1 00:00:05,243 --> 00:00:06,686 Question. 2 00:00:06,686 --> 00:00:12,270 "Can you explore this topic of fear of men?" 3 00:00:12,270 --> 00:00:14,584 So that's the topic: fear of men. 4 00:00:14,584 --> 00:00:17,805 "Now, if a believer 5 00:00:17,805 --> 00:00:21,774 is free from sin, 6 00:00:21,774 --> 00:00:24,096 how can one feel so dominated 7 00:00:24,096 --> 00:00:27,412 by this particular gripping sin?" 8 00:00:27,412 --> 00:00:28,938 Now, he writes more, 9 00:00:28,938 --> 00:00:30,669 but I'm going to stop right there. 10 00:00:30,669 --> 00:00:34,108 I often get questions that are worded like this. 11 00:00:34,108 --> 00:00:36,074 You say, like what? 12 00:00:36,074 --> 00:00:39,408 I often get somebody that says to me, 13 00:00:39,408 --> 00:00:42,137 "I know I'm a Christian. 14 00:00:42,137 --> 00:00:46,180 Please explain to me how I can be living in sin." 15 00:00:46,180 --> 00:00:50,295 That approach is common. 16 00:00:50,295 --> 00:00:52,346 I know I've been regenerated. 17 00:00:52,346 --> 00:00:53,796 I know I believed. 18 00:00:53,796 --> 00:00:55,466 I know I'm a Christian. 19 00:00:55,466 --> 00:00:57,999 And yet, would you please explain to me 20 00:00:57,999 --> 00:00:59,783 how it is that I can be controlled 21 00:00:59,783 --> 00:01:02,218 by this un-Christian conduct? 22 00:01:02,218 --> 00:01:03,880 Those are the kind of questions 23 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:05,977 oftentimes that you get. 24 00:01:05,977 --> 00:01:09,847 And it's like, ok, there's a fatal flaw 25 00:01:09,847 --> 00:01:13,057 in logic there. 26 00:01:13,057 --> 00:01:15,887 One of the things is this: 27 00:01:15,887 --> 00:01:18,815 We don't want to just assume we're Christians 28 00:01:18,815 --> 00:01:20,242 and then ask the question - 29 00:01:20,242 --> 00:01:21,943 it's like, I know I'm a Christian, 30 00:01:21,943 --> 00:01:23,735 even though when I look at the Bible, 31 00:01:23,735 --> 00:01:26,308 the things that the Bible says are true about Christians, 32 00:01:26,308 --> 00:01:29,265 I don't see are true in my life. So would you please explain to me? 33 00:01:29,265 --> 00:01:30,404 I know I'm a Christian, 34 00:01:30,404 --> 00:01:32,133 but how is it that my life can be 35 00:01:32,133 --> 00:01:34,456 characterized by un-Christian conduct 36 00:01:34,456 --> 00:01:36,222 when I know I'm a Christian? 37 00:01:36,222 --> 00:01:38,012 (Incomplete thought) 38 00:01:38,012 --> 00:01:40,285 And I would like to turn it around 39 00:01:40,285 --> 00:01:42,750 and say I'd rather you explain to me 40 00:01:42,750 --> 00:01:44,808 how you can be a Christian 41 00:01:44,808 --> 00:01:47,411 when your life is full of un-Christian conduct. 42 00:01:47,411 --> 00:01:49,342 I can't explain that to you, 43 00:01:49,342 --> 00:01:51,242 because I think what's happening is 44 00:01:51,242 --> 00:01:54,479 is you are basically starting out 45 00:01:54,479 --> 00:01:57,278 by a faulty assertion. 46 00:01:57,278 --> 00:02:00,432 You've got a faulty presupposition here 47 00:02:00,432 --> 00:02:02,371 that is making your logic bad 48 00:02:02,371 --> 00:02:03,718 all the way through. 49 00:02:03,718 --> 00:02:05,396 You want to turn the thing around. 50 00:02:05,396 --> 00:02:07,143 What you really want to do is say, 51 00:02:07,143 --> 00:02:10,280 the Bible says that true and legitimate 52 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,321 Christianity looks like this; 53 00:02:12,321 --> 00:02:15,114 ok, now I'm going to examine my own life 54 00:02:15,114 --> 00:02:17,128 in light of what the Bible says 55 00:02:17,128 --> 00:02:18,792 true Christianity looks like. 56 00:02:18,792 --> 00:02:20,647 If I measure up to the standard, 57 00:02:20,647 --> 00:02:22,033 that's a positive thing. 58 00:02:22,033 --> 00:02:25,088 If I don't measure up to the standard, 59 00:02:25,088 --> 00:02:27,507 that may mean I'm in trouble. 60 00:02:27,507 --> 00:02:29,833 That's how you want to reason. 61 00:02:29,833 --> 00:02:32,145 But anyway, we'll go on. 62 00:02:32,145 --> 00:02:35,047 "As with matters of the soul, 63 00:02:35,047 --> 00:02:37,728 a short question is hard to compress everything. 64 00:02:37,728 --> 00:02:39,187 I would like to ask you about 65 00:02:39,187 --> 00:02:43,309 this deplorable sin of fear of man in general. 66 00:02:43,309 --> 00:02:45,491 It takes on many words today, 67 00:02:45,491 --> 00:02:47,509 i.e. social anxiety, man-pleasing, 68 00:02:47,509 --> 00:02:49,740 seeking glory in this world, etc., 69 00:02:49,740 --> 00:02:51,818 but strangely is not something talked about 70 00:02:51,818 --> 00:02:53,893 much in church. 