How Self-Glorification Kills Faith

“How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44, NIV)

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31, NIV)

People love praise. They love to receive accolades and pats on the back. It’s just a part of humanity. The people of the Church are no exception. 

There are many who serve the Lord because it puts them on a platform for people to see them. They are addicted to people coming up to them and saying, “Worship was awesome today!” or, “What a great message, pastor!” Of course, it’s not the reason that all serve, but unfortunately, with the way the modern church is– curated, broadcasted, and elevated– it’s easy for even the most well-intentioned of God’s people to fall into a dependence on approval from others in the Church. 

Even some of the most spiritually-gifted, theologically-sound pastors of all time admit that they need to stay vigilant against self-glorification. The biggest crowd Charles Spurgeon preached to was over 23,000 people, and even he dealt with the pride that comes in serving the Lord in view of the masses. In a message titled “Why Men Cannot Believe in Christ,” he speaks about the struggle in people between glorifying God and feeding their pride.

“The mere fact of receiving honor, even if that honor be rightly rendered, may make faith in Christ a difficulty.” Charles Spurgeon isn’t the first or the last to grapple between fame and faith; renown and dependence on God.

Jesus points out this self-gratification in the Pharisees at the tail end of John 5, saying “How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek glory that comes from only God?”

In other words, belief in God and glorifying His name in a way that delights Him and honors Him cannot co-exist in a world where we rely on the praises of other people. In reality, if we serve God in order to get recognized by other people, we are not serving God. We are serving ourselves. And as much as a thank you and feedback is appreciated from those we are serving in the Church in God’s name, any praise that’s given wholly belongs to the Father and King. If we are preaching, teaching, worshiping, greeting, serving communion, praying, or serving any role in the church to be recognized by people, we are missing the point. To do so is to cheapen your faith and make it weak and flimsy. 

These Pharisees were serving their communities as religious leaders, but they were not doing so unto the glory of God. They were puffing themselves up in a knowledge that they were keeping for themselves. They were holding the people God gave them to lead to a standard God didn’t hold them to and then congratulating each other for being so impressive and scholarly. They were honoring each other more than they honored the God that the Church was created to worship.

All that glory, praise, honor, and fame belongs to God. Not to any one of us. And if we take some of it for ourselves, we turn our back on the faith we claim to live in honor of. Spurgeon says, “Dear friends, it is very difficult to receive honor and to expect it, and yet to keep your eyesight; for men’s eyes gradually grow dull through the smoke of the incense which is burned before them.”

Our eyes can’t be focused on God– our devotion cannot be given wholly to Him– if we are concerned over how others will notice us or appreciate the sacrifices laid at God’s feet.

We see this today in the Church at large– over the past year alone, how many pastors have fallen because of scandals, poor judgment, and pride? I can think of a handful– even more if I think about the last five or ten years, too. 

The point is, when serving the Lord, the goal is not popularity. It’s not to be the next worldwide phenomenon in the Christian world. It’s not to win Grammys. It’s not to gain followers. It’s not even to be the biggest megachurch in your region. The point is to give glory to God in everything. It’s to serve the local community in the local church. The point is to honor the Lord with the little corner of earth He’s given you to glorify Him in. 

Maybe your corner is your kids; teaching them about Jesus and showing them worship by example. Maybe your corner is praying with a small group of fellow church members every week. Maybe your corner is serving your local church body on Sundays to the glory of God. 

Ultimately, God has intentioned His people to serve in a great web of servants. Sure, there are exceptions to the rule: like Charles Spurgeon or Martin Luther or the apostle Paul– men who were called by God to make His name great, and who had the strength of character to grapple with the pride that comes with such a large platform. 

For us, the average Christian, we confront our pride on a smaller level, but it’s no less important to do so. We need to actively recognize in ourselves when we are seeking the attention and applause that is rightfully due to God the Father. We should not seek the approval of others and call that heaven. If I fade into the background so that God is put on display to be honored and adored, then I have served Him well. 

In everything we do, friends, in the sitting down to eat a meal, in the doing of the dishes, in the writing of a devotion– do it all to the glory of God. Fame and honor hinder faith, and so let faith overflow in our lives, whether or not we are ever seen by anyone else.