What? Why? So?

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God,

a worker who does not need to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 2:15

The day I became a Christian, I looked at the Bible in my hands and shuddered. It was a big book, and it contained complicated theological discussions, obscure historical references, confusing metaphors, and apocalyptic symbols. How would I ever understand it?

The answer, I discovered, was Bible study. The Book would release its treasures through systematic study grounded on and sustained by the Holy Spirit.

Well, if you are a believer, you already know the reality of which I’m speaking. You know that studying God’s Word is vital for the Christian’s spiritual well-being and growth. But perhaps you are struggling to know how to do that. Or maybe you’ve allowed your study to lapse, and it’s time to get going again.

If you’re struggling with knowing how to study your Bible, there are many excellent books that can help you. They range from simple devotional approaches to complicated systems of analysis, but ultimately they all come down to the same three disciplines: observation, application, and interpretation. Today I would like to offer you three simple questions you can use to guide you in your Bible study. These three questions are: ‘What?’ ‘Why?’ and, ‘So?’

What?

The ‘what’ question is answered through observation. In this step, the student simply asks himself or herself what is in the text. The goal is to see what is there and record what one sees. I encourage you to record your observations in a journal or notebook. The ensures you won’t forget them as you move forward.

Observing the text can be a relatively simple thing, and it may be best just simply to ask yourself ‘what’s there?’ But, if you’re looking for a more structured approach, you might consider using the following steps (selected and paraphrased from Kay Arthur’s book How to Study Your Bible):

§         Ask the “5 W’s and an H.” Methodically ask yourself these questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?Seek accuracy in your answers, and try to exhaust each question. For example, “Who is speaking? Who is this about? Who are the main characters?” and then, “What is the subject or event covered? What do you learn about the people involved?” and etc. You might even consider writing both the questions and the answers in your notebook. As you do, you will find your sketch of the passage being ‘fleshed’ out.

§         Mark Key Words and Phrases. A key word is simply one that is essential to the text. It might be a noun, a descriptive word, or an action. It would be considered key in that its removal would leave the passage meaningless. Mark these words and record them in your notebook.

§         Look for Lists. Make lists of the places where your key terms are used. These lists will help you see how a thought or term is developed or expounded upon throughout the passage.

§         Develop Themes. Look for the natural breaking points in the text. These may be paragraph breaks, or something larger, akin to chapter breaks. Once you’ve observed their presence, try to summarize the paragraph or chapter with a thematic title. Ask yourself how you might summarize the passage in one sentence for a six-year-old, and then write down that sentence.

Why?

The ‘why’ question is answered through interpretation. In this step, the student asks himself or herself the meaning of the text. The goal is to understand why God inspired the author(s) to write what they did. Ask yourself “What does it mean?” and then record your answers.

Here you would be wise to remember some basic guidelines concerning interpretation (again selected and paraphrased from Kay Arthur’s book How to Study Your Bible):

§         Remember that context rules. Interpretation of a particular verse or group of verses must always be rendered in light of the surrounding verses, the book in which it/they occur, and the entirety of the Bible. Questions to ask here include: Is my interpretation consistent with the theme, purpose, and structure of the book in which it is found? Am I considering the historic and cultural context of what is being said? Etc.

§         Remember that Scripture will never contradict Scripture. That said, sometimes you will find two seemingly contradictory truth taught in the Bible. An example of this would be the sovereignty of God and responsibility of man. When two or more truths that are clearly taught in the Bible seem to be in conflict, remember that we as humans have finite minds. Don’t take a teaching to an extreme that God doesn’t. Humble your heart in faith and believe what God ways, even in you can’t fully understand or reconcile it at the moment.

§         Interpret Scripture literally. The Bible was given that we might know God and His plan. It is not given to obscure the truth. Therefore, take it at face value – in its natural, normal sense. Look first for the clear teaching, not a hidden meaning. And, by the way, this includes the recognition and appropriate interpretation of figures of speech. It also means that we should observe the type of literature of any particular text, and, if it is poetry, treat it as poetry (for example). Or, if it is historical narrative, treat it as historical narrative.

Again, as you answer this ‘why’ question, be sure to record your thoughts. Write down your interpretative conclusions and state the observational data that supports your conclusions. Write it down so you won’t forget.

So?

