Most of us will not witness to our lost friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors (think FRANgelism) because we are fearful of their response. This is understandable and natural. The problem is it is unacceptable; we do not have a have a choice whether or not we share the gospel. We are all called to give our testimony and tell the lost world of the One True Savior Jesus Christ. As has already been written, our only choice is to obey or disobey.
One definition of pantheism is the “readiness to worship all or a large number of gods.†This belief system is very prevalent and very politically correct. It is also from the pit of hell. We have to bring the truth of the One True God to a deceived world. Oh but Bro Dave that can be so hard; actually it can be impossible outside of the Word of God. The Prophet Isaiah wrote:
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“‘Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring out their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear and say, “It is truth.†‘You are My witnesses,’ says the Lord, ‘And My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are My witnesses,’ Says the Lord, ‘that I am God. Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?’†(Isaiah 43:8-13)
In verse 10 Isaiah declares that God say we are His witness and His servants that He has chosen. That causes many a Christian to make a run for his or her hiding place from the Lord, but your guilt will find you out. No amount of fig leaves will cover it up. It is all a matter of perspective and if we are immature in Christ our perspective will be on us and not Him.
Imagine your spouse, children, or best friend who was not willing to speak to others about you? What would that do to your relationship? It would no doubt strain it and it would definitely cripple it to some point. I cannot imagine growth happening. Of course our love for one another is what it drives us to speak of those we love. So it is with Christ:
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“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.†(2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
Beloved, as we grow in Christ we mature as Christians and this means coming to the end of ourselves. Oswald Chambers puts it this way:
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“When we are born again of the Spirit of God, the note of testimony is on what God has done for us, and rightly so. But the baptism of the Holy Ghost obliterates that for ever, and we begin to realize what Jesus meant when He said – ‘You will be my witnesses.’ Not witnesses to what Jesus can do – that is an elementary witness – but ‘my witnesses.’ We will take everything that happens as happening to Him, whether it be praise or blame, persecution or commendation. No one can stand like that for Jesus Christ who is not compelled by the majesty of His personal power. It is the only thing that matters, and the strange thing is that it is the last thing realized by the Christian worker.â€
Have you finally come to the final realization? Have you reached the point of compulsion that comes from the majesty of Jesus’ personal power?
We are wedded to Christ and that began with saying “I do†to Jesus. Without the confession of a commitment, there can be no marriage. It would be ridiculous to expect such. It is even more ridiculous to deny the one to whom you are wedded after the wedding.
It simply comes down to confessing Christ. Either He is your Savior or He is not and if He is you WILL be compelled to witness about Him. So the question comes down to true faith.
We’ll answer that question tomorrow…
In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4
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Copyright © 2012 David Jeffers
Tags
Aletheia, Apologetics, Bible, Christianity, Evangelism, Faith, Forgiveness, Grace, Guilt, Hell, Holy Spirit, Joy, Mercy, praise, Revival, Sin, Truth, worship