the7ones.comBeware when all men speak well of you…
We all love to receive praise from time to time. It makes us feel worthy, like we are contributing something valuable. And yes, frequently our carnal nature is fed heartily from the flattery of others. When it comes to preaching God’s word, however, we must be very careful when we receive lots and lots of praise in regard to what we are preaching.
In Luke 6:26, Jesus our Lord told His disciples, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.”
The teachings of Christ are not comforting to the worldly, nor are they in sync with the ways of the world. The world should feel uncomfortable in hearing of the word of God! Jesus said He was not of this world (John 8:23), and the world did not know Him nor receive Him (John 1:10-11). His coming would bring division between family members as they decided whether or not to follow Him (Matt. 10:34-36).
Sadly, it is possible even for preachers of the gospel to get carried away by praise, even that of the brethren. Sadder still is the fact that wave upon wave of praise can often come from those who are heaping up teachers who will teach the things they desire to hear, and encourage those teachers to continue in that vein for their own satisfaction.
Let us not be like some of the Jewish religious leaders who loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:43). Instead, let us preach the Word of God alone. If we do this, whether we are praised or cursed by men, we will have done the will of our Father.
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Awesome, I am sharing this.