The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in 1 Thessalonians 2:4,
"We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts."
Here is an interesting personal observation or admission Paul makes of himself. He says he tries to please God, not people. The people he is thinking of here are those he shares the gospel with, as well as any who hear his message.
What did he mean by this? This has to do with Paul's commitment to execute his responsibilities as an apostle of Jesus Christ in sharing the gospel message. It was his perspective to do it in a way that pleased God, not necessarily those he preached to or others that might be nearby.
Much has been promoted over the past twenty years in sharing the gospel in engaging ways, structuring our ministries in "seeker-friendly" strategies and so forth. While I do believe there are real advantages in considering these, I sometimes wonder if we place a little too much importance on not offending folks while sharing the gospel. I'm not speaking of a needless disregard of people's sensitivities and sensibilities while sharing the gospel, but a possible over-importance placed on couching the gospel message in something more acceptable and amenable to unbelievers than God might intend. The gospel is a message that has been designed by God to offend, to bring remorse, to show otherwise independent and self-reliant people of their great need of salvation. It is also a message that brings untold hope and promise for all who accept it and place their faith in Jesus Christ - a tremendous message of God's love, mercy and forgiveness. The gospel message brings all of these.
In Galatians 5:11 Paul speaks of the "offense of the cross". The gospel message is for people who have a problem. Some folks are not interested in hearing they have a problem or any shortcoming. They resent any accusation of such and feel that it is demeaning and judgmental for anyone to assert otherwise. Additionally, there are those who are simply animated by the spiritual forces of darkness and greet the gospel message with great hostility and animosity. I suspect many who are hostile to any vestige of Jesus Christ at Christmas time, in displays, in schools, in the public square, in social occasions and particularly when the gospel is being preached, are animated by these spiritual forces of darkness. (It will not be a surprise to find attempts to identify the sharing of the gospel message with children as acts of "child abuse", wait and see...)
Do such people need to hear the gospel? Does God love them and expect us to share what we can of the gospel with them, even if they find it offensive? Absolutely. I am of the firm persuasion that since all are sinful, all need to hear God's message of redemption. We all need to hear that we are sinful and facing God's certain judgment at the end of the age unless we avail ourselves of God's forgiveness through faith as told in the gospel. Even when we find some might be offended by that message. I am quite certain that over the years many, who had previously been hostile to the gospel, have embraced Jesus Christ in faith and have become wonderful workers in the Lord's great harvest. Paul would count himself among that number.
"God our Savior... wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9. Some people do not like the notion of repentance, having to change directions, being accused of things they had not considered or contemplated, of a coming judgment they had not been considering. Here is where resistance to the gospel is found and here is where Paul chose not to please people but God.
Paul claimed to not allow what he did be influenced by what pleased people, but by what pleased God. How about us?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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