What do we think about when we think of the term ‘church’? We live in a day when there are many and varied churches. If one church doesn’t suit you, there are others to choose from. While some churches encourage their people to live for God and others instead of themselves, other churches promote a gospel that says lots of money and a better life now are the results of following Christ. However, there are still churches that try to follow what the Bible says—Sola scriptura (scripture alone). Traditionally, the conservative Anabaptist churches in America have tried to function in this manner. But is that changing?
We live in a day when lines are being crossed, blurred, and confused. People aren’t sure what is truth and what is not. Today, men and women around the world are looking for answers and solutions, but where should they look?
I was talking with a young man who testified of being converted at a young age. He attended church faithfully and was considered quite gifted. But there was a problem—he had a sin that he still could not control. As he wrestled with God and pled for victory, he began to hear a re-occurring theme come across the pulpit. “No one is perfect!” “We all have issues.” “Everyone has sin!” Finally, this young man accepted his sin as normal. He justified it because it seemed that everyone was saying they had sin also, that they were not living in complete victory. It led this young man to a place of complete ruin.
Are we preaching and accepting a defeated Gospel—a gospel that doesn’t offer complete forgiveness and complete victory? Many youth of today are confused. Many people in today’s world don’t understand. Anyone can go to church and try to be a better person. But what about the all-powerful, life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ?
The apostle Paul says that Jesus is coming back for …a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish –Eph 5:27. And Jesus himself said …That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. –Mat 16:18.
Before I was converted, I was certainly a slave to sin, but I wanted victory. I was addicted to drugs and alcohol, but I didn’t like it. I wanted to be free. I went to counseling and rehab facilities all over America, but it didn’t work. I had no power. I could quit for a few days or even weeks, then anger and depression would set in and I would return to the substances. One day, I came face to face with the Creator. The hand of the almighty God got ahold of me and opened my eyes. I repented of my sins and was given a clean slate and a clean heart. I never went back. Drugs, alcohol, and two packs of cigarettes a day were finished… forever.
I could hardly believe what God was doing. The power of God was real. I could not overcome by myself, as none of us can, but God has promised us freedom from bondage and a new life of victorious living if we will submit our lives to him. This ability to overcome the power of sin and then walk in victory, is what the world is looking for. Do we believe that God can free us, not only from substance abuse, but also from anger, selfishness, bitterness, greed and pride? God’s Word says If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness –1Jn 1:9. No one is interested in a defeated Gospel, no one except those who are living in defeat because they have chosen the things of this world over God and His Word.
Are we willing to testify of the power of the resurrection? We need to proclaim a gospel that completely saves people from the bondage of sin… forever. We must be bold and confident in our faith so we can lead people to the Master.
I was witnessing to a man when he said in a rather loud voice, “God is not real!” My six-year-old son’s mouth fell open and he gasped, “Daddy, he just told a lie!”
My son doesn’t need to be convinced that God is real; he believes it with all his heart. The world out there does need to be convinced. They need to see something that science cannot explain. They need to see something that defies all odds.
That something is a heart that has been truly changed. The fighter now loves his enemies. The person with an anger problem now loves others unconditionally. Broken families are healed. Wretched sinners are forgiven and living a transformed life. Hope, peace, love and power are freely given to men and women who seemingly had no hope. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them –Mat 11:5.
Are you living your life so the world can see the work of God being practical, effective, and real every day? Here are a few things that the Church needs in our day to once again draw in the lost.
A willingness to suffer
History would show that the church all through the ages has suffered for Christ. It was part of the cost of following Christ. The Bible says, Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution –2Ti 3:12. It was something that just happened.
Today many people want the American dream. Folks live a good moral life, they are good citizens, they make a good living, and they go to church on Sundays. But is that what we are called to? When the church suffered persecution, and did so willingly and joyfully, the gospel spread like wildfire. It was something the world had never seen—a faith that people showed by their life and their death was something worth dying for. Let’s not be afraid to suffer for Christ today.
Denial of self
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me –Mat 16:24.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus instructs us to deny ourselves? After all, He gave us desires and passions, so why must we deny them? I have heard people say that we need to align our will with God’s, but I do not find this in the Bible. Rather, we should simply deny our will and accept God’s will.
I remember the first day of boot camp when I joined the Marine corps after graduating from high school. Close to one hundred young men were there. We all had our own desires and thoughts. We had our own identity. It was amazing to see all the diversity. If the United States of America would have sent us off to battle that first day, it would have been a disaster. So, they had a plan set in place to fix this problem. Over the next three months they broke us. Physically and mentally we learned how to deny ourselves and submit to our commanders and each other. The world is often amazed by the great discipline and unity for which the Marines are known.
When we become a part of the kingdom of God, we cannot be effective if we each do what we want. A body of believers can all have good intentions, but if any one person has not denied themselves, they will never be able to submit to the greater cause. There is a war raging and we cannot fight it alone. We must deny ourselves, join forces with our brethren, and fight for victory in our homes, churches, and lives.
Submission
The Bible calls us to submit ourselves:
- …to God… –Jas 4:7.