71 00:02:53,893 --> 00:02:55,099 Some personal context: 72 00:02:55,099 --> 00:02:57,256 I recently discovered that my struggle 73 00:02:57,256 --> 00:02:58,947 to communicate freely with people 74 00:02:58,947 --> 00:03:00,751 without fear for many years 75 00:03:00,751 --> 00:03:03,014 is directly proportionate to my desire 76 00:03:03,014 --> 00:03:05,661 to seek God above all things. 77 00:03:05,661 --> 00:03:08,377 (And that would make sense.) 78 00:03:08,377 --> 00:03:10,217 I hate this sin, 79 00:03:10,217 --> 00:03:13,795 yet in my pleading with God for repentance..." 80 00:03:13,795 --> 00:03:15,211 Can we just stop right there? 81 00:03:15,211 --> 00:03:17,986 God never tells us to plead for repentance. 82 00:03:17,986 --> 00:03:22,619 God tells us to repent. 83 00:03:22,619 --> 00:03:24,742 "I hate this sin, yet in my pleading 84 00:03:24,742 --> 00:03:26,468 with God for repentance 85 00:03:26,468 --> 00:03:28,502 and looking to Christ, it seems 86 00:03:28,502 --> 00:03:32,805 I am only seeking to be cured from such sin - 87 00:03:32,805 --> 00:03:34,759 the burden of anxiety, without wanting 88 00:03:34,759 --> 00:03:36,267 more of God. 89 00:03:36,267 --> 00:03:37,985 How can this be?" 90 00:03:37,985 --> 00:03:39,803 Again, he's asking me questions 91 00:03:39,803 --> 00:03:42,560 about how can this be. 92 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:44,772 "I struggle in wondering how can such 93 00:03:44,772 --> 00:03:47,806 an odious sin be present in a believer's life." 94 00:03:47,806 --> 00:03:51,062 You see, there's that bad logic again. 95 00:03:51,062 --> 00:03:53,660 "How is it true repentance 96 00:03:53,660 --> 00:03:56,453 if every day is just a repetitive struggle 97 00:03:56,453 --> 00:03:58,792 to turn away from this?" 98 00:03:58,792 --> 00:04:00,338 Well, it's not. 99 00:04:00,338 --> 00:04:03,239 (incomplete thought) 100 00:04:03,239 --> 00:04:05,408 He's asking how can it be true repentance 101 00:04:05,408 --> 00:04:07,307 as though the first assumption is 102 00:04:07,307 --> 00:04:08,597 it is true repentance. 103 00:04:08,597 --> 00:04:11,201 Well, the reality is 104 00:04:11,201 --> 00:04:13,251 he's describing that which is not 105 00:04:13,251 --> 00:04:16,556 characteristic of true repentance. 106 00:04:16,556 --> 00:04:19,752 "In conclusion, it really is exhausting. 107 00:04:19,752 --> 00:04:22,022 Never have I felt so dominated and controlled 108 00:04:22,022 --> 00:04:23,674 by any sin as this. 109 00:04:23,674 --> 00:04:25,725 It pains me that this is bigger than 110 00:04:25,725 --> 00:04:28,363 the God I profess to believe in. 111 00:04:28,363 --> 00:04:30,796 Never also have I felt so helpless, 112 00:04:30,796 --> 00:04:33,939 like one who does not know Christ. 113 00:04:33,939 --> 00:04:37,549 Yes, it makes me question assurance deeply." 114 00:04:37,549 --> 00:04:39,614 And it should. 115 00:04:39,614 --> 00:04:41,435 And so in the end, it sounds like 116 00:04:41,435 --> 00:04:45,924 his thinking is somewhat on the right track. 117 00:04:45,924 --> 00:04:49,016 "But in all this, thank you and James 118 00:04:49,016 --> 00:04:50,382 for reading this." 119 00:04:50,382 --> 00:04:52,082 (incomplete thought) 120 00:04:52,082 --> 00:04:54,157 So the end is thankfulness. 121 00:04:54,157 --> 00:04:56,025 But let's talk about this. 122 00:04:56,025 --> 00:05:02,930 Aside from his making certain assumptions 123 00:05:02,930 --> 00:05:08,463 which are backwards, 124 00:05:08,463 --> 00:05:11,477 (incomplete thought). 125 00:05:11,477 --> 00:05:15,160 Let's do a bit of a theology of the fear of God. 126 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:17,033 Anybody think of any texts 127 00:05:17,033 --> 00:05:19,023 that deal with the fear of God? 128 00:05:19,023 --> 00:05:24,085 Or, being a man-pleaser? 129 00:05:24,085 --> 00:05:27,483 Or, anything of that sort? 130 00:05:27,483 --> 00:05:29,477 (from the room) Matthew 10:28 131 00:05:29,477 --> 00:05:32,041 Tim: Matthew 10:28 132 00:05:32,041 --> 00:05:33,968 Do you have it right there? 133 00:05:33,968 --> 00:05:36,748 "And do not fear those who kill the body, 134 00:05:36,748 --> 00:05:38,883 but cannot kill the soul. 135 00:05:38,883 --> 00:05:41,501 Rather fear Him who can destroy 136 00:05:41,501 --> 00:05:44,369 both soul and body in hell." 137 00:05:44,369 --> 00:05:46,096 Then He goes on to say, 138 00:05:46,096 --> 00:05:47,846 "Fear not, therefore, you are 139 00:05:47,846 --> 00:05:53,525 of more value than many sparrows." 140 00:05:53,525 --> 00:05:55,142 Tim: Anybody think of any others? 141 00:05:55,142 --> 00:05:56,149 (from the room) 142 00:05:56,149 --> 00:05:58,555 The beginning of wisdom. 143 00:05:58,555 --> 00:06:00,246 Proverbs 1:7? 144 00:06:00,246 --> 00:06:05,355 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." 