Tag: master

The Praise Of Men Vs. The Praise Of God

Even among the Jewish leaders of Christ’s time, many believed—yet “for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess” Him (John 12.42 ESV). This demonstrated faith without bravery and conviction without the willingness to admit it openly. These men acknowledged Jesus was from God, but their understanding was superficial, held back by the fear of being excommunicated.

Brent Pollard

The Paralysis of Secret Faith

Even among the Jewish leaders of Christ’s time, many believed—yet “for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess” Him (John 12.42 ESV). This demonstrated faith without bravery and conviction without the willingness to admit it openly. These men acknowledged Jesus was from God, but their understanding was superficial, held back by the fear of being excommunicated.

What caused their faith to weaken? John offers a precise diagnosis: “For they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God” (John 12.43 NASB95). They valued human praise more than divine favor, choosing the temporary security of their standing in the synagogue over the eternal approval of God.

Fortunately, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea eventually overcame their spiritual hesitation and publicly honored Christ during His burial. However, their initial reluctance serves as a reminder: faith that is too afraid to stand firm is too fragile to save.

The Tyranny of Human Approval

Christ Himself revealed this spiritual contradiction: “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5.44 ESV). The question strikes at the core—those who are fixated on human approval cannot accept divine truth. They have selected their master, and it is not God.

This dependence on popular opinion turns aspiring followers into spiritual chameleons, altering their stance to fit the crowd. When religion is performed for applause, it becomes mere theater. God isn’t impressed by our polished public faith; He longs for genuine devotion that can stand alone if needed.

The “approval of men” that John describes acts as a demanding tyrant. It demands continuous performance, constant adjustment, and ongoing worry about how others see them. Those who serve this master often stay silent when the truth is unpopular and compromise their principles if speaking out risks their reputation.

How many souls have acknowledged Christ’s truth yet stay unbaptized, afraid of man’s reproach? How frequently do we modify our Christian beliefs to gain social approval? John 12.43, like Matthew 6.24, reminds us of a harsh truth: we cannot serve two masters. We must choose to live for either human praise or divine approval—never both.

The Liberation of Divine Focus

Scripture urges a complete reorientation. Paul exemplified this freedom by speaking difficult truths to the Galatians, even if it upset them: “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4.16 NASB95). He recognized that serving Christ involves giving up the desire to seek human approval (Galatians 1.10). At times, being faithful means facing unpopularity.

This isn’t just stubbornness; it’s a form of spiritual wisdom. Human approval is unreliable—today’s hero could be tomorrow’s villain. Public opinion is transient, like shifting sand, providing no steady ground for major life decisions. In contrast, God’s approval is constant, grounded in His unchanging nature and divine plans.

The Father honors those who honor His Son. Jesus assured that faithful followers will be acknowledged by the Father (John 12.26). This remarkable truth reveals that the Creator of the universe bestows His praise on those who support Him. No human commendation can match hearing “Well done, good and faithful servant” from the King (Matthew 25.21 ESV).

The Practical Path Forward

This truth calls for action. We need to evaluate our motivations honestly: Are we content with a comfortable Christianity, or are we willing to confess Christ boldly, regardless of the cost? Do we choose which truths to speak based on their social acceptance?

The way ahead involves developing a divine preference—a heart that prioritizes God’s opinion above all else. This is achieved by meditating on God’s sovereignty, repeatedly reminding ourselves that He alone decides ultimate success or failure. It also develops through prayer, which aligns our hearts with His purposes instead of human expectations.

We should also keep in mind that opposition frequently indicates orthodoxy. When the world praises our faith, it’s essential to reflect on whether we’ve softened its firm edges. Christ assured us that following Him would attract reproach, not widespread approval.

The Eternal Perspective

Choosing between human and divine approval boils down to selecting the fleeting over the everlasting. Human praise, like morning mist, dissipates quickly, whereas God’s approval lasts forever. In John 12, rulers exchanged eternal recognition for temporary social security, resulting in an infinite loss.

However, those who seek God’s approval realize a freeing truth: His judgment is ultimately the only one that counts. When Judgment Day comes, the praise of people will fade away, but the Master’s “well done” will resonate forever.

Let us therefore eliminate the desire for worldly approval that stifles spiritual courage. Instead, let’s foster a love for God and His truth—a love that inspires holy boldness. While John’s rebuke is sharp (“they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God”), his underlying message is freeing: pursue the glory that only God can give.

His approval surpasses every worldly praise. His favor goes beyond all human admiration. Be discerning in choosing your audience—eternity is at stake.

“Madden”

Neal Pollard

If you are a football fan and you see “Madden,” you are most likely to think video games. An annual, updated version of Madden NFL has been released since 1994, and before that it was called “John Madden Football” (from 1988 to 1994). Many of the earlier game players, those up to 2009, would have heard John Madden’s voice providing commentary. However, if you are old enough, you know that the man for whom the ever-popular video game is named was a successful head football coach for the Oakland Raiders from 1969-1978. After that, he was an NFL broadcaster for 30 years for CBS, Fox, ABC, and NBC. Before that, as diehard Madden people can tell you, he was head coach of Hancock Junior College for two years (1962-1963).

