Man-Pleasing? or Man-Honouring?(Scriptural Balance)

1.0 The Statement

Scripture warns us against man-pleasing – Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man brings a snare but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.” And yet the Scripture also teaches that we are to submit to human-authority as unto God Himself. Thus, understanding the two (warning & teaching) with proper balance between the two is importance:

1.1 No Fear of Man/Woman

Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man brings a snare but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.” There are many injunctions from God’s Word that advise and warn us against, the fear of man, in general (Proverbs 29:25):

  • Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man brings a snare but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.”
  • Isaiah 2:22 “Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted for?”
  • Jeremiah 17:5 “Cursed be the man (person) who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm.”
  • Psalm 118:6, 8, 9 “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust the LORD than to put confidence in Princes.”
  • Job 32:21-22 “Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my Maker would soon take me away.”
  • Job 21:4 “As for me, in my complaint to man?”
  • Galatians 1:10 “Do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the Servant of Christ.”
  • 1Corinthians 4:3 “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgement.”
  • Ephesians 6:6 “Not with eye-service, as men pleasers.”
  • 1Thessalonians 2:4 “So we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which tries our hearts.”

Although we should show due respect/honour man/woman in authority, the above Scriptures express explicitly that we should not indulge in inordinate desire to please, exalting the Individual more than he/she deserves

1.2 Honour Man/Woman in Authority

God’s Word teaches how we may/must please Persons with authority as unto God Himself. We must honour, obey, and please our Parents, Rulers, and Superiors in all things {except when it comes into conflict with God’s Word – Acts 4:18-20), that the Persons required us to do, in the Lord Jesus:

  • Exodus 20:12 “Honour thy father and mother.”
  • Colossians 3:20 “Children, obey your Parents in the Lord: for this is right.”
  • Ephesians 6:1 “Children obey your Parents in the Lord: for this is right.”
  • Romans 13:1-2 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers…..Whoever therefore resists the power, resisted the ordinance of God.”
  • Matthew 22:21 “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”
  • Titus 3:1 “Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers, to obey Magistrates.”
  • 1Peter 2:13 “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the King, as Supreme.”
  • Colossians 3:22 “Servants, obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh.”
  • Hebrews 13:7 “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the Word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.”
  • Hebrews 13:17 “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
  • Hebrews 13:24 “Greet all those who rule over you,…..”

God has given certain men/women authority over us, and we are obligated to render the respect due to them. We must understand that these men/women whom God Almighty has placed in the several Places of Authority. The Power/Authority given to them over us are from God, and not against God. They are to be honoured, obeyed, and pleased not in opposition to the Higher Authority of God, but as unto God Himself. There are therefore limits/ways as to how far we are to give our due respect to men/women in authority.

However, if we obey men/women more than God, and in doing so, we go against God; if we value the favour and approval of men/women in authority more than God’s or go against God’s approval in order to gain men/women in authority, favour; and if we fear men/women in authority, censure/displeasure more than God’s, we are putting men/women in authority up on a higher pedestal, in the place of God, idolising them, then, we need to reevaluate (Acts 4:18-20).

As this is a violation against God’s Commandment to worship Him {God} and Him {God} only – Exodus 34:14 “Thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose Name is Jealous is a Jealous God.” As the Scripture forbids that man be thought above that which is written – 1Corinthians 4:6 “Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other.”

2.0     Balance

Thus, there is a need for balance between submission to man/woman under God’s ordained authority; against the general submission to man/woman out of inordinate fear of man/woman which could be a snare – Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man brings a snare but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.” Let us be ever watchful that we do not fall into the snare of pleasing man/woman, not taking God into account and therefore makes it our business to satisfy man/woman, out of fear; our fear should be the Reverential Fear of God. – Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Fear God and keep His Commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

Leave a comment