“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
I am sure we are all familiar with the Bible scripture so often quoted that you cannot drink from two cups (1 Corinthians 10:21). Mostly, this analogy is limited to ‘worldly’ living VS. ‘holy’ living. This is not incorrect, but as always there is so much more.
In Galatians 1:10 Paul is explaining a mutually exclusive event. This means that two events, or actions, cannot occur at the same time. Paul clearly suggests that to please people would not be pleasing to God. Yet, in this, there is a deeper revelation.
Our Lord is abundantly kind, & He came to give us liberty. That means in all things we have a choice. Jesus made very clear the choices that please Him & the choices that dishonour Him, but nevertheless we have those choices before us daily.
The wording used is very interesting. Paul said “If I were still trying to please people…” This means that once upon a time, Paul had lived for the praise of man. That was his choice. By the time he wrote the letter of Galatians, however, Paul had chosen to try to live a life pleasing to God.
What is your choice? You cannot drink from both cups. You cannot live a life pleasing to both man & God. So, I ask you, which will you choose today?
Read previous commentary on Galatians 1: 8-9
