The new year 2017 arrives on Sunday and with a new year comes a lot of new resolve and new goals

and renewed life purpose. And that's all a good thing. In the vein of this discussion, we have

an email question over social media platforms in the pursuit of Christian fame. If we can,

if we can even talk about fame that way, Christian fame. Daniel, right to end to ask of this.

Pastor John, is it a sin to desire to be famous? In this day of blogging,

Instagram stories and all the social media outlets out there, I feel like I'm seeing this growing

desire to be famous, even Christian famous, to be well known and well liked and shared and to

have something on the side that gives you life purpose. I see this especially in mothers with

young children. What are some red flags in this digital age for Christians who might desire to be

well known for their books or blogs or podcasts or sermons or images or anything that they produce

online? What would you say Pastor John, to Daniel? Is it a sin to desire to be famous? Yes, it is.

Though it may not be a sin to desire to be influential and the problem arises when the pleasure

sought in being made much of is greater than the pleasure sought in being of service.

So there's the rub. It's not a sin to desire that those who know us think well of us,

provided that our hope and our prayer and our effort is that they will see the grace of God in us

and give glory to God. And in that sense, make much of us or think rightly or well of us. Jesus said,

let your light so shine before men that they may see your good deeds and give glory to your father

in heaven. That's a great challenge. Proverbs 221 says, a good name is to be chosen rather than

great riches and favor, favor with other people is better than silver or gold. So no one should

desire to be known as a fool or a thief or a braggart or a glutton or a loafer or lustful.

None of this would adorn the doctrine of God with our behavior, which is what behavior is for in

God's economy. We should want our lives to commend the truth that we profess. So the good name that

...