Pleasing God

Pleasing God A. We are to keep God's commandments and do things that are pleasing in His sight. 1JO 3:22. 1. “Thou shalt...” and “Thou shalt not...” commandments are “no-brainers.” 2. What about areas not so clearly defined? How does one please God in general? 3. This study is only of value to someone who is genuinely concerned about pleasing God. B. We should seek knowledge as to how to walk and to please God. 1TH 4:1; COL 1:10. 1. Without knowledge, one may wrongly think he is pleasing God. JOH 16:2-3 c/w 1TH 2:15; ACT 26:9. 2. Carnal-minded man cannot please Him. ROM 8:7-8. a. An unregenerate man cannot please God. ROM 8:9. b. A regenerate man while walking in the flesh rather than the spirit cannot please God. 1CO 10:4-5. 3. Pleasing men may not be pleasing God. GAL 1:10. 4. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. HEB 11:6. 5. Pleasing God requires God's work in our inner man. PHIL 2:12-13. 6. We ought to be praying accordingly. HEB 13:20-21. 7. Enoch whom God translated that he should not see death “...had this testimony, that he pleased God” (HEB 11:5). 8. We are to especially behold Jesus as a God-pleasing man. MAT 12:18; 17:5; ROM 15:3. C. We should live so as to reprove evil. EPH 5:1-17. 1. We should strive to maintain clear separation from the works of darkness. 2. One's submission to God instead of evil works stands as a reproof of evil and evildoers. 1PE 4:2-4; PRO 29:27. 3. We should not give unbelievers the impression that we condone their ungodliness. 1CO 10:27-29. 4. Our religion is not pure and undefiled if we are not unspotted from the world. JAM 1:27. 5. Those who partake with the children of disobedience are in a state of sleep and death from which they are called to awake. 6. Rather than being indifferent to what goes on about us, we must be awake and circumspect. D. We must steer between the extremes of lawlessness which allows anything and abstinence which forbids the enjoyment of lawful things. 1. There is evil to be abhorred and good to be held. ROM 12:9. 2. God gives us richly all things to enjoy. 1TI 6:17. 3. God condemns those who forbid as a matter of doctrine that which God allows. 1TI 4:1-5; COL 2:20-22. 4. However, all things are to be used under law to Christ. 1CO 9:21; 6:12. 5. Our liberty is not to be an occasion to the flesh or a cloke of maliciousness. GAL 5:13; 1PE 2:16. E. In proscription of God), the following guidelines for conduct should be applied. 1. Does it have the appearance of evil? 1TH 5:22. 2. Does it provide an occasion to be tempted to sin? PRO 5:8; ROM 13:14; EPH 4:27. 3. Does it hinder the effect of God's word on me? LUK 8:14. any discretionary area (an area which is not specifically governed by a prescription or Pleasing God Page 1 4. Does it dominate me? Can I take it or leave it? 1CO 6:12; 9:27; COL 3:5; PHIL 4:5. 5. Do you have doubts in your conscience about it? ROM 14:14, 20, 23; 1TI 1:19. 6. Will it offend a brother so as to hinder his conversion or growth? ROM 14:21; 15:1-2; 1CO 10:32-33. 7. Does it discredit your testimony and profession? ROM 14:16. 8. Does it bring reproach to the name of God and His kingdom? 1TI 5:14; 1PE 2:11-17. 9. Could it cause a young person to stumble? MAT 18:6. 10. Could it embolden anyone else to sin? ROM 14:13, 21; 1CO 8:10-13. 11. Does it come close to wickedness? PRO 4:14-15, 24; JOB 11:14. 12. Can you do it to God's glory in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ with thanksgiving? 1CO 10:31; COL 3:17. 13. Does it violate the rule of those who exercise legitimate authority over you? EPH 5:24; COL 3:20, 22; HEB 13:7, 17; 1PE 2:13-14. 14. Would you want to be found doing it at the second coming of Jesus Christ? 1JO 2:28; LUK 21:34-36. F. It pleases God when we govern ourselves not only according to strict commandments, but also by discretion. PSA 32:9; 1CO 11:13. G. You know you're on safe ground when you are obeying a commandment or exercising discretion. ECC 8:5. H. (PRO 16:7) When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Pleasing God Page 2