What’s the point? Over time, John Madden went from football coach to broadcaster to namesake of one of the most popular video games of all time. “Madden” means one thing to a kid with a Playstation or Xbox and another to his Raiders-loving grandpa who chants “the autumn wind is a pirate blustering in from sea, with a rollicking song he sweeps along swaggering boisterously.”

How many people, ideas, and words appeal to us differently, depending on our age, outlook, or experience. Of all these, take the name “Jesus.” To the child, He is the theme of Bible story books, the answer to every Bible class question, the subject of “Pew Packer” songs. To the skeptic or the searcher, He is an enigmatic religious figure who may be seen only as a teacher or a good man. To the nominal Christian, He is a shadowy, mysterious figure, a virtual stranger.

But to one who has walked with Him and is in an ever-deepening relationship, He is “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named…” (Eph. 1:21). He is the highly exalted one, bestowed with “the name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:9). “He is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36). He is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31). He is unchanging, and therefore, “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). But, the longer and better I know Him, my connection to Him grows more intimate.

How well do you know Jesus? I don’t know how far back you go with Him, but each day should mean knowing Him better and seeing Him in a different light. God wants Him to be, “Christ in you, the hope of glory…” so that He can “present every man complete in Christ” (Col. 1:27,28).

He Left The Manger (Poem)

Dale Pollard

He was born of a virgin, foreseen by the few 
A miraculous event— many know to be true 
He would save those in sin both friend, neighbor, and stranger 
But all that happened when He got out of the manger 

 His life was a short one, at least on this earth 
Some overlooked Him, his power, and worth 
He faced many challenges, his future looked bleak 
He was tortured and beaten, but turned the other cheek 

A beautiful life— filled with joy and with danger, 
But all that took place once the Lord left the manger 
He holds many titles, king of kings and Lord of Lords 
He established His kingdom without even a sword 

He’s the healer, our Savior, and any-life-changer 
But there’s more to His story 
He’s coming in glory 
Because Jesus left the manger 

How To Be A Disciple

Carl Pollard

The other week at our graduation party at the Scottsville church of Christ I was introduced to candied pecans. A lady gave me the leftovers and they were incredible. Sadly, they don’t sell those in Scottsville so I looked up a recipe. While I was at the store grabbing ingredients, I made my way to the baking section to look for vanilla. Problem was, I would have to get a mortgage to buy real vanilla. I didnt realize how expensive it was! Luckily I found a substitute called “imitation vanilla.” It’s way cheaper, and it tastes the same (to me), it looks the same, and it’s the same consistency.

We will never be Jesus, but we should try our best to imitate Him. Being a disciple means being a follower. A follower is, “someone who imitates another.” Ephesians 5:1 says, “Therefore be imitators (followers) of God, as beloved children.” Little kids tend to look to the older and imitate what they see. We are to act this way with God.

Why did God save us and add us to His family? So that we would be imitators and followers of God. Doing so takes submission and humility. Every person is a follower of something. You can submit to and imitate anyone or anything. God saved us so that we would choose to follow and imitate Him in everything. 

Being a follower takes submission. Are we meek enough to accept the title of slave? God saved us so that we would be slaves to Him and work for the master. That’s how we can truly be disciples! I would rather be a slave in God’s house, than the master of my own. 

If we wear the name Christian, we should be willing to follow Christ. His example is worth imitating! 

“Nomophobia” 

Monday’s Column: Neal at the Cross

pollard

Neal Pollard

That’s not a typo for another popularly-used term.  It’s actually a “thing,” at least according to a 2010 study by the UK Post Office.  It is short for “no-mobile-phone phobia” (Tim Elmore, psychologytoday.com). There’s even a website called nomophobia.com, and they identify “the four fears of Nomophobia”—broken, lost, stolen, or useless smartphones. While that site operates “tongue in cheek,” there are a bevy of experts more than ready to talk about how this is an epidemic impacting especially youth in our culture.  University of Connecticut School of Medicine’s Dr. David Greenfield has done much work in this study. He points to the problem of a dysregulation of dopamine, “meaning that it motivates people to do things they think will be rewarded for doing” (clever, cutting, or flamboyant Tweets, posts, pics, etc.) and that it can foster people’s addiction to the internet and technology (Madeline Stone, businessinsider.com). Greenfield adds, “That feeling you’re going to miss something if you’re not constantly checking is an illusion — most parts of our lives are not relevant to our smartphones. What happens on our devices is not reflective of what happens in real life” (ibid.).  There are even digital detox programs, in the United States as well as other countries around the world.  Psychiatrist Dale Archer gives this advice, “Stop texting while you’re driving. Don’t take it into the bathroom with you. Have a rule not to use your phone when you’re with your friends. If you’re on a date, make a rule that you’ll both check your phone for a maximum of 5 minutes every 90 minutes. It’s all about setting simple rules that you can follow” (ibid.).

