Pleasing God

[Matthew1344]

As a Christian, is it possible to live a life that is more pleasing or less pleasing to God. Or is it when you are a Christian, you are 100 percent always pleasing to God.

I have a feeling you guys are going to say "yes" and "yes".

 

[whirlingmerc]

God is 100% for you but I am going to answer yes, no

1 Thessalonians 4:1-3English Standard Version (ESV)
4 Finally, then, brothers,[a] we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

more and more sounds to me like increase is possible

 

[earl40]

The answer depends on what will of God you are asking about.

 

[Matthew1344]

What do you mean?

 

[chuckd]

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Phil. 2:13
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph. 2:10

God is pleased with his work. "more or less" pleasing suggests a lack in God which is erroneous for the same reason God does not "want" in the other thread: WCF 2.2 "and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He has made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them."

 

[whirlingmerc]

Interesting. That would raise some questions. Why would God say something is good seven times then add something and say it's very good adding one person. ( Gen 1) Or why would be say the Lord is very angry, why not just say angry. (2 Kings 17:18 Zechariah 1:2)
Or well pleased instead of just pleased (2 Peter 1:17 ) the anger of the Lord blazed hotly (Numbers 11:10) Daniel greatly loved (Daniel 10:11) It seems God is 'will'-ing to use language like well or very.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

We should distinguish between things that differ.

1. Considered in Christ, I cannot be more pleasing to God than the perfect Son is perfectly pleasing, Jn.8:29. As Judge, God is satisfied with me. He loves his Son in me.

2. As my heavenly Father, God will be more or less pleased with me, as I am more or less conformed to the image of Christ. Heb.12:6-7 tells us the Father chastens the sons he loves. It seems obvious that while he loves me without fail, still I should be improved through discipline, and his fatherly satisfaction will see a more complete expression.

It is possible to "grieve the Holy Spirit of God," Eph.4:30; so clearly he can be not-so grieved with the same person.

Jn.15:14-15 imply progress in the disciples' relation to Jesus, and the increasing satisfaction he had with them.

So, I say the answer to the OP depends on the specific angle of investigation.

 

[earl40]

What do you mean?

If we mean that we ought to do what He says is pleasing as revealed in scripture (prescriptive will) according to 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 Then yes we can "please" The Lord.

Now in the in the decretive will of God we act, and many times what we do does not always "please" Him according to His prescriptive will. Though we do all things (including sin) according to His pleasure and His decretive will. So in a sense we do sin according to His pleasure in that Our Lord uses this sin to conform us to His Son and He is pleased we do such. This is a sure way Our Lord works and those who are His shall learn, to one extent or another, when He disciplines us to turn in faith and repentance to The Son.

Also to say we can "please" God and make Him happy is another deep question that touches on His immutability to which takes a lot of work to get ones head around to an extent.

 

[MW]

"Pleasing God" is a biblical anthropomorphism which speaks to our subordinate relationship to God and the duty we have to live by His will, in His favour, and for His glory. Psychological concepts which would make God the subject of pleasure and pain should not be mingled with the biblical use of this concept.

 

[Narthex]

Rather than approaching this as an either/or I think we can see this as a both/and issue (theologically)

Luther said... "Simul iustus et peccator" - "At the same time righteous and a sinner"

so at least in my mind it's valid to say a believer is both 100% pleasing and 100% un pleasing to God at the same time "justificationally" speaking.