Whose Approval Rating Am I Looking For?


Scriptures: Deuteronomy 13-15 Galatians 1 Devotional Verse: Galatians 1:9-10
"As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:9-10

Observation
Paul has very strong and harsh words for those who preached another gospel, different than the other apostles preached. The gospel was that we are saved by grace through faith, and there is nothing we can do to earn it. Nothing! But soon after Paul preached, the people perverted the true gospel and substituted a "false" gospel. The false gospel was no gospel at all, because it went back to works righteousness. It went back to being saved by our good deeds. At the heart of works righteousness is trying to win other's approval, which is why it is so enticing. Works righteousness is people looking for approval based on what we do. But the true Gospel is that we have already been approved by Christ.

Application
It is easy to turn the gospel into law. It happens all the time today. The law is self centered as it focuses on what I can do. It assumes I am worthy, in as much as I can do enough stuff to make the grade. The true gospel focuses on Jesus and what He has already done on the cross. As we accept the true gospel in our hearts, we begin to serve the One who was the Good News. Today we might ask these questions honestly.

Have I truly understood the Good News that I am saved by grace and NOTHING else? A good indicator would be am I looking to try please others, when I already have God's approval? And the tricky thing is that no matter how strong a Christian I am, I can easily slip back to believe in the false gospel. Why? Because it is so hard to receive a free gift. We would rather earn it and take credit for it. This is why Paul's words were so strong. He knew that everything depended on understanding the true gospel, and then living our lives in service to Christ.

Prayer
Lord thank you for the Gospel, that someone preached to me with complete clarity. Through believing in what you did for me through sending Your only Son to earth, you have set me free from trying to prove myself to anyone. Help me to not be enticed to go back to any false gospels which put the burden back on me to prove myself. Thank you Jesus for counting me as worthy to receive God's grace and forgiveness. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why a...
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the...
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in ...
Read more