People Pleasing

Galatians 1:
v. 6: I am so amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Christ, and are turning to a different gospel-
v. 7: not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to change the Gospel of Christ.
v. 8: But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than that we have preached to you, a curse be on him!
v. 9: As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!

Wow!! Powerful words Paul wrote. A curse be on anyone who preaches a different gospel. And he doesn't say it once but twice!! In this day of "political correctness" and "inclusiveness", that would not fly. Some would truly be offended by such a statement...and I'm sure they were back then. But you see, Paul's devotion to Jesus and His Gospel was so strong that he truly didn't care what people thought. He was speaking the truth and speaking to please the only One...the One who called him...the One true God.

v. 10: For am I now trying to win the favor of people or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

Here's a trap we often fall into...people pleasing. What are we willing to do to get the approval of people? Are we willing to go in debt to buy that fancy car we really can't afford? Have invasive surgical procedures to make our bodies look "better" or younger? Go to a party and drink as much as we can so we'll fit in only to be sick the next morning? Or are we willing to deny the true Gospel of Jesus Christ so no one will be offended and everyone will be happy and live in peace?

Matthew 10:
v. 33: But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.

The truth is, we want the right kind of peace. The people pleasing peace is temporary and false. While we may think an open, politically correct, inclusive gospel that denies the one true Gospel of Jesus Christ, will make everyone happy, it won't. There are still going to be those who will be offended. But even more than that, the happiness and peace will be short lived in the eyes of eternity. When we die, we have to answer to the One who will either acknowledge us before the Father or deny us before the Father.

Which one will you be??