Are you pleasing God or man?

(1 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

When Paul wrote these words to the church of the Thessalonians, he made the point that in his preaching he was not trying to please men. He was seeking to please God.

3 For our appeal does not spring from error or uncleanness, nor is it made with guile; 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts. (1 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

It is most important for both preachers as well as those who receive the word to ensure they are pleasing God and not men.

Pleasing men leads only to the rewards of man. It leads to receiving only the things that man can give. But pleasing God leads to the receiving of the promises of God. So we need to ask ourselves the question: are you pleasing God or man?

Pleasing man

There are ministers in the world today who, on considering the question, are you pleasing God or man, are clearly aiming to please man.

This is evident in the words they preach. They preach a gospel that targets the emotions of people. They seem to focus on messages that will sway people to their will.

The messages are often about things that make people feel they can control circumstances rather than recognising that it is God in control.

They look at the words in the Bible and focus on “claiming the promises” as though they can take these things from the Lord. Also, they make it sound as though it is the man who is in control and that God is the servant of man.

In addition they also twist scriptures and mis-use the words of the Bible to serve their own passions. They seek the things of this world rather than the things of God. A classic example of this is the prosperity gospel which suggests that Christians should be wealthy.

They do not realise that this is not part of the gospel. This is man seeking the things of this world rather than the things of God.

There is great wealth and blessings in the things of God, but they are not measured in terms of money.

And God is not a “god-in-a-box” that we can pop out when we need Him and pop back into the box when we don’t until next time. God does not serve us as these preachers seem to preach but we serve Him.

Pleasing God

When we read the scriptures we see that all of the old prophets, apostles, disciples and people of God worshipped, praised and served God. At no time did they ever consider God served them. Nor did they ever consider God somehow owed them the things He promised and that they could “claim” those things from God.

They saw themselves as servants of God and they sought to seek and do His will, rather than think God was there to serve their will.

We please God when we give Him the honour, praise and worship He deserves because He DOES care about us. We can’t take anything from God, but when we please Him He gives us gifts.

And that is the important thing. What we receive from God is given as a gift. We cannot take it from Him and He doesn’t owe us anything. When we please God He is pleased to give His gifts to us and to bless us with His presence.

And we please God when we do as He tells us. When we follow the words of Jesus Christ and believe what God has done through Christ, we please God. Whenever we live lives that are aligned with His ways, we please God. When we trust in the words of Jesus and put His ways before our own, we please God. When we love others as God loves us and we serve God through serving His people, we please God.

Are you pleasing God or man?

So spend a moment to consider the question for yourself. Are you pleasing God or man?

Pleasing man and seeking the praise of man does not lead to life. It will only lead to temporary things and ultimately death.

But pleasing God and walking in the ways of God lead to life. It also offers the promise of peace in this time and the protection of the Lord until we get to live with Him.

So seek to please God and not men. Do not follow after ministers and teachers who are seeking their own ways and are teaching people to do the same.

Rather, seek to please God and receive His gifts and blessings.

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