That is the teaching of the Bible and we do not like to hear this. ‘You mean, what I achieve is of no consequence to God, even if I become a prime minister, an emperor, a head of state? You mean what we have achieved will never be rewarded?’ No. No flesh glories in his presence. All human works will fall and all human religion. It is impossible by our own works. We are sinners and under condemnation. What is different between the Bible and false religion? Why is religion concocted out of the human mind of no value? Because only God knows his plans, how he will relate to men and women. He must reveal his truth, so do not surprised that we have a supernatural book, the Bible. Many false religions teach that by works we can earn the favour of God. It suits the pride of man. Man does not want to know he is under condemnation. So he says, ‘I can do it.’ But you cannot; he must do it. You must call on him for life. To be saved by faith through grace alone in the Bible religion.
The first pastors, the apostles of the Lord, were very humble men. They were prepared to be poor. They were prepared to be beaten. They were prepared to be martyred. They went about not as great ones, but as servants of the people. It must always be so if the power of God is really to be seen in hearts and lives, and yet there they are, even in some Bible believing churches, applauding the pastor. There they are talking about giftedness and all the rest of it: ‘that no flesh should glory in his presence.’