The Approval of Men (3-5-12)

John 12:42-43 - "Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God."

What we're told here in John chapter 12 is sadly true of many who call themselves Christians today. Many believed in Him, but were not confessing Him due to fear. But it goes beyond just fear, "they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God." Too many people care more about what the world thinks about them then what God thinks about them. This wasn't the case in the life of the apostle Paul, who said in Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
Early in the book of John we're given an account of a man who was born blind, to whom the Lord Jesus miraculously gave sight. After the Lord Jesus did this the religious crowd was furious because the man was healed on the sabbath. After questioning the man about the miracle they called in his parents and questioned them about it, and in verses 20-22 we're told - "His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue." Even after the miraculous healing of their son, this couple loved the approval of men rather than God. They were afraid of what people would think of them if they were kicked out of the religious system. Their son, on the other hand didn't care about the approval of men. He, like Paul, wasn't ashamed of Christ. This is what we're told in verses 24-34 - "So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out." The very thing that everyone else feared, happened to this man. He was put out of the synagogue. And you know, I don't think it really bothered him. He didn't care what people thought about him, he wasn't seeking the approval of men. And He had a powerful testimony that he wasn't afraid to share, "one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."

It's easy to fall into the snare where we seek the approval of men rather than God. We like to be liked, it's only natural, and we don't want to be thought of as crazy, but loving the approval of men rather than the approval of God is a dangerous thing. In Luke 16:15 the Lord Jesus says to the pharisees - "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God." The world's value system is very different from God's value system. The pharisees delighted in the praise of men. The people that we read about earlier sought the approval of men. 1 Corinthians 4:5 says - "Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God." When we appear before the judgment seat of Christ our lives are going to be tested, and not just the things that we did, but our motives are going to be judged, why we did what we did is going to be exposed. If what we do in or lives right now is done in an attempt to receive the approval of men then we will receive no approval from God for that deed. The Lord Jesus said of the pharisees who delighted in the praise of men - "They have their reward in full." Our motives need to be right before God. We need to be seeking for His approval in all that we do, and when He comes "then each man’s praise will come to him from God."