Are You Seeking To Please God?
"To please" means to make one satisfied. Joy and happiness are also found in the one who is pleased. The Bible reminds us over and over that our duty on this earth is to please God. Thus when we please God, He is glorified.
We must take caution that we do not do things to please ourselves. While God does allow us all sorts of pleasure and happiness, there are rules, laws, and restrictions on how to do those things.
We also must decide on whether we are going to please men or God. The apostles Paul wrote in Galatians 1:10: "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ". This is where one of the biggest problems we face is rooted. There are thousands of denominations teaching all sorts of doctrines and going by all sorts of designations. The main reason they all exist is because they would rather please men than God. The solution is very simple. Just open the Bible and follow its teachings. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Well the problem is that people are not satisfied with doing what pleases God. They want to please themselves.
Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. As we learn in Hebrews 11, what pleases God is people doing what He wants them to do. All the heroes of faith were recognized for what they did; not who they were. If we are not careful, we might consider that God should treat us kindly for who we are, and not what we do.
We also remember in the Bible story of the baptism of Jesus that when He was baptized the spirit descended from above and lit upon Him and the voice from heaven which said: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased". Was God pleased with Jesus with a father's pride? No, He was not. God was pleased that Jesus chose to come to this earth to be mankind's Savior.
Trying to please God involves much more than worship. Worship is important and it is important to worship God the way He has revealed to us in the scriptures. We are to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).
We also please God when we become the type of people He wants us to be. Notice what is written in Hebrews 13:16: "And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased". Remember the judgment scene in Matthew 25? How we treat others is an important part of our judgment that we will face.
We also read that when children are obedient to their parents, God is well-pleased. We learn that servants who serve their masters well are a good example to others, and God is pleased.
There are many things which please God. Every one of those things are given to us as instructions to be followed in the Bible. The Bible is complete and gives us everything we need concerning salvation (2 Peter 1:3).
Of course we are also warned that if we do not do those things that please God, He will punish us accordingly.
If we seek to please ourselves, we lack humility before God, and are most likely involved in sin which can keep us out of heaven. So learn to please God.
By Carey Scott

Return to the General Articles page

Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /