THREE WHYS OF PLEASING GOD
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There are far more
that three reasons why we should seek to the very best of our being to
be pleasing to God. But, in the article this week we will limit them to
the Bible text of2 Corinthians The first WHY is
revealed from 2 Corinthians 4:16 through 2 Corinthians 5:5 and this WHY
leads into the second WHY and the second leads directly to the third
WHY. Simply stated the first Why is because all earthly things, good and
bad are temporary, and the spiritual things are eternal (
2) The second point is one of great comfort to every Christian.
That point is whatever the trials and burdens of life may be they
are as a fleeting vapor in comparison to eternity and work to bring us
to our spiritual reward (4: 17). When we truly acknowledge this truth
the burdens will seem lighter and the trials less troublesome and less
painful. 3) We recognize the
temporal nature of the seeable physical things, and the eternal nature
of spiritual or unseen things. The certainty of these is assured of God
(2 Cor. 5: 1-5). We know when we put off this earthly house we have a
building of God, a house not made by hands. Thus we long for that house
of God, so that being clothed we would not be found naked. This causes
us (or should) to groan to put off this house of clay and be clothed of
God and be with Him. God has given us His assurance of this by the
earnest of the Spirit (v. 5) Having this
confidence, walking by faith, are willing to leave this life and be with
God. Therefore, we "labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be
accepted of Him" (v. 7-9). All of the above
leads us directly in the Second WHY. That why is because we each are
going to one day have to give account of our life in this physical body
( v. 10). Whether or not we are pleasing to God in that day is going to
make a great difference for all eternity. Notice the verse says we are
going to appear before the judgment seat
of
Christ to receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath
done, whether good or bad.”
The things we have done will determine if we are found pleasing to Him.
Another point is that each will receive according to his or her own
doing. Our relationship with Christ is not going to be determined by the
“doing” of anyone else.
“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to
me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us
shall give account of himself to God.”
Rom. 14:11-12
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Jude 1:21 We can
only do this with God’s help.
“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to
present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding
joy,” Jude 1:24. Our
being called to give account before Christ leads us into the third WHY.
The
third Why relates to our responsibility to God and others in view of all
having to give account. Consider what Paul said in Acts 17:
30-31, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now
commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed
a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man
whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men,
in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
Paul in our text said “knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade
men.” This necessitates the
truth for us to be pleasing to God we have to give our best to persuade
others to obey the gospel in view of the coming judgment. Paul in this
verse eleven says we “are manifest unto God.”
That means God knows every aspect of our lives. |