The Approval of Man

.

.

Approval is important.

We all need approval.  Approval lets us know we’re doing something right, going in the right direction.  We’ve all grown up seeking the approval of man.  First, our parents; then perhaps our siblings, teachers, friends; then, bosses, co-workers, others we look up to or whose authority influences our lives.  Unless and until we learn how to get God’s approval, we’ll continue to need man’s approval.

Approval affects self image, sense of worth, happiness, self-confidence, fruitfulness, accomplishment, quality of life, peacefulness, righteousness, self-esteem, ability to love others.  Without approval there lurks depression, anger, resentment, shame, confusion.  By seeking approval in the wrong ways, or from the wrong sources, there results lust, drunkenness, revelry (partying hard), strife (arguing), harsh judgmentalism, sexual perversions of every sort.

No matter how hard we seek after it, the approval of man cannot fulfill us.  It cannot make us complete.  It cannot fill up our need for approval.  For these things to come about we need to grow up and grow into beings who stand approved before God rather than man.

In the Christian sphere I have heard of accountability partners.  A person, or people, with whom you get together on a regular basis in order to “answer to them;”  to be “held accountable.”  This supposedly helps a person stay away from sin, with the purpose of growing closer to God.

But in truth, the need to stand approved before man hinders our spiritual growth.  It keeps us weak and unable to bear fruit.  It keeps the door open to Satanic attacks of all kinds.  When Pastor Such-and-Such, or the Right Reverend So-and-So has to like what we’re doing, has to put his/her stamp of approval on our spiritual endeavor, we will live very anemic spiritual lives.

So what does the Word of God have to say about being accountable to another man, no matter how well-intentioned?

Galatians 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God?  or do I seek to please men?  For if I yet pleased men, I would not be the servant of Christ.

First, let’s define accountability.  It’s not the same as being subject to someone.  It’s needing to answer to them.  It’s allowing yourself to be defined by their judgment.  Subjection is always voluntary, but accountability speaks of demanded judgment.  If you are accountable to me, then I will decide if and when you have done something correctly, or done enough, or done too much.  I will decide if you’re even going in the right direction!  This way of living never produces powerful, free, fruitful Christians.

On the other hand, if you subject yourself to my ministry, then you position yourself to receive the spirit of Christ which works through me.  However, you are never to be accountable to me, to answer to me.  You are accountable to Christ alone!!!

Romans 13:1  Let every soul be subject onto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God.  The powers that be are ordained of God.  Whosoever therefore resists the power resists the ordinance of God; and they who resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

These are spiritual authorities in the church (the body of Christ).  These “higher powers” is a single Greek word….exousia….translated and meaning authority.  Let every soul be subject unto the authorities.   The word “ordained” means prepared.  This authority is of God….it is, thus, a spiritual authority.  We subject ourselves to the authority, not to the man or woman evidencing that authority.

Since Christ is the authority….these authorities are his authorities.  If we subject ourselves to Christ’s authority working in and through others, we are putting ourselves under Christ’s authority, not under that man or woman.

On the other hand, if we subject ourselves to the man (or woman) who happens to evidence Christ in a dynamic way, then we will be led astray when he (or she) goes astray.  This happens all the time in the evangelical, organized church.

Colossians 2:18,19   Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  and not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increases with the increase of God.

Here we are admonished by God Himself  to not hold ourselves accountable to another man, but rather to adhere only to Christ.  Hold to Christ….be nourished by Christ…..do not stray from Christ.

What I see in the home fellowships of which I am, or have been a part is a subjection to Christ, no matter who he works in at the moment.    When someone shares Christ working in them….we listen, we receive, we understand, we are edified and blessed….we grow.  But who was that person who manifested Christ?

I Corinthians 3:5, 6   Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  So then neither is he that plants anything, neither he that waters,; but God Who gives the increase.

When, and as, and to the degree we subject ourselves….not to the man, but to the working of the spirit of Christ within that man….we will grow, be fed and watered, nourished, led in paths of righteousness.  To the degree we subject ourselves to the man, we lay ourselves open to deception and lies.

Of course the organized, denominational church will not like to hear this……because their authority often is not the authority of Christ, but rather that given by man.

Galatians 1:8-10  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which you have received (from Christ, through us), let him be accursed.  For do I now persuade men, or God?  or do I seek to please men?  For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

This seeking to please men occurs when one holds himself accountable to them.

Now when it speaks of being subject to fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, etc.,  it is referring to subjection to the authority they have in that area.

In the area of the spirit…..regarding obedience to and fellowship with God…….Jesus Christ has the authority!

And so, when we speak of “being accountable” to anyone other than Christ, we cannot be speaking of spiritual accountability.

Ephesians 4:15, 16  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, Christ; From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

We have ONE HEAD…..Jesus Christ.  We are accountable only to him.

II Timothy 2:15   Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

The word “study“ does not mean an academic studying; rather, it indicates an application of self to the task at hand.  We are to apply ourselves, conscientiously and with diligence, to the task of standing approved unto God.   No one can seek God’s approval and man’s approval at the same time.

“Rightly dividing“ should be understood to be a mental and emotional undertaking, rather than an academic one.  The “word of truth” does not mean simply what the Bible says….the words printed on the page.   We’ve all met people who are enamored with their knowing what the bible says.  Rather, we seek the truth of the words.  We contemplate, dwell on and seek to understand.  We endeavor to walk in the light of, the truth of, what God communicates of Christ to us.  Only His spirit within us can bring us into that light.

Thus, the more we seek to stand approved before God by clear and practical understanding of God’s communication of Christ within us, the less we will seek the approval of man.

And so the Holy Spirit of God frees us from seeking to please man, which never results in lasting benefit, but rather only enslaves us to the flesh.  Rather, the Holy Spirit frees us to actually, practically stand approved before God and bear the spiritual fruit of that successful endeavor.

PS.  I understand that there will never be…..can never be……a large mass of people who all meet in a single place who will all, being led by the spirit of Christ, work in total physical harmony as man considers it harmony.  This picture of unity was never drawn by the Holy Spirit of God, but rather is a picture of unity drawn by God’s enemy, Satan, who only seeks to enslave.  Christ has made us free to truly pursue and discover the true God.  This can never, ever happen at the direction of a man, but can only happen by the intimate direction of the Holy Spirit within, the spirit of Christ.

And though by many outward appearances there is little or no physical unity in a large group of individuals each being led by the spirit of God, there is total, uninhibited spiritual unity, as the truth of the following verse flows into its unlimited potential…..

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things (of the Spirit) work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

________________________________________

..

The book, Give Me Christ … Revelations of the Glorified Christ is now available on Amazon.

You can subscribe at the upper right of this page by supplying your name and e-mail.  You’ll be notified by e-mail whenever a new study is posted, every couple of weeks or so.  Your e-mail is not shared with anyone else.  After you subscribe, add our address to your contact list, so that the notifications are not sent to your junk folder.

See other related studies:
The True Purpose of Christ’s Ministers ….. Ephesians 4:11-24
The Need To Be Right.
Belonging to the Tribe
What or Who is antichrist?
Belonging to the Tribe
How God Knows
What Pleases God