Approval of men or of God?

Deuteronomy 13; Deuteronomy 14; Deuteronomy 15; Galatians 1

Galatians 1:⁶I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! ⁹As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

¹⁰Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul is shocked at how soon and how easy it was for man to twist the gospel of Jesus. He is warning those that are doing so, that if they continue to do it, they will be cursed. He says that if we are to change any bit of the gospel, we are perverting it, making it no longer the gospel. Paul also states that even if what he says comes off a bit abrasive for mankind, it doesn't matter because he is a servant of Christ and not trying to please man.

We must remember to not twist the one true gospel to how we may want it to be. Once we enter in our own opinions and our own "take" on it, we lose the entire meaning and purpose of the gospel. I will no longer try to win the approval of mankind. I am not a servant to mankind, but a servant of Christ. The one and only Jesus Christ. My actions and words should please Him, for His approval is all that matters.

Lord,

It is so easy for man to pervert Your gospel. I pray for forgiveness, I pray that I don't come to the point of twisting Your gospel for my own personal gain. Jesus, I also pray that You take pleasure in my actions and in my words. I know now that the opinions of man does not matter, if I am pleasing You then I am a servant of yours. I don't want to be a servant of mankind. Thank you for your grace and mercy and for coming to earth to die for us. Because of Your mercy we can be forgiven, because of Your grace, we are blessed. Thank you Lord. In Your merciful name,

Amen