- … [to those] that have the [spiritual] rule over you [us]… –Heb 13:17.
- …to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake… –1Pe 2:13.
- …one to another in the fear of God –Eph 5:21.
Once we deny ourselves, then and only then, can we submit to others. Many people today have great difficulty in submitting to their fellow man. Some feel they are free in Christ; therefore, they can do as they please. There is a reason why we are instructed to submit to others. It is easy for us to drift away from sound doctrine when we believe we can figure everything out on our own.
When we have truly denied ourselves, we find that it is rather easy, and even a great blessing, to submit to the brotherhood. In fact, it is true freedom. What you want doesn’t matter, and you begin to depend on your brothers and sisters. When getting our own way isn’t important to us, then when we don’t get our way, we are fine with it. As we lay down our lives for each other, we become a force that the world doesn’t understand. For centuries, the world was drawn to the church, wanting what it had. But amazingly, today it seems that the church is being drawn to the world, wanting what it has.
There is power in submission. Hundreds of years ago a man named Alexander conquered almost all the then-known world using military strength and cleverness, mixed with diplomacy.
The story is told that Alexander and a small company of soldiers approached a strongly fortified, walled city. Alexander, standing outside the walls, raised his voice and demanded to see the king. When the king arrived, Alexander insisted that the king surrender the city and its inhabitants to Alexander and his little band of fighting men.
The king laughed, “Why should I surrender to you? You can’t do us any harm!” So, Alexander offered to give the king a demonstration. He ordered his men to line up single file and start marching. He marched them straight toward a sheer cliff.
The townspeople gathered on the wall and watched in shocked silence as, one by one, Alexander’s soldiers marched, without hesitation, right off the cliff to their deaths! After ten soldiers died, Alexander ordered the rest of the men to return to his side. The townspeople and the king immediately surrendered to Alexander the Great. They realized that if a few men were actually willing to commit suicide at the command of this dynamic leader, then nothing could stop his eventual victory.
Obedience
Submission and obedience go hand in hand. If we are willing to submit to something or someone, we will want to obey it. It becomes very important to submit to those who are over us, especially the almighty God in Heaven. If we struggle to submit, we will usually struggle with obedience. God forbid if we begin to believe that we are better off doing things alone without our brothers.
Love
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another –Joh 13:35.
People wave to each other at an intersection or they will open the door for an elderly person. People are generally loving people… until something doesn’t go their way. Then they can become very difficult. Is that the way the church today is showing their love to the world? As long as everything is going smoothly, and no one steps on our toes, we all get along and we love each other. Then as soon as there is something worth fighting over, we put the “boxing gloves” on. Doesn’t the Bible say that charity (love) beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things –1Co 13:7. True love is revealed when we face adversity, or when a brother does something to offend us. That is the love that will show the world we are disciples of Jesus.
Do we love our brother enough to help when he is in need? Maybe he is unknowingly straying away from God in a certain area. How much do we love him? Some people think that love is only talking about positive things with each other, but if we truly love our brother, we will go to him in love and speak honestly with him. Then if we are practicing a lifestyle of denying ourselves and submitting to the brethren, it should go well. God forbid if we get angry with a brother who comes to us to show us our error.
When we have chosen to suffer with the people of God, and have denied ourselves, then we appreciate when a brother or sister speaks into our lives. We will not allow ourselves to become offended.
Suffering for and with each other, plus denying ourselves for each other often forms a solid love for one another. This type of love is the kind that the world around us does not know, but desires greatly. The world is getting more selfish and independent as the days pass. We can’t afford to miss our opportunities to show them the power of God with our love towards one another.
Godly people throughout the ages have had their opportunity to serve the King and spread the message of the Kingdom of God, but they have moved on to eternity. Today it is our turn. The fields are white unto harvest. Let’s plug in and, with God’s help, preserve the glorious church of Jesus Christ for our children, the next generation.
As a man was wandering into the night,
He searched for something, not found by sight.
His heart was heavy, his flame growing dim.
He thought of his future, the outlook seemed grim.
“Why go on? What’s the purpose of life?”
Remembering the past, cut just like a knife.
He knew he was bitter, he would no more deny.
As anger drove him, he decided to die.
He had arrived, his decision was made.
He stood on the tracks, hoping the train not delayed.
He felt great relief, as he heard the whistle blow.
But suddenly a new thought, “Where will I go?”
He dove from danger, as the train roared by.
“Where will I go?” he could hear himself cry.
Over and over the question replayed.
As he thought of eternity, the present did fade.
The thoughts of childhood, the sermons he’d heard,
Came flooding back, his whole being was stirred.
“It’s Jesus Christ, His burden is light!”
The message came clear, from out of the night.
He pled with God, broken by sin.
He would not stop ‘til this battle he’d win.
The devil was desperate, his victim so near,
But God saw a sinner, a life he held dear.
Into the night the battle did rage.
Saint or sinner, what would be this man’s wage?
The peace of God flowed over like rain;
Rejoicing he wept, he felt no more pain.
With joy in his step, and victory in his heart,
He left praising God, “How great Thou art!”
Barry Grant
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