Paul refuses to put himself in a dilemma. Not self-imposed, anyway!

He chooses NOT to be a man-pleaser!

But to always BE APPROVED of God!

And Galatians 1:10, today’s Lesson, today’s Bible Text, illustrates the basis of Paul’s conviction. The one I just stated, about “pleasing Almighty God.”

“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.”

An alternative meaning to the Greek verb “peitho” (translated “persuade” in our verse) is “to have confidence” in someone.

Paul: “Will I believe these men who are teaching a different Gospel?” Or “Will I try to seek their favor?” Maybe even: “Will I forsake what God taught me those three years in Arabia?” See Galatians 1:17.

The verb “please” is “aresko,” to “win their smiles,” even “to excite their emotions,” in essence … to agree with their (false) doctrines!” Paul again: “Do I seek to please men?”

The obvious answer is NO!

When a choice must be made: “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” That’s Paul’s ultimate conclusion, for sure, according to Romans 3:4 here.

There are some men you cannot please … and please Christ Jesus at the same time!

You can’t be a “servant” (here “doulos” means a “slave” literally) of men who hold false doctrine … and simultaneously be a “servant” of our dear Lord!

Jesus said this too, just in a different way. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24

Short verse today.

But well worth pondering!

Worth emulating, in fact!

“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.”

You will “serve” (seek to please) the person for whom you have the most respect, the most reverence, the most adoration!

And That finally should be God, always!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell