Man's Great Duty
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"So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God" Romans 8:8
To be in the faith—is to be a believer in the Lord Jesus, believing with the heart unto righteousness. To be in Christ—is to be a Christian; united to Christ, living in communion with Christ, and consecrated to the service of Christ. To be in God—is to be united to God, having the Spirit of God, and living to the glory of God.
To be in the flesh—is to be in our natural, carnal state, influenced and regulated by natural and carnal principles and dispositions. A carnal state is a deadly state, it being a state of enmity against God; consequently the party is under the curse of the law of God, and exposed to the terrible wrath of God! As minding the things of the flesh, as in a state of enmity against God, not subject to his law—the apostle comes to this solemn conclusion in reference to all such, "So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8.) Consider—
Man's Great Duty. To please God. This is the great end of man's existence, the design of his creation; that God may be pleased by him—and take pleasure in him.
He is bound to please God as a creature—all his powers, faculties, and distinguishing excellences, being conferred on him for this purpose.
He is bound to please God also as a subject—being placed under a moral government to this end. He is not ruled as a brute—but as an intelligent, accountable creature; therefore the Lord appeals to his reason, presents him with motives, and rules him by law.
He is bound to please God also as a servant—for God has condescended to employ him; promising rewards, and threatening him with punishment.
He is bound to please God much more as a child—in which relation, in a sense, we all stand to God, for we have all one Father, and one God has created us.
The great end and object of every man's life, as a creature, a subject, a servant, and a child—is to please God, who is at once his creator, sovereign, master, and father.
This is our honour; for a better character man cannot acquire than that acquired by Enoch, which was, that "he pleased God."
This is our happiness also; for sweeter happiness we cannot enjoy than that which arises from the testimony of God in the conscience that we are pleasing him.
It is also our wealth; for if we please God, we can never lack: all the stores of the Creator are at the service of the creature who pleases him. Better than the possession of a mountain of gold—is the well-founded persuasion that we are pleasing God. It is the end on which our eye and heart should be fixed, and toward which all our purposes, plans, and actions should tend.
But what pleases God?
The loving obedience of all his holy creatures pleases him: thus he is pleased in heaven by the angelic multitudes, and by the spirits of just men made perfect.
The absolute submission of sinners on earth pleases him, and this he demands at their hands; but of too many it may be said, as of the Jews, "I bear them record that they have a zeal for God—but not according to knowledge: for they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God." The sinner, while his heart is enmity against God, will do anything rather than this.
If we would please God as sinners, we must listen to his Son. He points us to him, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; listen to him." He reveals the Father's mind, publishes the Father's grace; assures us that it is his Father's will that every believer in him should have everlasting life. We must believe the Saviour's word. It is the word of God, and if we do not believe it, we make God a liar; and how can we offer him a greater insult?
Unless we credit the divine testimony, confide in the divine promises, and trust in the faithfulness of God—we cannot please him. We must accept what Jesus presents. He holds out a loving invitation to come to him for repose, satisfaction, and eternal life. He presents great and precious promises, securing to the believer all things that pertain unto life and godliness. He offers us a free, full, and everlasting salvation, without money and without cost, as the gift of his Father's love. If, therefore, we would please God, we must accept his invitation, and come to him; we must embrace his promises, and trust them; and we must receive the salvation that is in him, with eternal glory.
We must do what he bids. Not do first, and receive afterwards; but receive salvation first, and then do. When this is the case, his commandments are not grievous, for grateful love renders obedience sweet.
Being saved by him, we should publicly identify ourselves with him and his cause, endeavouring to carry out all his precepts, in the world, the Church, and the family. We must seek his glory. SELF must no longer be the end of our existence—but that God may be glorified in us, by life or by death. We must not live unto ourselves—but unto Him who died for us and rose again.
If we listen to what Jesus speaks,
believe what Jesus says,
receive what Jesus offers,
do what Jesus bids, and
then make God's glory the end of our life
—we shall please God.
Consider now—
The Sinner's Inability. "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God." While in his fleshly, carnal, corrupt state—he cannot please God, for he is a rebel in arms against God. He has plotted treason in his heart against God, and has carried his rebellion against God to the highest pitch.
