The Amish Voice 2
that he left this world for a land where the only politician is the Lord
Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ.
What lessons can we draw from this example? It is a very easy thing
for us to want to please men instead of God. The gospel we proclaim
can become tainted with our own personal agenda. And our life-style
can offend unless we…
set our hearts to please God
proclaim the gospel of Christ
show that we are different by the example of our lives
Both critics of Paul and false teachers had arisen in the churches of
Galatia. They were saying that Paul‟s call and the gospel he preached
were false, that he was not a true minister of God, that he was a self-
made minister who was only using the ministry for a livelihood and
other greedy purposes.
Paul‟s answer was direct and forceful: his message and life were of
God. His old life and old message had been radically changed.
OUTLINE:
1. He sought to please God alone, not men (v.10).
2. He proclaimed the gospel (vv.11-12).
3. He had a radical change of life (vv.13-16).
1. HE SOUGHT TO PLEASE GOD ALONE, NOT MEN (v.10).
The critics of Paul were saying that he was inconsistent...
seeking the favor and approval of men instead of God.
striving to please men instead of God.
living by the law when he was with the religionists (Jews) and
living a looser life when he was with the unsaved and non-
religionists (Gentiles).
saying one thing to one group of people and something else to
another group of people.
living a life of duplicity and deception in order to secure the
support of the people.
Paul minced no words; he fired two questions at his critics: “Am I now
seeking the favor of men or of God? Do I seek to please men?” As
stated, Paul minced no words. He answered his own questions by mak-
ing a startling statement: he agreed with his critics.
“If I yet [still]
pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
The point is clear: note the word “yet” or
still
. Paul was saying that
there was a time when he was a man-pleaser, a time when he sought
the favor and approval of men instead of God. But no more: he was not
“still pleasing men.” He was now seeking to please God and God
alone. Pleasing men, courting their favor, securing their acceptance,
approval, and recognition, and gaining honor, position, and wealth—
none of these things mattered to him anymore. He now wanted one
thing and one thing alone: the favor and approval of God. For this rea-
son, he was the slave of Jesus Christ.
“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there
shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Fa-
ther honour” (Jn.12:26).
QUESTIONS:
1. How do believers seek to please men instead of God? What
kinds of things do they do?
2. Can you think of a time when you sought to please people and
not God? What would you do differently if you had another
chance?
3. What should be your motivation to please God?
2. HE PROCLAIMED THE GOSPEL (vv.11-12).
Some critics of Paul were saying that he was not a true apostle of the
Lord Jesus because he had not been a follower of the Lord when the
Lord was upon the earth. Therefore, what he was teaching was a man-
made gospel taught by mistaken and misguided men.
Note that the word “certify” is a solemn word, a strong declaration that
what follows is of crucial importance and needs to be heard. Paul
wants the believers of Galatia to know this fact, know it beyond ques-
tion.
1. The gospel Paul preached was not a man-made gospel. It was not
a gospel created by man‟s…
The gospel was not a human thing; it did not originate with man.
The gospel was not the good news
of men
.
2. The gospel Paul preached was not received of man. It was
not a
taught message
, not a message which he had learned from any
man. The gospel he preached was not a message…
handed down to him like tradition
learned by him from an educational institution
taught to him by men
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