145 00:06:05,355 --> 00:06:07,448 Tim: We're talking about the fear of man. 146 00:06:07,448 --> 00:06:08,321 (from the room) 147 00:06:08,321 --> 00:06:10,651 "Whoever confesses Me before men..." 148 00:06:10,651 --> 00:06:12,808 Tim: "Whoever confesses Me before men..." 149 00:06:12,808 --> 00:06:16,222 That's an interesting one. 150 00:06:16,222 --> 00:06:18,220 Proverbs 29:25 151 00:06:18,220 --> 00:06:20,271 That's a big one. 152 00:06:20,271 --> 00:06:22,112 Why don't you quote that? 153 00:06:22,112 --> 00:06:23,809 "The fear of man lays a snare, 154 00:06:23,809 --> 00:06:25,808 but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe." 155 00:06:25,808 --> 00:06:30,249 Tim: The fear of man lays a snare. 156 00:06:30,249 --> 00:06:32,649 (incomplete thought) 157 00:06:32,649 --> 00:06:36,333 I often think of a text 158 00:06:36,333 --> 00:06:38,913 very close to the beginning of Isaiah. 159 00:06:38,913 --> 00:06:42,089 It's in Isaiah 2 that has to do with this. 160 00:06:42,089 --> 00:06:44,461 Anybody know the text I'm talking about? 161 00:06:44,461 --> 00:06:45,815 (from the room) Verse 22, 162 00:06:45,815 --> 00:06:47,469 "Stop regarding man 163 00:06:47,469 --> 00:06:49,360 in whose nostrils is breath, 164 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:50,746 for what account is he..." 165 00:06:50,746 --> 00:06:52,113 Tim: I remember Paul Washer 166 00:06:52,113 --> 00:06:54,233 preaching on that text. 167 00:06:54,233 --> 00:06:56,429 Stop regarding man. 168 00:06:56,429 --> 00:06:58,786 Another one that jumps to my mind 169 00:06:58,786 --> 00:07:00,651 is this one: 170 00:07:00,651 --> 00:07:04,347 It's found in John 5. 171 00:07:04,347 --> 00:07:07,739 And this is very helpful. 172 00:07:07,739 --> 00:07:10,987 Because what Jesus says is, 173 00:07:10,987 --> 00:07:12,854 He looks at the leaders there. 174 00:07:12,854 --> 00:07:15,203 You remember, He's been seeking 175 00:07:15,203 --> 00:07:20,910 to make the case for Himself being the Christ, 176 00:07:20,910 --> 00:07:25,134 and He's putting all this proof; 177 00:07:25,134 --> 00:07:27,747 all these witnesses before the people. 178 00:07:27,747 --> 00:07:29,877 And He says, "I say these things so that 179 00:07:29,877 --> 00:07:31,048 you might be saved." 180 00:07:31,048 --> 00:07:33,817 But as He's getting toward the end of the chapter there, 181 00:07:33,817 --> 00:07:36,598 He says this: 182 00:07:36,598 --> 00:07:43,260 "How can you believe..." who do what? 183 00:07:43,260 --> 00:07:47,781 Seek the glory of men. 184 00:07:47,781 --> 00:07:49,403 Receive honor from one another 185 00:07:49,403 --> 00:07:51,721 and not the glory or the honor 186 00:07:51,721 --> 00:07:53,450 that comes from God. 187 00:07:53,450 --> 00:07:54,810 Here's the thing, 188 00:07:54,810 --> 00:08:02,769 how can you believe...? 189 00:08:02,769 --> 00:08:04,852 you know what? 190 00:08:04,852 --> 00:08:08,008 It is an issue of faith. 191 00:08:08,008 --> 00:08:09,404 It is an issue of believing, 192 00:08:09,404 --> 00:08:16,180 if you really think about the fear of man. 193 00:08:16,180 --> 00:08:27,907 How do we overcome the fear of man? 194 00:08:27,907 --> 00:08:28,962 Faith. 195 00:08:28,962 --> 00:08:31,349 What is it that you believe? 196 00:08:31,349 --> 00:08:32,287 (from the room) 197 00:08:32,287 --> 00:08:36,750 That you are of more value than the sparrows. 198 00:08:36,750 --> 00:08:40,438 Tim: Well, if you think about Jesus' words 199 00:08:40,438 --> 00:08:42,202 that you ought not to fear those 200 00:08:42,202 --> 00:08:44,698 who can kill the body only 201 00:08:44,698 --> 00:08:47,082 and then there's nothing more they can do to you, 202 00:08:47,082 --> 00:08:52,668 but fear Him who can what? 203 00:08:52,668 --> 00:08:55,840 The idea is you're comparing God and people. 204 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:57,781 Even when you think about Peter 205 00:08:57,781 --> 00:09:01,143 before the Sanhedrin. 206 00:09:01,143 --> 00:09:04,854 We ought to obey God rather than man. 207 00:09:04,854 --> 00:09:08,305 Now man will put pressure on you to obey him. 208 00:09:08,305 --> 00:09:10,909 The issue is this, 209 00:09:10,909 --> 00:09:18,735 that you fear him most 210 00:09:18,735 --> 00:09:24,425 whose approval you seek most. 211 00:09:24,425 --> 00:09:26,280 That's a reality. 212 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:30,872 If you seek the glory of man, 213 00:09:30,872 --> 00:09:32,898 then you fear man's disapproval 214 00:09:32,898 --> 00:09:35,739 more than anything else. 215 00:09:35,739 --> 00:09:37,156 And that's a real issue. 216 00:09:37,156 --> 00:09:38,760 And see, what Jesus is doing is 217 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,670 He's confronting us with the truth. 218 00:09:41,670 --> 00:09:45,908 It really has to come down with what you believe. 219 00:09:45,908 --> 00:09:49,215 You know, I remember situations 220 00:09:49,215 --> 00:09:51,304 when I worked as an engineer. 221 00:09:51,304 --> 00:09:55,044 I remember having meetings with my department. 222 00:09:55,044 --> 00:09:56,734 I remember being in a meeting 223 00:09:56,734 --> 00:09:58,587 and I remember guys telling 224 00:09:58,587 --> 00:10:03,616 some bad joke or something, 225 00:10:03,616 --> 00:10:07,326 and I remember being in that situation. 226 00:10:07,326 --> 00:10:09,470 And right there, it's: 227 00:10:09,470 --> 00:10:12,503 Am I going to honor God or am I going to laugh at these guys? 228 00:10:12,503 --> 00:10:14,895 Am I going to make these guys feel uncomfortable 229 00:10:14,895 --> 00:10:16,425 by the way I respond right now, 230 00:10:16,425 --> 00:10:18,252 or am I going to seek God's approval? 231 00:10:18,252 --> 00:10:20,276 Is it their approval or God's approval? 232 00:10:20,276 --> 00:10:23,697 And what happens is the scales come out. 233 00:10:23,697 --> 00:10:25,654 Instantaneously, they come out. 234 00:10:25,654 --> 00:10:27,803 Whose approval do I seek most? 235 00:10:27,803 --> 00:10:29,667 Now a lot of that has to do with 236 00:10:29,667 --> 00:10:32,329 do you really believe God is right here? 237 00:10:32,329 --> 00:10:34,037 Do you believe He's right with you? 238 00:10:34,037 --> 00:10:35,973 Do you believe He's watching? 239 00:10:35,973 --> 00:10:39,096 Do you believe that there's an accounting? 240 00:10:39,096 --> 00:10:41,683 Do you believe that there's an approval? 241 00:10:41,683 --> 00:10:44,041 Do you believe that you can grieve Him? 242 00:10:44,041 --> 00:10:47,876 Do you believe that if you seek man's approval, 243 00:10:47,876 --> 00:10:51,746 you're going to grieve the Spirit? 244 00:10:51,746 --> 00:10:54,746 (incomplete thought) 245 00:10:54,746 --> 00:10:59,127 Do you really believe those things? 246 00:10:59,127 --> 00:11:02,585 That doesn't mean there isn't fear. 247 00:11:02,585 --> 00:11:04,479 The thing about fearing God more than 248 00:11:04,479 --> 00:11:05,718 fearing man doesn't mean 249 00:11:05,718 --> 00:11:07,653 that the fear of man goes away, 250 00:11:07,653 --> 00:11:10,830 but it means that when you're confronted by it, 251 00:11:10,830 --> 00:11:12,804 God gives you a courage 252 00:11:12,804 --> 00:11:14,064 to do the right thing 253 00:11:14,064 --> 00:11:15,577 and to believe the right thing 254 00:11:15,577 --> 00:11:17,878 and to believe that He is worth 255 00:11:17,878 --> 00:11:21,011 having the approval of more than man is. 256 00:11:21,011 --> 00:11:22,988 But it really comes down to 257 00:11:22,988 --> 00:11:24,422 you have to be convinced; 258 00:11:24,422 --> 00:11:26,276 you have to believe that reality 259 00:11:26,276 --> 00:11:27,775 when you're confronted with it. 260 00:11:27,775 --> 00:11:29,167 Look, I don't know anybody - 261 00:11:29,167 --> 00:11:31,762 maybe some of you can raise your hand and say you know what, 262 00:11:31,762 --> 00:11:33,592 I really don't care what any man 263 00:11:33,592 --> 00:11:35,724 or any woman or any child thinks of me 264 00:11:35,724 --> 00:11:38,054 in any scenario at all. 265 00:11:38,054 --> 00:11:40,049 I care not at all. 266 00:11:40,049 --> 00:11:41,770 I doubt there's any like that. 267 00:11:41,770 --> 00:11:43,197 Why? 268 00:11:43,197 --> 00:11:45,165 We're social creatures. 269 00:11:45,165 --> 00:11:47,144 We do like the approval of man. 270 00:11:47,144 --> 00:11:48,678 You know what the thing is? 271 00:11:48,678 --> 00:11:54,817 We like to be liked. 272 00:11:54,817 --> 00:11:57,006 And that's one thing that makes it hard 273 00:11:57,006 --> 00:11:58,323 about becoming a Christian, 274 00:11:58,323 --> 00:12:01,018 because you're thrown into a situation - 275 00:12:01,018 --> 00:12:04,689 I'll tell you, this is one of the tell-tale signs 276 00:12:04,689 --> 00:12:07,393 of true Christianity - 277 00:12:07,393 --> 00:12:09,924 is when men and women 278 00:12:09,924 --> 00:12:11,197 claim they've been saved 279 00:12:11,197 --> 00:12:13,118 and you throw them (incomplete thought). 280 00:12:13,118 --> 00:12:15,139 This tends to be such a hallmark 281 00:12:15,139 --> 00:12:18,748 of the hypocrite. 282 00:12:18,748 --> 00:12:20,179 They're man-pleasers. 283 00:12:20,179 --> 00:12:22,572 The hypocrite is a man-pleaser. 