Those Puritans sure did not mince words!

Listen to the words of Richard Baxter, an English Puritan, as he expounds upon the sin of putting man’s approval above  that of Almighty God.

“Remember what a pitiful reward you seek. “Verily,” saith our Lord, concerning hypocrites and man-pleasers, “they have their reward,” Matt. vi. 25. O miserable reward! The thought and breath of mortal men, instead of God-instead of heaven; this is their reward! Their happiness will be to lie in hell, and remember that they were well spoken of on earth! and that once they were accounted religious, learned, wise, or honourable! and to remember that they preferred this reward before everlasting happiness with Christ! If this be not gain, your labour is all lost, which you lay out in hunting for applause. If this be enough to spend your time for, and to neglect your God for, and to lose your souls for, rejoice then in the hypocrite’s reward.”

Richard Baxter, Directions on Inordinate Man-Pleasing

You can read the whole thing here.

As the days grow increasingly evil, let us pray for the boldness to preach a crucified Christ for the purpose of pleasing God alone.  The alternative is terrifying.

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)