"I just want to be liked."
Those words are famous last words of any preacher (or Christian, for that matter) who ceases to be effective. Did you know that the world doesn't like real Christians? In fact, the world hates real Christians. Think about it. Jesus Christ came, preaching a new message that flipped everything upside-down and officially "ticked off" the majority! He preached of a road to salvation that was so narrow that many won't make it! Read his words! So, of course he was hated by many - but not by all.
The minute you find yourself saying "I just want to be liked," you've already compromised the Gospel of Jesus Christ in your own life. Sure, it feels nice to be liked. That is something I used to struggle with on a daily basis. Back in college, I couldn't stand it even when someone disagreed with me - let alone thought ill of me. And it was so bad that I often compromised my stance just so we would be in agreement. I used to hate "going against the flow." And this problem was something that took a long time to straighten out.
What would make anyone feel like this? Well, I think it's natural. It's natural to want unity. It's natural to hate disunity. And, in reference to the Body of Christ, we should strive for unity in the faith.
Romans 15:5 says, "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus."
Ephesians 4:3 says, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
Colossions 3:14 says, "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
So, is unity bad? Absolutely not! It is a natural - and supernatural - desire.
BUT (and you knew that was coming) the want of unity should not cause a disunity with Christ.
As Christians, before anything, we should line up ourselves, our wills, our lives with Christ Jesus. We should be unified with him. And unifying with Christ will lend itself to unity in the body of Christ. The two cannot fight against each other. If you are unified with Christ, but find yourself in disunity with a "believer," first check yourself. Pray that God would bring to light anything in your life that might be causing this. But also remember what Christ said in Matthew 7:15,
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."
Our focus should not be, "I just want to be liked by everyone." It should be, "I just want to be liked by God."
If you were to die right now, would God "depart from me, you who are cursed" or would he say "Well done, good and faithful servant."
You can be unified with the whole world, and be in disunity with Christ.
It blew me away to read the transcript from an interview with Larry King and a famous well-known preacher. This preacher wouldn't even declare that Jesus was the way to heaven. It is obvious, if you read his comments, that he stayed "in the middle of the road" because he just wanted to be liked. He didn't want to be accused of condemning people.
When it comes down to it, he didn't want to be accused of proclaiming the truth.
Final thought: Jesus said in John 15:18
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first."
The minute you find yourself saying "I just want to be liked," you've already compromised the Gospel of Jesus Christ in your own life. Sure, it feels nice to be liked. That is something I used to struggle with on a daily basis. Back in college, I couldn't stand it even when someone disagreed with me - let alone thought ill of me. And it was so bad that I often compromised my stance just so we would be in agreement. I used to hate "going against the flow." And this problem was something that took a long time to straighten out.
What would make anyone feel like this? Well, I think it's natural. It's natural to want unity. It's natural to hate disunity. And, in reference to the Body of Christ, we should strive for unity in the faith.
Romans 15:5 says, "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus."
Ephesians 4:3 says, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
Colossions 3:14 says, "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
So, is unity bad? Absolutely not! It is a natural - and supernatural - desire.
BUT (and you knew that was coming) the want of unity should not cause a disunity with Christ.
As Christians, before anything, we should line up ourselves, our wills, our lives with Christ Jesus. We should be unified with him. And unifying with Christ will lend itself to unity in the body of Christ. The two cannot fight against each other. If you are unified with Christ, but find yourself in disunity with a "believer," first check yourself. Pray that God would bring to light anything in your life that might be causing this. But also remember what Christ said in Matthew 7:15,
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."
Our focus should not be, "I just want to be liked by everyone." It should be, "I just want to be liked by God."
If you were to die right now, would God "depart from me, you who are cursed" or would he say "Well done, good and faithful servant."
You can be unified with the whole world, and be in disunity with Christ.
It blew me away to read the transcript from an interview with Larry King and a famous well-known preacher. This preacher wouldn't even declare that Jesus was the way to heaven. It is obvious, if you read his comments, that he stayed "in the middle of the road" because he just wanted to be liked. He didn't want to be accused of condemning people.
When it comes down to it, he didn't want to be accused of proclaiming the truth.
Final thought: Jesus said in John 15:18
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first."
-Pastor Elgin