Category Archives: Church Life

Our motivation matters when it comes to making good impressions on others. Based on 1 Corinthians 10:31-33, whatever we do should first and foremost be to the glory of God. When we care about the glory of God, we will also care about the good of people. Remember the greatest commandments, first of which is to love God. The second is to love people. Love for God spills over into love for people and would make us want to seek their good for the glory of God.

Seeking to Impress for the Right Reasons

When we’re trying to make a good impression on people to reflect God and His glory, it becomes about helping them come to know God better. For that to happen we must guard against two things.

1) not causing anyone to stumble (1 Cor. 10:32)

Sometimes we may have good intentions but what we’re doing isn’t always for people’s good. We may be sending out mixed messages, confusing people by what we’re doing to impress them. People may not actually see the Lord but rather just the non-essentials. We may end up watering down truth to make it more appealing, yet truth is what sets people free. It’s possible we’re robbing people of God’s best by focusing on making them happy when He wants to make them holy.

2) not seeking my own good (1 Cor. 10:33)

We may say what we’re doing is for people’s good, to draw them in and lead them to the Lord. Sometimes, however, if we’re honest, we may have to admit that it becomes about us. We boast about our programs, about numbers, and all that makes us look like a growing church. Can we honestly say, like the Apostle Paul said, “I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (1 Cor. 10:33)

Discerning if Motivation for Making a Good Impression is Truly for People’s Good

We need God to search our hearts (Ps. 139:23-24) to honestly answer these questions.

• Are we seeking to make a good impression on others to help them or to help ourselves?

If we’re hoping to personally gain from it, our motivation isn’t pure.

• Do we want to make ourselves feel good or lead others to the One who is good?

When it becomes about feeling like we’re making a difference, the focus has turned inward rather than upward.

If we try to impress others for self-centered reasons, it becomes people-pleasing that leads to manipulation in order to get the reaction we want from them. When it’s no longer for the purpose of helping others (Rom. 15:2), trying to make a good impression fails to glorify God.

We walk a motivational tightrope. When we start to slip, we need to quickly refocus our steps so we stay securely on doing whatever we do for God’s glory and the good of others.

We previously looked at whether trying to make a good impression is biblical. Using 1 Corinthians 10:31-33, we concluded that it’s biblical if done for God’s glory and people’s good. That speaks to our motivations. Anything we do to the glory of God will also end up being for people’s good. We should therefore make God’s glory the top priority.

The Primary Reason for Seeking to Impress People

We can come up with all sorts of good-sounding reasons for trying to impress people. First and foremost, however, it should be about glorifying God. That removes any motivation related to boasting about our efforts.

Think about it: God doesn’t need us to draw people to Himself. He often displays His grace and power through our weaknesses so there’s no room for boasting. — “Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'” (1 Cor. 1:26-31)

Discerning if Motivation for Making a Good Impression is for the Glory of God

We would do well to pray, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Ps. 139:23-24) To help us make sure there aren’t any offensive ways in us, we should ask ourselves questions from different angles.

• Are we keeping the spotlight on God?

When making a good impression becomes about us, and how we look to others, we’re crossing the line in our motivation. We need to keep putting the focus on God. He’s the one to be lifted up.

• Are we sure to give God the credit?

If we get upset when people fail to acknowledge what we’ve done, we’re probably trying to impress them for personal applause. We need to be most concerned about God being praised. He’s the one to be honored.

• Are we careful to stay true to, and align with, God and His Word?

Compromising to draw people in does not glorify God. We need to always do that which aligns to the character and ways of God for Him to be glorified. He’s the one to be reflected.

Should Christians, and our churches, be concerned with making good impressions on others? As in all we do, let’s turn to God’s Word for an answer.

Bible Verses that Seem to Be Against Seeking to Impress People

We can find a number of Scripture verses that suggest we should be against trying to impress people. Here are some verses against seeking to make good impressions:

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Gal. 1:10)

Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Gal. 6:12-14)

On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. (1 Thess. 2:4)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (Col. 3:23-24)

At first glance, the above verses do seem to suggest that we should not seek to impress people, that their opinions of us and what we do shouldn’t matter. God is the One to whom we stand accountable. God is the One whom we should seek to please.

Scripture that Seems to Suggest that We Should be Concerned About What Other People Think

Following are some verses that seem to indicate that what people think and feel matter in order to best reach and teach them. Scripture does appear to suggest benefit in making good impressions.

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. (1 Cor. 9:19)

so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive (Titus 2:10)

Reconciling Scripture Gives Us Biblical Grounds for Desiring to Make Good Impressions

As always, we must look at the full counsel of God. We must reconcile Scripture with Scripture. Here are verses that help us do that:

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God — even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. (1 Cor. 10:31-33)

Two issues must be in place when seeking to impress others, always in this order:

1) God’s glory

2) People’s good

Click on the above links to read about this criteria for trying to make good impressions on people.