2. Corinthians 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

Something that is wrong still is wrong, even though we might get the consent of people about it. There are sad cases of those who sought the approval of people, rather than of God; for example, king Saul, Zedekiah, and Rehoboam. (See 1. Samuel 15:7-31; Jeremiah 38:14-24, 1. Kings 12:26-33) Even Aaron made the Golden Calf to make things seem right in the eyes of the people (Exodus 32:1-26) The motives were different, but they mainly resulted because of fear of people or self-interest, and the consequences were always momentous.

What God says about a matter is that what really counts, for the only true measurement is always the Word of God. Do you seek God's advice and direction in all your affairs and decisions? We can't fool God, He knows our heart and the motives behind what we do and say. The world is so confused because it mainly only goes according to the general consent of people; however, the aforementioned scripture verse from Paul was directed to the church in Corinth and to the Church, and not to the world. Unfortunately, you can't expect wisdom and the reverent fear of God from the world.

Be wise and always seek to please God in all your matters, then you can be sure that things will work out well. If you only win people, then at first, it may seem that you are a winner, however, in the end, you will still be the loser.

Therefore, let us preferably take an example from Moses, king David, and Josiah, or learn from the example of the prophets Ezra, Elijah, and Daniel. They were God-fearing and rather than having people on their side, they won people for the things in connection with God. The blessing of God was upon them and God gave them revival. nr

Additional Verses to Study: Matthew 24:35; John 5:43-47; Acts 5:29; 1. Peter 1:17-25