284 00:12:22,572 --> 00:12:26,443 He appears holy in certain situations, 285 00:12:26,443 --> 00:12:28,704 because you're watching him. 286 00:12:28,704 --> 00:12:31,115 And he wants to appease you. 287 00:12:31,115 --> 00:12:32,776 But I'll tell you, you take him 288 00:12:32,776 --> 00:12:35,481 and you throw him on a bar stool, 289 00:12:35,481 --> 00:12:37,183 and he'll appease the people there. 290 00:12:37,183 --> 00:12:38,870 You throw him in the workplace, 291 00:12:38,870 --> 00:12:41,422 and you have a guy tell a dirty joke at work, 292 00:12:41,422 --> 00:12:43,508 he'll appease. 293 00:12:43,508 --> 00:12:45,354 I remember Craig telling the story 294 00:12:45,354 --> 00:12:48,498 about checking out a piece of machinery 295 00:12:48,498 --> 00:12:51,055 from a tool crib - a tool of some kind 296 00:12:51,055 --> 00:12:52,107 he was checking out. 297 00:12:52,107 --> 00:12:54,538 And the guy there used the Lord's name in vain, 298 00:12:54,538 --> 00:12:56,942 and Craig said something to him 299 00:12:56,942 --> 00:13:00,576 about not using the name of the Lord thy God in vain, 300 00:13:00,576 --> 00:13:04,123 and the guy went off on him. 301 00:13:04,123 --> 00:13:06,328 Craig was shocked how badly the guy 302 00:13:06,328 --> 00:13:08,830 went off on him. 303 00:13:08,830 --> 00:13:11,055 And that's the thing. 304 00:13:11,055 --> 00:13:13,466 Sometimes people will go off on you. 305 00:13:13,466 --> 00:13:15,897 Or sometimes you'll just be shunned. 306 00:13:15,897 --> 00:13:18,663 Sometimes you'll be the outcast. 307 00:13:18,663 --> 00:13:22,585 Sometimes it's just the smirk on people's faces. 308 00:13:22,585 --> 00:13:26,972 Sometimes it's just not being included anymore. 309 00:13:26,972 --> 00:13:30,626 See, it all comes down to, 310 00:13:30,626 --> 00:13:31,667 you know what? 311 00:13:31,667 --> 00:13:35,829 I want the approval of my Lord 312 00:13:35,829 --> 00:13:39,199 more than I want their approval. 313 00:13:39,199 --> 00:13:40,594 And that's really the issue. 314 00:13:40,594 --> 00:13:43,655 It tests - to the hilt - 315 00:13:43,655 --> 00:13:45,732 it tests what we believe. 316 00:13:45,732 --> 00:13:46,996 It's powerful. 317 00:13:46,996 --> 00:13:49,487 And there in John 5, that's the issue. 318 00:13:49,487 --> 00:13:53,640 Jesus said I don't seek the glory of man. 319 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:55,558 And that really needs to be the place 320 00:13:55,558 --> 00:13:57,722 we as Christians are. 321 00:13:57,722 --> 00:13:59,710 Yes, there's a place to seek approval 322 00:13:59,710 --> 00:14:00,942 in the sense that 323 00:14:00,942 --> 00:14:04,349 you know, you want to be a good worker at work. 324 00:14:04,349 --> 00:14:05,933 But you know what, when your boss 325 00:14:05,933 --> 00:14:08,659 wants you to do something wrong? 326 00:14:08,659 --> 00:14:10,526 My brother-in-law Rick, 327 00:14:10,526 --> 00:14:13,643 his boss wanted him to cheat 328 00:14:13,643 --> 00:14:20,794 on the item list/inventory 329 00:14:20,794 --> 00:14:22,674 on these shipments that come in 330 00:14:22,674 --> 00:14:24,485 on these pallets, 331 00:14:24,485 --> 00:14:25,872 and he resigned. 332 00:14:25,872 --> 00:14:26,839 I'm not doing it. 333 00:14:26,839 --> 00:14:30,054 His boss told him, "you are going to do it." 334 00:14:30,054 --> 00:14:32,477 There was a time they had to take inventory 335 00:14:32,477 --> 00:14:35,490 on something and his boss had been 336 00:14:35,490 --> 00:14:38,913 wrongly inventorying things for a long time, 337 00:14:38,913 --> 00:14:41,061 and he told Rick, you are going to do it. 338 00:14:41,061 --> 00:14:44,204 And Rick said I'm not going to do it. 339 00:14:44,204 --> 00:14:48,332 This is where we get put to it. 340 00:14:48,332 --> 00:14:51,004 How can you believe? 341 00:14:51,004 --> 00:14:53,481 See, that's the thing. 342 00:14:53,481 --> 00:14:56,753 What's Jesus saying there? 343 00:14:56,753 --> 00:14:58,695 Think about those words. 344 00:14:58,695 --> 00:15:00,621 How can you believe 345 00:15:00,621 --> 00:15:05,377 when you seek the glory of man? 346 00:15:05,377 --> 00:15:15,686 (unintelligible) 347 00:15:15,686 --> 00:15:18,678 It's like loving God and money. 348 00:15:18,678 --> 00:15:21,141 They're conflicting loves. 349 00:15:21,141 --> 00:15:22,931 They're conflicting interests. 350 00:15:22,931 --> 00:15:24,770 (Incomplete thought) 351 00:15:24,770 --> 00:15:29,394 It's like, ok, I'm there in the engineering meeting, 352 00:15:29,394 --> 00:15:34,254 and a guy says something that's wicked, 353 00:15:34,254 --> 00:15:37,658 and everybody else is laughing. 354 00:15:37,658 --> 00:15:39,417 How am I going to respond? 355 00:15:39,417 --> 00:15:41,366 (incomplete thought) 356 00:15:41,366 --> 00:15:44,949 Where's my love? 357 00:15:44,949 --> 00:15:50,677 What is it that I desire most here? 358 00:15:50,677 --> 00:15:54,714 And Jesus talked about it. 359 00:15:54,714 --> 00:15:57,616 Eric brought up the text. 360 00:15:57,616 --> 00:16:00,453 Before men - what we do before men. 361 00:16:00,453 --> 00:16:02,153 How we proclaim Christ. 