"Nevertheless, many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God."
Scripture Focus: John 12:42-43; Matthew 10:32-33; Revelation 21:8
"For they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God."
"Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven."
I want you to notice—throughout John's gospel, there is a distinction between saving faith and superficial faith. In John 2, Jesus turns water into wine. It says, "Many believed in Him." And then it says in 2:24-25, "Jesus did not believe in them. He did not entrust Himself to them because He knows what's in man's heart."
Here in John 12, it says many believed in Him but they did not confess Him for fear.
Can I just tell you something? Confession and conviction belong together. There could be moments of fear like Peter. But if the anthem of your life is fear and cowardice as it relates to acknowledging and confessing the Lord Jesus Christ, you have to consider the words of Jesus.
These professors of faith in verses 42 and 43 were cultural, circumstantial, and situational shape shifters. Their allegiance was determined by whatever room they were in.
They considered the cost and determined that cost was too great.
Boice says they were trying to do something that is ultimately impossible—to be secret disciples. That is a contradiction in terms, for either the secrecy kills the discipleship or else the discipleship kills the secrecy.
In Revelation 21 it gives a list of people that will be in the lake of fire. The idolaters, the immoral, the murderers, the liars, and the sorcerers. And do you know who else? Smack dab in the middle: the cowardly.
Isn't that interesting?
It says secondly, they lived for the approval of man rather than the approval of God. There are people back then and today that want the best of both worlds. They want the affirmation of God, but the approval of man. But to live for God is to relinquish your clamoring for the applause of men.
Can I just ask you a question? Could it be that you place more weight in the approval of man than the approval of God? Could it be that you care more about the smile of this world than the smile of God? Could it be that you live for this fleeting world rather than the world to come?
That word for approval is actually the word doxa in Greek. It means glory.
Think of the folly here. There are people who would rather live for the glory of man than the glory of Isaiah's vision—an exalted King who takes on flesh, dwells amongst us, offers us forgiveness of sin, soul satisfaction, and an eternal home.
And they look at everything God has to offer and say, "Nah."
How foolish. How tragic. How sad.
Man's glory is fleeting, fickle, fragile, insignificant, momentary, transient, passing, empty, and vain.
God's glory is eternal, weighty, majestic, unmoving, unchanging, infinite, and radiant.
Man's glory is like a soap bubble that appears for a moment and then it pops. It's gone.
God's glory is like the sun. Radiant, beautiful, enduring, constant.
And you have to ask the question: Whose glory do I live for?
1. Are you a secret disciple—trying to have the best of both worlds?
2. Whose approval matters more to you: God's or man's?
3. When you stand before God, will you have lived for the glory that lasts or the glory that pops like a bubble?
Stay dialed in