People Pleaser

“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.  ~Galatians 1:10 HCSB”

Paul is writing to the people of Galatia who have turned from the gospel.  They had started to follow a works based gospel for salvation.  In other words they had to accomplish steps to be saved.  As Christians we believe in a grace based salvation in Christ alone.  “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift-- not from works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph 2:8-9) Paul reminds the Galatians that who gets the glory is of the greatest importance. 

If you are doing works to earn our salvation then we are being a people pleaser.  People approve or disapprove of our actions and we receive the glory.  In grace based salvation, God draws us to Christ through grace, who through the death on the cross and through the resurrection accomplished everything we need to be saved.  So Christ did the work, He suffered in our place for our sins and we only need to believe and put our faith in Him alone.  When we put our belief in Christ, Christ gets all the credit to the glory of God.  Knowing this should change the way we live.  We should no longer live to please the people around us, but we live to please Christ.  Because Christ paid it all, we were purchased by His blood and we belong to Him. 

Lord thank you for the dying for me on the cross.  It is a debt I could not pay on my own!  You purchased me with your own blood and I am yours.  Lord help me to live a life worthy of this incredible gift.  Help me live a life pleasing to you alone!  Amen