When God sent his servants, they were slighted, insulted, or put to death; and when he sent his Son, the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, they said, "This is the heir, come let us kill him!" "But they kept shouting, Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" So they "killed the Prince of life," they "crucified the Lord of glory!"
Nor did this arise from any peculiarity in the nature of the Jews; it was but the manifestation and breaking out of the enmity of the human heart. The principles that prompted them—dwell in us. They were fair and correct representatives of all human nature, as it is found in man universally. Now, while our hands are stained with the blood of his only begotten Son, and while we have neither confessed nor repented of the awful deed—how can God be pleased with anything we do!
While in his fleshly, carnal state, God cannot be pleased with anything man does; for he is a prodigal afar off. He has left God, and wandered as far from God as he could. He has degraded his nature and disgraced his name. He is sunk in sensuality, poverty, and misery—and all the result of sin. He has often been invited back to his Father's house—but hitherto he would not go. He prefers the company of harlots—to the company of God; and would rather feed swine—than serve God. His property is all squandered, his good name and reputation are lost, and his heart is still ruled by enmity against God! How then is it possible for him to please Him?
He cannot please God, for his heart is opposed to Him! His views on every essential and important point differ from God's views; all his motives are base and grovelling; and his nature is as opposite to the nature of God as it can be!
Besides this, there is in every sinner an obstinacy that will not yield to God; a spirit of pride that rises up in direct hostility to God, and a rooted determination to walk contrary to God.
But some may think that the picture is a caricature, or that the colouring is too strong. This is not the case, for it is God's own representation, and every one taught by the Holy Spirit, sooner or later, comes to see that it is correct!
No sinner, while carnal, while minding the things of the flesh, can ever please God. He cannot at any time, either in youth or old age; in any place, common or sacred; under any circumstances, of either sickness or health; at any season, either in life or death.
Man is totally depraved. He is wholly fallen. The whole head is sick, the whole heart is faint. The leprosy cleaves to him, has spread over him, and dried up all the moral and vital moisture of the soul. The man is therefore lost, wholly lost, eternally lost—unless God interposes for his rescue!
All that he does while he is so, is displeasing to God. "The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord." "The ploughing of the wicked is sin." He has no faith, and "without faith it is impossible to please God." In all his prayers, tears, alms-deeds, and other good works, there is something that is displeasing to God. It is like the offering of Cain; for the person must be reconciled to God—before the sacrifice can be accepted by God. Until then he cannot please God, for he cannot set his heart to do it. He may try—but the innate disposition of the heart while carnal will be too strong for him, and will lead him to break through all his vows, promises, and resolutions. The conduct he may change—but the heart he cannot change, for its depravity has become natural to it. He cannot do what God requires, as God requires it. If what he does is externally good, it is internally bad. The motive prompting, and the end aimed at—are alike evil, for SELF is always the carnal man's god.
He must therefore be regenerated, or be created anew in Christ Jesus: he must be reconciled to God through the death of his Son: he must be dedicated to God as the effect of being anointed with the Holy Spirit: and, as the result, he must daily consecrate himself to God to serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of his life. Without regeneration from God—there can be no reconciliation to God; without reconciliation, there can be no acceptable dedication; and without hearty dedication, there can be no evangelical consecration: nor can there be any of these without the Holy Spirit.
Every one, therefore, should seek the Spirit. God has promised Him, for he has said, "Turn at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you." But he has said, "I will be inquired of, to do it for them." And Jesus has given us the assurance that in this way we may obtain. His own words are, "If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children—how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."
Here, then, is our remedy: the Holy Spirit can subdue the enmity, and destroy the carnality of the heart; he can renew it, and conform it to the mind of God, so that we may please him. Let us therefore admit the fact stated, that "those who are in the flesh cannot please God;" let us deplore it before God as being our natural condition; and let us cry mightily and incessantly to God that he may give us the promised Spirit.
Then we shall be prepared to please God, and we shall make pleasing God the one grand business of our life; and such a life will be a life of holiness to the Lord, a life of blessing to all around us, and a life of real happiness to ourselves.
Gracious Lord, send your Holy Spirit thoroughly to convert our souls, so that we may be able to please you; and so to dispose our hearts that in all things we may please you. Oh, to please God as Enoch did, as David did, as Daniel did—yes, even as Jesus did! May we please God on earth, as preparatory to dwelling with God in heaven. Amen.
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