“and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” – Romans 1:32
Believe it or not, I like to be liked. It feels good when people agree with what I am saying, and I often crave that feeling of acceptance that comes with positive feedback, whether it be to my face or through social media.
There is just one problem: sometimes I do not need approval; I need rebuke. I do not always have the right heart or the right mindset when I speak and when I post on social media. I have been surprised recently at how quickly people applaud opinions that can be hurtful or even destructive. Paul reminds us in Romans chapter 1 that those who are perishing (i.e. the lost) are quick to commit sin and to give their approval to the sin of others; even Christians. This verse should serve as a warning to Christ followers who crave approval. Not all approval is good, and we must be cautious when we receive it!
If you are like me, I bet you like approval too. But let’s take a few minutes and ask ourselves if the approval we are getting is actually the approval that we need.
Here are some questions to consider when people are giving us “hearty approval”.
- From where is the approval coming?
Jesus said that you can judge a tree by its fruit. (Matt 12:33) When you say something and/or post something to social media and the people cheering you are individuals who reject Christ or live in sin, then you should review what you have said. - Who is receiving the approval?
Proverbs 26:28 says, “…a flattering mouth works ruin.” Often bad approval desires to puff up the person. They want you to feel right and justified in your position. They will remind you how smart you are, and how you are perfectly capable of forming your own opinions apart from Scripture and wise counsel. Ultimately, they want you to glorify yourself over godly wisdom and even God himself. - What are they really approving?
This is undoubtedly the hardest part. When we think or feel a certain way, it is very difficult to hold those ideas up to the light of Scripture. However, we simply must do this in order to really understand why our opinions are being positively received. Are they approving your right understanding of Scripture and how it applies to the times? (1 Chronicles 12:32) Or are they encouraging you to pursue sinful actions and thus rebel against God and his Word? If you are not sure, seek wise counsel from godly people whom you respect!
Please understand that not all positive feedback is bad. Jesus himself said that people will observe what we do and, “glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 5:16) Sometimes what you do and what you say will point lost people to Christ; that is a wonderful thing!!!
But be cautious and let all that we do point others to Christ!
