Let no brother or sister in Christ believe that it is impossible to please God. In the sum of our salvation, there is no sacrifice we can make to save our souls, for all belongs to God. Yes, this is true. And Jesus, the Word of God, has made the sacrifice for all men; fulfilling the entire Law of God. Yes, this is true.
But God pleases God. Isn’t that the gist of the Gospel? And where God is, there is pleasure to God. Isn’t that true? And when God moves, there is pleasure in the Holy Throne Room. Isn’t that true? So when we learn to do the things of God willingly, doesn’t that bring pleasure to God? So how can one intelligently say, “It is impossible to please God?”
I understand the confusion. Salvational pleasure cannot be brought about by any man; fulfilling the Holy Law of God is impossible for anyone who has sinned even once. Salvation belongs to the One who is unblemished. But the living in the Holy Spirit gives great pleasure to the One who bought us by His Holy Blood.
Let us not take the words of others without giving them lengthy consideration. They may have understood before they spoke. And what they spoke may be faultless. But has our perception come in line with understanding?
A man may think that to say it is possible to please God leads to pompous and errant thoughts of self. Thus many deny the possibility. But do they do God a favor by beating any possible joy from their soul? Aren’t they trying to please God by denying that pleasing God is possible?
Why isn’t it better to live in the freedom of fellowship with Jesus? Why isn’t it better to receive that Holy smile of pleasure? Again, let us be careful what we include and disclude.