362 00:16:02,153 --> 00:16:03,714 How we testify to Him. 363 00:16:03,714 --> 00:16:07,928 How we stand for Him before men. 364 00:16:07,928 --> 00:16:09,329 That's a real issue. 365 00:16:09,329 --> 00:16:10,957 And it comes down to the truth. 366 00:16:10,957 --> 00:16:13,215 It comes down to what you believe. 367 00:16:13,215 --> 00:16:17,895 That's really the issue. 368 00:16:17,895 --> 00:16:19,373 (from the room) 369 00:16:19,373 --> 00:16:21,857 I also think it comes back 370 00:16:21,857 --> 00:16:23,819 to the validity of the walk. 371 00:16:23,819 --> 00:16:27,413 I was talking about earlier today 372 00:16:27,413 --> 00:16:29,221 Luke 22 373 00:16:29,221 --> 00:16:33,887 and how Christ commanded Peter to pray, 374 00:16:33,887 --> 00:16:36,295 and he slept instead, 375 00:16:36,295 --> 00:16:39,338 which led him to follow at a distance, 376 00:16:39,338 --> 00:16:41,287 and following after that, 377 00:16:41,287 --> 00:16:45,097 he denied the Lord before a servant. 378 00:16:45,097 --> 00:16:46,922 And I think it just goes back to 379 00:16:46,922 --> 00:16:48,540 our personal walk with the Lord 380 00:16:48,540 --> 00:16:51,058 on a daily basis. 381 00:16:51,058 --> 00:16:53,279 If we don't have that intact, 382 00:16:53,279 --> 00:16:55,590 there's no power going forth 383 00:16:55,590 --> 00:16:58,197 in the workplace or at school 384 00:16:58,197 --> 00:17:01,197 or at Walmart or wherever we're at. 385 00:17:01,197 --> 00:17:03,583 I mean, I've seen significant difference 386 00:17:03,583 --> 00:17:05,535 in my own walk when there's days 387 00:17:05,535 --> 00:17:08,101 where I've spent little time in the Word, 388 00:17:08,101 --> 00:17:10,037 and I go to work 389 00:17:10,037 --> 00:17:12,188 and face the same situation 390 00:17:12,188 --> 00:17:16,689 where I'm denying the Lord in a certain way. 391 00:17:16,689 --> 00:17:18,464 Versus on another day when I spent 392 00:17:18,464 --> 00:17:19,919 quality time with Christ, 393 00:17:19,919 --> 00:17:21,294 and then go to work, 394 00:17:21,294 --> 00:17:23,487 face the same trials and the same temptations, 395 00:17:23,487 --> 00:17:24,814 but I overcome it. 396 00:17:24,814 --> 00:17:27,519 So I think it just comes back to 397 00:17:27,519 --> 00:17:29,739 your daily walk with the Lord. 398 00:17:29,739 --> 00:17:31,461 Tim: Well, if we think about this 399 00:17:31,461 --> 00:17:33,473 being a matter of faith - 400 00:17:33,473 --> 00:17:36,911 faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ. 401 00:17:36,911 --> 00:17:39,666 There's a reality that when a person 402 00:17:39,666 --> 00:17:42,503 is prayerfully in the Word 403 00:17:42,503 --> 00:17:46,435 and then he goes off into this world, 404 00:17:46,435 --> 00:17:49,779 the Spirit grips people's minds with truth. 405 00:17:49,779 --> 00:17:52,248 That truth is prevalent. 406 00:17:52,248 --> 00:17:53,484 It's before your eyes. 407 00:17:53,484 --> 00:17:55,458 It's there. It's fresh. 408 00:17:55,458 --> 00:17:57,119 The Spirit makes it so. 409 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,352 And it tends to be powerful. 410 00:17:59,352 --> 00:18:02,774 And it's not like Christians don't hesitate, 411 00:18:02,774 --> 00:18:05,787 but you know, when the Word is fresh 412 00:18:05,787 --> 00:18:08,022 and it's there and it's vivid, 413 00:18:08,022 --> 00:18:13,496 it's constraining - it's compelling. 414 00:18:13,496 --> 00:18:15,882 Yeah, you're not going to do well 415 00:18:15,882 --> 00:18:18,466 in this battle if you're not in the Word 416 00:18:18,466 --> 00:18:21,295 and your faith isn't being constantly 417 00:18:21,295 --> 00:18:24,305 stirred by the Word, by the Spirit of God 418 00:18:24,305 --> 00:18:28,258 using the Word in your life. 419 00:18:28,258 --> 00:18:30,065 One more before we end. 420 00:18:30,065 --> 00:18:30,781 (from the room) 421 00:18:30,781 --> 00:18:32,951 (unintelligible) make a distinction 422 00:18:32,951 --> 00:18:35,332 for, say a new convert may get confused on this, 423 00:18:35,332 --> 00:18:37,818 but like in Galatians 1:10 it says, 424 00:18:37,818 --> 00:18:39,679 if I'm still trying to please man, 425 00:18:39,679 --> 00:18:41,669 I would not be a servant of Christ. 426 00:18:41,669 --> 00:18:44,121 But then in 1 Corinthians 10, 427 00:18:44,121 --> 00:18:46,428 Paul says I try to please everyone 428 00:18:46,428 --> 00:18:47,929 in everything I do. 429 00:18:47,929 --> 00:18:50,107 Now, he says not seeking my own advantage, 430 00:18:50,107 --> 00:18:53,196 but some new Christian, they read 1 Corinthians 10, 431 00:18:53,196 --> 00:18:55,120 and it says I try to please everyone. 