John 5.41-42 states, your approval means nothing to Me, because I know you don’t have God’s love within you.

Having this attitude would certainly go a long way in helping the Church live more like Jesus. God as Man, Jesus, sought the approval of One, God the Father, but He called all those who love God and seek to obey His commands His brothers and sisters and mothers.

The goal of living a life that focuses on pleasing God first and foremost would transform our own lives and the reflection of the Church to the world. Living for God’s pleasure and His approval would help the Church in a couple of ways.

First, Christians would cease trying to please people who don’t love God. The ramifications of this current compromise in the Church are huge. We tend to shy away from the things of God in order to keep or receive approval from people who don’t really love Him at all.

In addition, we buy into the media of the godless. In a recent study millennials believed failure to recycle was more sinful than viewing pornography. Clearly this view is ignorant of the Biblical worldview Christians are expected to have and endorse.

Second, if Christians made obtaining God’s approval their highest objective they would be more prone to living a godly life and encouraging each other to do the same. We would be less approving of the compromiser and more encouraging of one another to be fully committed.

Our standard is Jesus, this should be where we set the bar for our behavior not the poorest among us at living a life pleasing to God. Christians are part of a body, the body of Christ, which means everyone pulling their weight and working together for the glory of God in the world is necessary if we are to be the most effective.

Certainly Christians are sent into the world to share the love of God with those who have yet to reconcile themselves to Him.

At the same time Christians are not to be of the world for our home is where Christ is Who is even now preparing a place for all those who love Him and do His will.