We live in a day where most modern Christians are so concerned with how people see them and what they are thinking about them that we have put the opinions of others on a higher pedestal than Jesus himself.
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set man against his father, and daughter against her mother, and a daughter in law against her mother in law. And a persons enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” – Mathew 10:34-39
I believe Jesus is saying whoever loves anything more then Him is not worthy of Him. That includes the opinions of others. And the need for validation amongst “Communities”. Speaking of community: another thing most people love more then Jesus. A lot of churches make Community their big C and Christ the little c. Christ is supposed to be the big C.
Christians also so often love love more than Jesus. We become obsessed with the idea of unconditional love and think that the forbearing with others problems is what love is. Which partly, yes. But unconditional love does not mean you allow a person living in sin to walk with you without correcting them; at that point you are just lying to them that you love them for it says in the Bible what God’s love is:
“My son do not regard lightly the discipline of the lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son who he receives.” – Hebrews 12:5-6
Notice how it says “and chastises EVERY son he receives.” No one who is received by him will go un-chastised. (Side note: I’d encourage all to read Hebrews 12.)
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” – Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV
I’d like to draw your attention to the beginning of Verse 15: “Rather, speaking the truth in love”. Hmm… so say I was in relationship with a “Christian” who was walking in sin and in wanting to walk in “unconditional love” I choose to just “love” them over correcting them. Well, that wouldn’t be telling the truth would it? For I can say I love them with my words but I truly do not express that, for true love is discipline and correction, true love is the truth. So outwardly I express love, but inwardly I do not. Thus I would not be telling the truth. Not telling the truth, what is that? Lying. Lying is sin. So why do so many sin to keep the sinner away from correction and true love from the father?
True biblical love is corrective and disciplinary.
Another thing a lot of Christians love more then Jesus, are the gifts of the spirit. Signs and miracles. O Father forgive us for falling in love with temporary events that eternally do not produce anything. Yes signs and miracles are great, but that is not fruit. For the gifts are not given based on character or maturity, but are already given. God can’t take away his gifts for they were already given through the gift, and the gift is a person named Jesus. No, fruit is not how you once raised someone from the dead or how you can walk around and see people healed in Jesus’ name. I can go out and lead someone through a prayer of salvation after seeing their leg healed by Jesus, but sadly that does not mean they are going to heaven for as Jesus said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”Matthew 7:21-23 ESV
Since when are signs and miracles fruit? For what is healing in eternity? For what are signs in eternity? No they are not fruit. Fruit is eternal, and signs and miracles are not eternal. Signs and miracles are a tool to point people back to Jesus! Next time you are out and see someone healed and they ask “How did you do that?!” reply in humility and realization that we are nothing and point, point to the son and say “No I did nothing, for I am nothing, but Jesus, Jesus healed you.”
Now back to the pleasing of people and the obsession and concern with others opinions. I lead you now to one of my favorite verses and a very convicting verse. Galatians 1:10 which reads,
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” – Galatians 1:10 ESV
That is a very black and white verse. And maybe one could say “Oh that is just Paul’s conviction!” Oh, so does that mean Paul’s view on sexual immorality and idolatry was just his conviction? No, this is the truth.
Check your love, check your love to see if Christ truly is the one thing. If you awoke tomorrow to be the last person on the planet would you be happy? If you find that you love so much more than Jesus, Jesus the one and only soul hugger (What do I mean by soul hugger? He is the only thing that can satisfy my soul. Hug • squeeze someone tightly in ones arms to express AFFECTION. He is the only soul hugger, the only person who can satisfy me and make me whole.) than do not fret, simply repent and you will find his love.
WRITTEN BY ETHAN LEVEL (Contributing author and team member of Love Pursuit International)