432 00:18:55,120 --> 00:18:56,724 And then in Galatians 1:10, 433 00:18:56,724 --> 00:18:58,748 it says if I'm trying to please man, 434 00:18:58,748 --> 00:19:00,140 I'm not a servant of Christ. 435 00:19:00,140 --> 00:19:02,108 I think you kind of already hit on this, 436 00:19:02,108 --> 00:19:03,804 but what's the big difference there 437 00:19:03,804 --> 00:19:05,423 between both of those verses 438 00:19:05,423 --> 00:19:06,630 in what Paul's saying? 439 00:19:06,630 --> 00:19:09,180 Tim: Well, obviously, there's a time 440 00:19:09,180 --> 00:19:12,462 to please God when it offends men. 441 00:19:12,462 --> 00:19:14,374 And then there's a time 442 00:19:14,374 --> 00:19:19,837 to make sacrifices for the sake of 443 00:19:19,837 --> 00:19:24,710 proclaiming the Gospel which pleases God 444 00:19:24,710 --> 00:19:27,747 and pleases the men that you're preaching to. 445 00:19:27,747 --> 00:19:30,395 For instance, when you think of Paul 446 00:19:30,395 --> 00:19:32,326 addressing the Corinthians, 447 00:19:32,326 --> 00:19:37,389 he did things like not accept money 448 00:19:37,389 --> 00:19:38,800 to please men - 449 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:40,246 to put men in a place where 450 00:19:40,246 --> 00:19:43,210 he wasn't creating a stumbling block. 451 00:19:43,210 --> 00:19:44,950 Basically, when he's talking about 452 00:19:44,950 --> 00:19:47,539 pleasing man in that case, 453 00:19:47,539 --> 00:19:50,170 he's not talking about pleasing them 454 00:19:50,170 --> 00:19:52,423 while he's disobeying God. 455 00:19:52,423 --> 00:19:54,550 He's talking about pleasing them in a way 456 00:19:54,550 --> 00:19:57,232 that pleases God, because it promotes 457 00:19:57,232 --> 00:19:58,938 the Gospel. 458 00:19:58,938 --> 00:20:01,442 And basically, are we not told 459 00:20:01,442 --> 00:20:03,427 that as much as possible we should 460 00:20:03,427 --> 00:20:05,190 live at peace with all men? 461 00:20:05,190 --> 00:20:08,201 That is a way that God is pleased with 462 00:20:08,201 --> 00:20:11,008 as we're seeking to live with man in peace 463 00:20:11,008 --> 00:20:12,505 as much as possible. 464 00:20:12,505 --> 00:20:14,891 But what happens is we get confronted 465 00:20:14,891 --> 00:20:19,483 by situations where the two are in conflict - 466 00:20:19,483 --> 00:20:22,368 pleasing God or pleasing man. 467 00:20:22,368 --> 00:20:23,971 They're not consistent. 468 00:20:23,971 --> 00:20:26,828 And when they butt heads - 469 00:20:26,828 --> 00:20:30,018 when it's pleasing God or pleasing man 470 00:20:30,018 --> 00:20:32,940 and you can't do both, 471 00:20:32,940 --> 00:20:35,770 that's where Jesus is saying 472 00:20:35,770 --> 00:20:39,300 that you need to testify of Him before men, 473 00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:41,636 and you need to proclaim Him before men. 474 00:20:41,636 --> 00:20:44,031 You need to stand for what's right before men. 475 00:20:44,031 --> 00:20:46,411 And you need to not fear man. 476 00:20:46,411 --> 00:20:47,899 The issue is this: 477 00:20:47,899 --> 00:20:51,085 when pleasing God brings the scowl of a man, 478 00:20:51,085 --> 00:20:53,142 or even brings the sword, 479 00:20:53,142 --> 00:20:55,406 where they can kill your body. 480 00:20:55,406 --> 00:20:58,793 (incomplete thought) 481 00:20:58,793 --> 00:21:00,979 You know, in all of it, 482 00:21:00,979 --> 00:21:03,067 you want your eyes on the Lord. 483 00:21:03,067 --> 00:21:04,467 Ok, what pleases You? 484 00:21:04,467 --> 00:21:07,026 Does pleasing You please my parents? 485 00:21:07,026 --> 00:21:09,956 I mean, pleasing You is pleasing my parents right now, Lord? 486 00:21:09,956 --> 00:21:12,304 Yes. Ok, I'm going to please my parents. 487 00:21:12,304 --> 00:21:13,331 My parents are happy. 488 00:21:13,331 --> 00:21:15,581 (incomplete thought) 489 00:21:15,581 --> 00:21:17,107 What it means to be a Christian 490 00:21:17,107 --> 00:21:19,738 and to obey the Lord is making my parents happy. 491 00:21:19,738 --> 00:21:21,617 But He also said He's bringing a sword. 492 00:21:21,617 --> 00:21:24,639 There's times I look to Him and He says you need to go to the left. 493 00:21:24,639 --> 00:21:26,085 And it's like, ok, I look at my parents 494 00:21:26,085 --> 00:21:27,465 and they're scowling because they don't want me 495 00:21:27,465 --> 00:21:28,991 to go to the left, but I look at the Lord 496 00:21:28,991 --> 00:21:30,152 and He's saying go left. 497 00:21:30,152 --> 00:21:31,140 Ok, I go left. 498 00:21:31,140 --> 00:21:33,342 Now the sword comes in the family 499 00:21:33,342 --> 00:21:34,422 and there's division. 