Those of us who follow Christ live in the world, but we should not be part of the world. Plenty of ideas and actions fly in the face of God’s commands that we are to avoid and speak out against. But we must do so with restraint. We are not to be angry or violent. We are not to behave in the same manner the enemy does; when we do, we are no better than the enemy.
We are to be Christ-like. We are to be set apart. We are to pray. Pray for those who set themselves up against God. Pray for those who, through their education or indoctrination, believe they are more moral or wiser than God. Pray for those who live in rebellion. Pray for those steeped in sin and refuse the gift of Jesus Christ. This is our power. This is our weapon. God will fight our battles.
2 Cor 10:3-5
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Paul did not attack those who lived in the promiscuous and idolatrous communities of Rome. He did not attack those who attacked Christianity. He spoke up, he shared Jesus, and he prayed. He prayed for the lost and he prayed for the believers. He prayed continuously. He knew that he alone had little power, but God provided the power to demolish all fortresses and overcome the world. Paul prayed, wrote letters, gave counsel, and preached the gospel.
One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”
Part 5 Questions
So, many ask the question, “What is truth?” They know the answer. They have heard it preached from the pulpit. They have been told on the radio or television. They have heard it debated as they stream it on their devices. Jesus is the truth. Jesus is God the Son.
In our society, people claim their own “truth.” They do this for a reason. It is not because they do not know the truth, but through their own individual “truth” they can live their lives however they wish. Their “truth” allows them to live in a way that ignores God. They don’t have to deal with this whole “salvation” thing, or heaven and hell, or sin, or forgiveness, or eternal life, or eternal damnation. They don’t have to deal with God’s existence. But their “truth” doesn’t change anything. God is still here. He still loves and He still judges. One day His truth will come to bear on their “truth” and ignorance will become regret.
They mask their “truth” behind a multitude of questions. Their questions deserve answers, but they do not want answers. Their questions are a smokescreen. They serve as blinders so the focus will always be on denying God. Truth is never the goal. Freedom, or what they perceive as freedom, is the goal.
Why are there so many contradictions in the bible?
Why does God allow suffering?
Why do some believe, and others do not?
Why is there only one way to heaven?
What about those people who die never hearing about Jesus?
If God is love, why is He so mean?
Their questions have one thing in common. They are designed to keep us from talking about Jesus. Focus on the twisted facts, half-truths, and mysteries of the bible and never get to the real problem.
And let’s be honest, we are often too willing to be deflected because we are afraid. We are afraid we will insult with the gospel. We don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or offend them in any way. We want to coexist. (I know you’ve seen the bumper sticker. Newsflash! Some groups represented will never coexist for their core beliefs require them to eliminate the other groups). The gospel offends all who reject it. Jesus told us it would.
We are afraid. We are afraid we will get the facts wrong. We don’t read and study our bibles. We half-listen in church. We never dig deep into the word, and we never commit the word to memory. “Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.” (Joshua 1:8) We never learn the answer to the tough questions.
Here is a question you already know the answer to. What are you holding on to so tightly that you are unwilling to give it up for Christ? Knowledge? The law? Tradition? Family? Money? Power? Sin? The Pharisees had things in their lives that were more important to them than following the law. We all do. This could have been the purpose of the hierarchy. Differentiate between the big sin and the little sin. We all have or have had things we put before God. We may not want to admit it, but it is true. We may say to God, “I will do anything You want and go wherever You desire me to go, but please, leave my children alone.” We place limits on God. “I will serve you but not there.” “I will do anything, but I will not do that.” In other words, we say “I will give this much but no more.” And that is exactly what God will ask for. The thing we refuse to give.
The rich young ruler refused to become poor. But giving everything to God is not becoming poor; it is becoming rich. We are rich beyond all measure, for what we have can go with us to eternal life. Faith, hope, and love. All of us are to be ministers and to be a minister is to give it all and be rewarded with so much more.
Ministry is a scary place today. The world we live in is becoming increasingly hostile to Christians. No, Christians in the US are not persecuted like Christians in many other countries, but we can certainly see persecution on the horizon. The day is coming when we declare Jesus as Lord and find ourselves in prison or on death row. The next generation of pastors may not be able to practice their faith in the open. They may have more in common with the first-century church than at any other time in US history. Churches may be forced to meet underground and may find it necessary to be more selective about who is allowed to worship with them.
But persecution brings strength. Christians rise up when they are persecuted. Open Doors, an organization that supports oppressed Christians, tell us that in North Korea and Afghanistan, the Christian population is growing in vast numbers as they face persecution. Death, imprisonment, and psychiatric imprisonment are common for Christians in these countries. Why would anyone become a Christian? Because they know the truth and they know the truth is the only way to the Father.
Jesus says we are to follow Him. He has proven that He is worthy. In fact, He is the only worthy One. He wants us to follow Him. Yes, to bring Him glory, but also to bring us eternal life. He wants to forgive our sins. He wants to bring us into the family. That is one of the things Jesus told the scribe. You are close to being in God’s family. (Mark 12:34) Isn’t that all we really want? To be in His family and to call Him father? To belong?
We cannot put anything before Him. We must put Him first. This is the cost of discipleship. To put God first. When we put God first, we begin to live sacrificially. When we begin to live sacrificially, we begin to live for others. Selfishness begins to melt away like a spring snow. The world stops revolving around us and we begin to revolve around the Father. The Spirit dwells within. The Son mediates on our behalf. The Father welcomes us with open arms, and we are filled with a love that we cannot help but share. Will we offend? Yes. Will we be persecuted and judged for our testimony? Yes. Will we have to answer real questions about our faith? Yes. So, get ready. It feels like time is short. Heaven is only a heartbeat away. And the Father is waiting there with open arms.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ‘teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
For whom are you responsible? To whom are you responsible? If you are working, you would say you are responsible to your boss. If you have a family, you are responsible to them. If you are a Christian, you are responsible to God in everything you do. We are commanded by Christ in Matthew 28:19-20 to go and make disciples. We are to make converts.
We all have a boss
We share the gospel, but is that the end of this command? No, we are to disciple the new Christian and teach them to observe the commands found in God’s word. We are to help the new Christian to grow and we are to help them with the struggles of this world. The first century church was active in helping their fellow man. Acts 4:34 tells us that not a needy person was among them. They had sold all they had and used it to help each other. I am not suggesting that we go and sell our homes and cars and the like, but I am suggesting that we have plenty and can certainly help others.
We all can help others
Jesus helped those in need. Why? To show He was the Messiah, but also to help others in the struggle of everyday life. Do we not have a calling to do the same? To preach the gospel and lead a soul to Christ and then allow him to live a life in addiction, or struggle under the weight of poverty, or discrimination, ignores the fact that this life is part of eternity. We are not simply waiting to die to live, but we are living now! Life on earth has meaning. To suffer for the gospel is just, but to ignore suffering is to place one’s self above another. This is contrary to the command to love your neighbor.
Do you have a secret to tell?
We have a great secret, but unlike most secrets, few want to hear it. We know the gospel. We know what Christ did and we are required to share it, but sharing the secret is only the beginning. We also must teach and help those who believe. Are you willing to be like Christ and go beyond just words and put your faith into action?
Worshiping God 