The Burning Bush Vol 9 No 2.pmd - Far Eastern Bible College
The Burning Bush Vol 9 No 2.pmd - Far Eastern Bible College
The Burning Bush Vol 9 No 2.pmd - Far Eastern Bible College
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
122<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Burning</strong> <strong>Bush</strong> 9/2 (July 2003)<br />
SCRIPTURAL DIRECTIONS AGAINST<br />
MAN-PLEASING<br />
Tan Kian Sing<br />
Are you afraid of man? <strong>The</strong>y could be your bosses, superiors,<br />
business partners, parents, spouses, teachers, church elders, or even your<br />
close friends. Are you careful of pleasing them and gaining their favour?<br />
Last Thursday, <strong>The</strong> Straits Times carried a news report about a wellknown<br />
chef who was said to have shot himself because his restaurant was<br />
rated “less than perfect” by food critics. <strong>The</strong> chef was said to be<br />
“extremely sensitive to criticism.” It was a sad story. Do you wonder how<br />
man can have such powerful control over the life of another human being,<br />
and how people can be so much affected by the favour or censure of man<br />
that it becomes a matter of life and death?<br />
<strong>The</strong> Holy Scripture warns us against man-pleasing, and this does not<br />
contradict the teaching on how we may and must please man as unto God<br />
Himself. We must honour, obey, and please our parents, rulers, and<br />
superiors in all things that they require us to do, in the Lord. “Honour thy<br />
father and thy mother” (Exod 20:12). “Children, obey your parents in all<br />
things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord” (Col 3:20). “Children,<br />
obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Eph 6:1). “Let every soul<br />
be subject unto the higher powers … Whosoever therefore resisteth the<br />
power, resisteth the ordinance of God” (Rom 13:1-2). “Render therefore<br />
unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that<br />
are God’s” (Matt 22:21). “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities<br />
and powers, to obey magistrates” (Tit 3:1). “Submit yourselves to every<br />
ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as<br />
supreme” (1 Pet 2:13). “Servants, obey in all things your masters<br />
according to the flesh” (Col 3:22). God has given certain men authority<br />
over us, and we are obligated to render the respect due to them, but not<br />
merely as to man. We must understand that these are men whom God<br />
Almighty has placed in the several places of authority. <strong>The</strong> power given
Change language