500 00:21:34,422 --> 00:21:36,554 But see, all the time my eyes are on the Lord. 501 00:21:36,554 --> 00:21:38,362 That's what Paul's talking about. 502 00:21:38,362 --> 00:21:40,952 Paul's talking about, ok, his eyes are on the Lord, 503 00:21:40,952 --> 00:21:43,179 when it has to do with what's being encountered 504 00:21:43,179 --> 00:21:44,910 over there in the Galatian churches, 505 00:21:44,910 --> 00:21:47,637 you've got Judaizers who are in opposition 506 00:21:47,637 --> 00:21:50,078 to the truth of God and the Gospel of God, 507 00:21:50,078 --> 00:21:52,420 and he's going to stand for the Gospel 508 00:21:52,420 --> 00:21:54,802 even though it offends all these other people. 509 00:21:54,802 --> 00:21:57,117 Now in another case, with the Corinthians, 510 00:21:57,117 --> 00:22:00,051 it's a matter of - to not make any obstacle 511 00:22:00,051 --> 00:22:03,167 for the Gospel, I'm not going to take any money 512 00:22:03,167 --> 00:22:04,448 when I preach the Gospel. 513 00:22:04,448 --> 00:22:06,053 And God's pleased with that too. 514 00:22:06,053 --> 00:22:07,295 My eyes are on the Lord. 515 00:22:07,295 --> 00:22:08,979 And so, when following the Lord 516 00:22:08,979 --> 00:22:10,993 is going to put me in opposition to men, 517 00:22:10,993 --> 00:22:11,747 so be it. 518 00:22:11,747 --> 00:22:14,241 When following the Lord is going to put me at peace with all men, 519 00:22:14,241 --> 00:22:15,399 so be it. 520 00:22:15,399 --> 00:22:17,374 Some seasons are going to be one. 521 00:22:17,374 --> 00:22:19,419 There are times He will make our enemies 522 00:22:19,419 --> 00:22:20,624 to be at peace with us. 523 00:22:20,624 --> 00:22:22,158 And there are other times that 524 00:22:22,158 --> 00:22:24,806 even the closest people will be at war with us. 525 00:22:24,806 --> 00:22:27,134 And we just have to keep our eyes on the Lord all the time. 526 00:22:27,134 --> 00:22:29,344 That's another reason we need to be in His Word. 527 00:22:29,344 --> 00:22:30,333 We need that Word. 528 00:22:30,333 --> 00:22:32,141 We need to be renewing our minds 529 00:22:32,141 --> 00:22:33,972 with that Word all the time. 530 00:22:33,972 --> 00:22:34,895 All the time. 531 00:22:34,895 --> 00:22:36,662 Because everything about this world - 532 00:22:36,662 --> 00:22:40,836 this world is given to man-pleasing. 533 00:22:40,836 --> 00:22:43,420 And if you're not constantly in the Scriptures; 534 00:22:43,420 --> 00:22:44,587 constantly in the Word; 535 00:22:44,587 --> 00:22:46,561 constantly renewing your mind, 536 00:22:46,561 --> 00:22:48,224 you just end up thinking worldly. 537 00:22:48,224 --> 00:22:50,188 And the worldly way is to please. 538 00:22:50,188 --> 00:22:51,755 It's to dress to please. 539 00:22:51,755 --> 00:22:53,214 It's to act to please. 540 00:22:53,214 --> 00:22:55,927 It's to put on a show to please. 541 00:22:55,927 --> 00:22:57,394 It's to get the applause. 542 00:22:57,394 --> 00:22:58,560 It's to get the smile. 543 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,249 It's to get the approbation of mankind. 544 00:23:01,249 --> 00:23:05,318 That's what the world does. 545 00:23:05,318 --> 00:23:10,489 And even more, it's to get the jealousy 546 00:23:10,489 --> 00:23:11,660 of other people. 547 00:23:11,660 --> 00:23:13,515 It's to get the envy of other people. 548 00:23:13,515 --> 00:23:15,810 It's to outdo other people 549 00:23:15,810 --> 00:23:17,667 so that they admire you 550 00:23:17,667 --> 00:23:19,043 and they want what you have 551 00:23:19,043 --> 00:23:20,439 and they covet what you have 552 00:23:20,439 --> 00:23:21,848 and they covet your spouse 553 00:23:21,848 --> 00:23:23,061 and they covet your house 554 00:23:23,061 --> 00:23:24,516 and they covet your vehicle. 555 00:23:24,516 --> 00:23:27,280 It's just living with this mindset all the time 556 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,878 of other people, other people, other people. 557 00:23:30,878 --> 00:23:32,964 I mean, even as a preacher, 558 00:23:32,964 --> 00:23:37,263 it's like, ok, this thing can hit you 559 00:23:37,263 --> 00:23:38,352 at any level. 560 00:23:38,352 --> 00:23:39,831 You're going into the pulpit. 561 00:23:39,831 --> 00:23:43,557 Is my primary objective: I want to please the Lord? 562 00:23:43,557 --> 00:23:44,695 You look at men. 563 00:23:44,695 --> 00:23:46,508 There's lots of preachers that preach 564 00:23:46,508 --> 00:23:48,661 the way they do because 565 00:23:48,661 --> 00:23:51,474 that guy might not give as much. 566 00:23:51,474 --> 00:23:53,861 They might leave the church. 567 00:23:53,861 --> 00:23:58,046 At every level, we're confronted by this.