How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
John 5:44
What are our motives? This is an imperative question for each and every follower of Jesus to reflect upon. Our motives are a serious matter to God. For the disciple of Jesus, motive is a set matter; there is a right reason for doing or desiring something, and there is a wrong reason for doing or desiring something. There can be no "ulterior motives" in the reasoning and intent of Jesus's disciple, for such is a lie, and falls short of the character of the Holy Spirit, who brings forth truth. Nor can motive be self-seeking, for such a motive contradicts the nature of our self-sacrificing Lord. Neither can our motives form from seeking the approval of others. By Jesus' own words, our motives need to be founded in this: seeking the glory that comes from God, and not in the glory that comes from man.
Chasing the glory which comes from man sends us down many paths which lead us away from our Lord. Primarily, there are two ways in which the glory of man is sought.
Firstly, it is in that which feeds our arrogant pride: the esteem of others, honor, to be well spoken of. This is the path of the pride of life, which the world offers to those who seem to have it all together, and demand our respect. On the surface, they seem to be clean, devoted, even righteous. But in their hearts, there is found arrogance, conceit, and superiority. Was this not true of the Pharisees and other religious leaders whom Jesus rebuked?
Secondly, there is the path of popularity, of fame, for those who seek glory in the approval of others. Seeking glory in approval from people may cause someone to seem very friendly, wholesome, and agreeable, but internally they are uncertain, and lacking peace. Down this path there is a harsh downfall, for they cannot keep up with the many demands of the masses, and, should they attempt to please everyone, will contradict themselves on all fronts, lading to great turmoil.
Seeking the glory which comes from man ultimately sets a person on unstable spiritual footing; a house built upon shifting sands. It is like mining for fools gold. They are easily swayed into thought and action which contradicts the instruction of the Lord; either towards power, or towards popularity. Neither case describes the disciple of Jesus.
The disciple of Jesus has their foundation not in the glory which comes from one's peers, but receives their worth, their confidence, and their direction from the Lord. This stable footing brings the disciple peace in their heart and mind, for they are neither tossed about by attempting to please people, nor caught up in attempting to maintain a false image. They are humble and emboldened in having received from God an identity they could never have earned, namely, His children; a citizenship they never could have naturalized into, being citizens of heaven; and salvation from sin they never could have atoned for, in the sacrifice of Jesus. These glorious truths, and many more which come from a relationship with the Lord, allow the disciple of Jesus to confidently disregarding the glory of man for the sake of the glory which comes from God.
In the book of Acts, the apostles disregarded all esteem, approval, and worldly honor for the sake of spreading the news of the Gospel. This did not make them popular, or safe, or esteemed, for they were, in fact, beaten, imprisoned, reviled, and put to death. Yet they preached and labored in truth and love all the more. Why? Because they cared nothing for the glory which comes from people, as the pharisees and other religious leaders did. They only cared about the glory which comes from God.
What is the glory that comes from God? Let us look at the life and death of Stephen, the first martyr of the church, and how Jesus honored him.
Stephen of the book of Acts was a disciple of Jesus who was serving in the beginning of the church in Jerusalem. He was a man "of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom," (Acts 6:3b). When he was brought before the counsel of the Israeli religious elders for trial, and false charges were brought against him, Stephen spoke in truth with authority. He was not concerned with what the consequences might be, but he was bold in speaking of the truth of the gospel of Jesus, because he was seeking nothing else but to glorify God, and thus he received the glory which comes from God.
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
Acts 7:54-56 (italics added)
The glory which comes from God is not received in the material things of this world. We are not promised health, wealth, high esteem, or popularity. But why would we desire such "gifts" in a dying world? For all of these gifts will parish before our eyes. No, beloved, let our desire not be in anything this world has to offer, but let our desires, our motives, be founded and carried out in glorifying the One True God, and so receive from Him glory.
Until next time, beloved,
Pastor Andrew
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