Gospel Tabernacle: Activating God's People

In school (especially high school), there always seems to be an “in crowd” and a “’you can forget about it’ crowd” where everyone else fits. In sports, there is a “first pick” and a “last pick,” or not picked at all. After church on Sunday, there is always someone who is asked to accompany a group to lunch and inevitably someone who overhears who is not extended an invitation. I don’t know about you, but I like being on the side that gets picked, invited, or accepted and esteemed. But really who doesn’t? Whether it’s from parents, employers, teachers, the opposite sex, or our peers, we all seek approval of others. How does the Bible address this desire? Is it consistent?

Ephesians 6:5-6 Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

Romans 15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.

What is the difference between pleasing my neighbor and being a men-pleaser? Didn’t Paul say in 1 Cor. 9:22 that he “became all things to all men” and in 1 Cor. 10:33 “just as I also please men in all things”? How then can it be wrong to be a men-pleaser if Paul admitted to such a practice? My answer to the stated dilemma you ask? Clearly stated… motivation. It would help to finish Paul’s statements above. Paul said that he “became all things to all men,” continuing, “so that by all possible means I might save some.” “Just as I also please men in all things,” Paul follows with “not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” The godly motivation for pleasing my neighbor is to edify him, for his good (as in Rom 15:2 above) not to edify or build-up myself for my good (as in Eph 6:5-6 above). The need for approval from others quickly displaces our own realization that we are totally accepted by God through reconciliation.

Jesus warns in Luke 6:26, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.” WOW, is that a powerful statement! To see a great explanation of this verse click here.

Scripture in this case does not present two truths that would appear to contradict one another. In actuality there is not tension present, “divine” or otherwise, though it may appear so at first glance. There is also not a middle ground that scripture reaches between approval seeking which is justified and that, which is not. There is in fact a singular truth. In an article entitled “The Centrality of the Gospel,” Tim Keller wrote:

“The key for thinking out the implications of the gospel is to consider the gospel a “third” way between two mistaken opposites. However, before we start we must realize that the gospel is not a half-way compromise between the two poles — it does not produce “something in the middle”, but something different from both.”

We have extremes, one on one end of the spectrum and one on the other. God however does not. His way transcends all and is “different from both.”

We can very easily fall into a “performance trap” in our lives. Our work certainly has value, but at times this value is misplaced or appraised too highly. A false belief within us says “I must meet or exceed certain expectations in order to have worth.” God’s Word has many expectations though doesn’t it? Many believe that the Bible is just a book of “do’s and don’ts.”

Paul writes; “Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.” (Rom 3:27-28) James questions; “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? …faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:14-15, 17) At surface level these two men seem to be engaged in a Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed type heavy-weight title bout with their conflicting view points. Which inspired author is right? Which one is wrong? Both are right! This could be called divine tension. I want to call your attention to the following definition of tension:

A balanced relation between strongly opposing elements: “the continuing, and essential, tension between two of the three branches of government, judicial and legislative” (Haynes Johnson). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition.

Paul and James are both right because of their differences! Paul speaks of the same faith, but different works than what James speaks of.

1.) Different laws. Paul spoke concerning the Mosaic Law while James, the law of liberty. (Compare Romans 3:20 with James 2:12)

2.) Different motivation. Paul warned that observing God’s law would not make one right with God in of itself. He also makes the point that scripture has pointed this out all along. James encourages good deeds or works that are a byproduct of a faith that is genuine and alive. The motivation then would be helping others, not helping your self (a means of justification.) (Compare Romans 3:21 with James 2:15-17)

3.) Different source of justification. Paul urges that we are made right with God (justified) when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. On this faith alone are we justified, not by anything we can do to earn it. James speaks of works as a justification of our faith. To put it another way, what we do proves our faith, flowing out from it. (Compare Romans 3:22-26 with James 2:18)

The Bible speaks volumes about our actions as well as our work. Hard work is encouraged, while laziness is spoken of as sin. However, we can abuse how we perform or produce. God places our worth not in what we can accomplish but rather what Jesus Christ accomplished in our place. Our identity then is in Christ not what occupation or special skill set that we possess. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Col 3:23-24