Amateur psychiatrists and specialists everywhere can quickly diagnose this condition in their spouses and significant others, their children, and their friends, but they may be myopic to their own inordinate practice (see every airport, doctor’s office, restaurant, etc.).  Addiction to, or at least habitual abuse of, smartphones and similar technology is simply the latest and a more obvious example of a long-standing human tendency.  Paul told Corinth, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Cor. 6:12). In context, Paul is beginning a discussion of the sin of fornication after having talked about Corinth’s generally sinful past from which they had been forgiven.  Paul’s desire was not to be “mastered” (ruled, reigned over, Louw 37.48) by anything.  He later writes about the self-mastery and discipline necessary to live the Christian life (1 Cor. 9:24-27).

Cell phones are just one possible impediment to this.  There are so many other possibilities we must keep aware of, things which can derail us from our purpose and focus in this life.  So many of them are fine in balance and moderation, but we can allow them to consume and even overtake us.  A fear of being without those things is only one of the attending problems.  Being ruled by anything or anyone other than Christ is the overriding concern.  We are all served well by looking carefully at the things in our lives and make sure we have no master other than Christ.

The Problems Of A Two-Headed Snake

Neal Pollard

A woman in Woodbridge, Virginia, saw a rarity in her front yard: a two-headed copperhead snake. The snake only has one heart and one set of lungs, but each head has its own brain. This produces multiple problems. Both heads want to eat, and since eating takes time the snake is vulnerable to predators for twice as long. Second, each snake wants to go its own way. That means they can’t respond very quickly when under attack. Even getting water can be precarious, as one head can drag the other down when drinking. An expert at the Wildlife Center of Virginia said, “Based on the anatomy, it would be better for the right head to eat, but it may be a challenge since the left head appears more dominant” (Dana Hedgpeth, The Washington Post, 9/24/18). Experts also say that these internal conflicts prevent these rare “dual-cephalic” creatures from living very long.

James tells us that the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways (1:7) and implies that double-mindedness reflects impurity of heart (4:8). The first instance of the word relates trusting God or doubting in times of trials, and the second relates to following a spiritual leader, whether the devil and the world or God. It is hard to run with the devil and walk with God. So often, there’s the temptation to try to do both. But, this conflict is so basic and so contradictory that it will contribute to our spiritual death. It makes us vulnerable to attack. 

What this requires is decisiveness. Jesus taught, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Mat. 6:24). We must choose who we will listen to (Josh. 24:15). Otherwise, we will remain in peril and we will ultimately, spiritually die. Paul put it this way, that “they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom. 8:5-6). The struggle is real, but the problem must be overcome. We must strive to be singleminded in our dedication and devotion. That means we can’t live for the world and the Lord. It is an either/or proposition. Jesus says, “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters” (Luke 11:23). Let’s make the right choice and simplify everything. Let’s honor one head and make it the right one (cf. Eph. 1:22). 

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What Is “Selfism”?

Neal Pollard

I came across the term “selfism” in Dick Meyer’s 2008 book, Why We Hate Us: American Discontent in the New Millennium.  He defines it as “American individualism redefined by the age of marketing, self-help, moral relativism, and the belief that the “self” is something that can be deliberately found or made” (36).  He warns that “it is different than the older, can-do, self-made-man American spirit because it substitutes feeling for doing” (37). Later in the chapter, Meyer ties this hyper-emphasis on self  to a growing belligerence in society.  He writes, “On the Internet, belligerence can be anonymous, faceless, and hence risk-free. In schools and offices, for example, the Web is a problem, because parents and workers say nasty things in e-mail that they would never say in person. Chat rooms, blogs, and online comments are clogged with vitriol and hate-mongering…the need to make others wrong has turned into an addiction” (44).  One of his points in the chapter is that the elevation of self is not just a problem of narcissism, but it has become commonplace to vaunt self by stepping on, insulting, and ridiculing others to do it.  We are witnessing an ever-growing game of “King of the Mountain,” where in a rush to get noticed we are shoving off anyone who might eclipse or overshadow us.

Selfism is Satanic rather than sanctified behavior, but each of us must wrestle with it.  The temptation to join them rather than “beat” them through Christlike humility is ever-present.  What is “one-upmanship” if not an effort to present self as above another? In certain circles, the ability to respectfully and civilly discuss differences has been assassinated by hired killers like vanity, self-importance, animosity, and contempt.

Do we have a more difficult task than obeying Jesus’ command to deny self (cf. Mat. 16:24)?  When Paul urges Philippi to eliminate selfish ambition and conceit while esteeming others as better than self (Phi. 2:3), do we appreciate the polar opposite this is to the cultural arch-hero of selfism?  Jesus came into this world to show us the selfless life.  It is scary to live that way, especially in a world full of adherents to the cult of self.  We fear that being selfless with selfish people will lead to being walked over, preempted, or mistreated.  What will help is developing the faith to trust that living the way God commands leads us to the best life possible.  The best life possible is one where self is suppressed in deference to Christ and others.  Such a life will be noticed as a beacon in our choppy seas of selfism!