'll never be perfect, so I have no reason to try and do good at all, because Christ died for me!" No... "how can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Rom 6:2b) So I will never be able to be perfect... yet I cannot live in sin, as a believer, as I have been set free from it... kinda confusing a bit. What IS living in sin, as Paul phrases it in his later to the Church in Rome? I suppose if it has a stronghold in your life... what constitutes a stronghold? probably habitual behavior that is unrepentant. I'm not just saying that the sinner should say "sorry" and then the next day do it again. That is totally uncool. Repentance is the act of the life turning away from that sin and changing directions. I also know I'm not able to do this myself. Only God can ... and I need to release my hold on "my" life and hand it over to him.
So what does the passage I quoted at the beginning have anything to do with anything? ... you'll see, I'm getting there, shut up.
I have a young female friend who professes herself to be a Christian. However, she describes her self as "not super-religious." Furthermore, I feel her judging me for giving off a holier-than-thou vibe. How do I do this? Oh you know... because I don't watch certain movies/television shows that glorify lust and hard-core immoral behavior. Because I try to guard my ears and heart against such filth, as I am commanded to (Phil 4:8). I don't use language I believe to be inappropriate--common words... cussing. I don't do it, and get rather uncomfortable when it is done around me. She also seems to think ill of me for other reasons... I am a 21 year old virgin, and want to remain pure for my wife until our wedding night. And I pray that my wife will remain pure for me as well, because my purity is the best gift I can give her and vice versa. Am I perfect? Heck no... never will be. Do I stumble when it comes to girls and lust, etc? Yes. However, I am still called be a servant of Christ and a slave to righteousness (Rom 6:17-18).
I know the world will hate us because of our quest for purity and desire to be like Christ will be hated and despised by the world and those not of Jesus' flock (Jn 15:18-20). However... when this scoffing at the desire for purity seems to come from within the body of Christ itself... that can kind of make my head spin a bit. Truly, I almost have a desire to share my shortcomings... not to say "This is what God has delivered me from because of his grace, mercy, and healing power"... but so as to brag about my sin! yes... to brag about my sin to say "Hey! I'm just like you in certain ways... get off my back!" HOW ABSURD! Why would i ever desire to boast in my sin? Am I not to boast instead of Christ (1 Cor 1:31)? To boast in my sin is to boast and be joyful in the fact that I placed and hammered a nail into Christ's wrists on that cross... and to brag about it in a sadistic manner.
The Gospel is clearly laid out in the Word of God. As Christians... we are to live lives holy and pleasing to God (Rom 12:1-2). I am pretty sure God was not kidding when he wrote of how our behavior should be, as Christ followers, holy:
So who am I to please? Is my goal to please my friend who seems to look down on my quest for purity? If so, I would have no problem in conforming in my ways, ignoring scripture, and attempting to show my friend that I am just like her... that I am not perfect and I sin also. I would compromise my convictions that are based in scripture. I would do anything and everything I could to not give live a life that may allow the Holy Spirit to convict others' of sinful behavior.
So am I trying to please man or God? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a bondservant to Christ. However I have been called by God to be a servant for him... I am to not obey the gospel of man (Gal 1:11) ... but instead the Gospel of Christ. And so at the risk of being scorned by the world... and even some of those claiming to be of the body of Christ... I will strive for a life of purity... even if I am looked down upon for it (1 Tim 4:12).
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As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
I have struggles... I am not perfect, nor will I ever be. If I could be perfect... and do enough good deeds from now on until I die... then Christ would not have needed to die at all! (Gal 2:21) However I cannot say "oh well I'll never be perfect, so I have no reason to try and do good at all, because Christ died for me!" No... "how can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Rom 6:2b) So I will never be able to be perfect... yet I cannot live in sin, as a believer, as I have been set free from it... kinda confusing a bit. What IS living in sin, as Paul phrases it in his later to the Church in Rome? I suppose if it has a stronghold in your life... what constitutes a stronghold? probably habitual behavior that is unrepentant. I'm not just saying that the sinner should say "sorry" and then the next day do it again. That is totally uncool. Repentance is the act of the life turning away from that sin and changing directions. I also know I'm not able to do this myself. Only God can ... and I need to release my hold on "my" life and hand it over to him.
So what does the passage I quoted at the beginning have anything to do with anything? ... you'll see, I'm getting there, shut up.
I have a young female friend who professes herself to be a Christian. However, she describes her self as "not super-religious." Furthermore, I feel her judging me for giving off a holier-than-thou vibe. How do I do this? Oh you know... because I don't watch certain movies/television shows that glorify lust and hard-core immoral behavior. Because I try to guard my ears and heart against such filth, as I am commanded to (Phil 4:8). I don't use language I believe to be inappropriate--common words... cussing. I don't do it, and get rather uncomfortable when it is done around me. She also seems to think ill of me for other reasons... I am a 21 year old virgin, and want to remain pure for my wife until our wedding night. And I pray that my wife will remain pure for me as well, because my purity is the best gift I can give her and vice versa. Am I perfect? Heck no... never will be. Do I stumble when it comes to girls and lust, etc? Yes. However, I am still called be a servant of Christ and a slave to righteousness (Rom 6:17-18).
I know the world will hate us because of our quest for purity and desire to be like Christ will be hated and despised by the world and those not of Jesus' flock (Jn 15:18-20). However... when this scoffing at the desire for purity seems to come from within the body of Christ itself... that can kind of make my head spin a bit. Truly, I almost have a desire to share my shortcomings... not to say "This is what God has delivered me from because of his grace, mercy, and healing power"... but so as to brag about my sin! yes... to brag about my sin to say "Hey! I'm just like you in certain ways... get off my back!" HOW ABSURD! Why would i ever desire to boast in my sin? Am I not to boast instead of Christ (1 Cor 1:31)? To boast in my sin is to boast and be joyful in the fact that I placed and hammered a nail into Christ's wrists on that cross... and to brag about it in a sadistic manner.
The Gospel is clearly laid out in the Word of God. As Christians... we are to live lives holy and pleasing to God (Rom 12:1-2). I am pretty sure God was not kidding when he wrote of how our behavior should be, as Christ followers, holy:
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "you shall be holy, for I am holy." [1 Pt 1:14-16, ESV]
God is holy... so we too shall be holy. Does it say "it would be nice if you were holy"? Nope. How about "if you are holy that'd be cool, but if not it's all cool, cause I am your homeboy after all?" Hardly. As Christ followers... as the elect, as those saved by grace through faith... we shall be holy. Does this holy life save us? NO! As I stated before, Paul tells us we are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9) and NOT through works! Works do not save us, but rather works are the fruit of one who is saved. We are never, by our works, holy. Ultimately, that portion of 1 Peter does what the law is supposed to do-- bring us to a knowledge of our sin. We also are go grow, however, in sanctification.So who am I to please? Is my goal to please my friend who seems to look down on my quest for purity? If so, I would have no problem in conforming in my ways, ignoring scripture, and attempting to show my friend that I am just like her... that I am not perfect and I sin also. I would compromise my convictions that are based in scripture. I would do anything and everything I could to not give live a life that may allow the Holy Spirit to convict others' of sinful behavior.
So am I trying to please man or God? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a bondservant to Christ. However I have been called by God to be a servant for him... I am to not obey the gospel of man (Gal 1:11) ... but instead the Gospel of Christ. And so at the risk of being scorned by the world... and even some of those claiming to be of the body of Christ... I will strive for a life of purity... even if I am looked down upon for it (1 Tim 4:12).
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