The ‘so’ question is answered through application. In this step, the student asks how the text is to be applied – to himself or herself, to the church, to the world as a whole, and etc. Your goal is to determine and articulate what God would have you do in response to the text. Ask yourself So what? What does this mean for me? For us?

In this area it may be helpful to consider three additional questions (once again selected and paraphrased from Kay Arthur’s book How to Study Your Bible):

§         Does the passage state an application? Many passages include a clear exhortation or admonishment. Just remember to be careful in discerning whether the command is given directly to you. We are to learn from every part of the Bible, but every part of the Bible was not addressed directly to us. For instance, believers in the Church Age should approach the Mosaic Law differently than citizens of ethnic Israel did during the reign of David. This particular observation should impact our understanding and application of many of the Psalms, for instance.

§         Does this section of Scripture expose any error in my beliefs or in my behavior? Are there any commandments that I have not obeyed? Are there any wrong attitudes or motives in my life that the Scriptures bring to light?

§         What is God’s instruction to me as His child? Are there any new truths to be believed? Are there any new commandments to be acted upon? Are there any new insights I am to pursue? Are there any promises I am to embrace?

Two things should be said concerning application. First, it is important that we do not simply create lists of applications and write them down. I do think it is wise to make lists and write them, but it is equally important to do the things we write on the lists. The goal of our Bible study is to have a deeper knowledge of and love for God, and to facilitate a greater conformity to the image of our Savior, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our goal is not mere knowledge. In fact, if we pursue knowledge and do not apply what we learn, we will be worse off that those who had never pursued knowledge.

The second thing worth mentioning is that there are two types of applications that can be profitably written. They are unconditional and conditional applications. Unconditional applications involve those things we will do or not do, immediately and proactively, in response to our interaction with the text. Conditional applications are things we determine to do or not dodepending upon the situations in which we find ourselves. So, if the text says I should not retaliate against someone who strikes me, my conditional application would be, If someone strikes me, I will not retaliate. Obedience would entail a decision to act in a certain way should the opportunity or situation arise.

As I jot down these thoughts, I realize that the process I have outlined is an arduous one. Bible study requires work. It demands discipline. But it’s worth the effort. If we are to rejoice in the treasures of God’s Word, we must invest our time and energy in mining the Scriptures. The riches of Scripture are inexhaustible, and those who seek will be richly rewarded.

My encouragement to you is to determine again, today, to study God’s Word. Use these three questions to spur you back into action. Abandon yourself again to the Scriptures, that you might know Jesus and the power of His resurrection, that you might rejoice in the fellowship of His sufferings, that you might realize conformity to His death, and that you might be fully prepared for the resurrection from the dead.

 “Not that I have already attained,

or am already perfected; but I press on,

that I may lay hold of that for which

Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Philippians 3:12

The Seven Steps to Spectacular Speech

friendshipcircle.org

If anyone does not stumble in word,

he is a perfect man, able also

to bridle the whole body.

James 3:2

A friend of mine once shared a lesson he learned the hard way. He had been recently installed as the pastor of a church in an urban setting. A city park with a reputation as a ‘hook-up’ location lay next to the church, and from his office window, my friend saw many sordid events.

There was one male couple, in particular, whose flagrancy bothered him. Each day they would walk through the park hand-in-hand, leaning against other with affection. And it got to the point that, when my friend saw them through his window, he would point them out to his secretary and say, “Look at that. Isn’t that disgusting?”

Then, one day, he happened to be walking through the park, and he spied the couple rounding the bend down the pathway walking toward him. “Great,” he murmured. But he forced a pastoral smile and walked forward.

As the couple neared, he saw that one of the men was older than he had appeared from a distance, and the other was younger than he had appeared.

The older man smiled and said, “Good morning.”

My friend answered, “Hello. Beautiful day, isn’t it?”

And then the younger man, turning to the older, said, “D..d...daddy… is th..this man a frien.. friend?”

In a flash, my friend recognized how wrong he had been. These two men were not lovers. They were an older man and his disabled son, taking a walk in the park. And my friend was ashamed – ashamed that he had judged them, pointed them out to his secretary, and had spoken words of condemnation. But by then, of course, the words had been spoken. It was too late. All he could do was repent and beg God’s forgiveness.

That’s learning a lesson the hard way, isn’t it?

Well, we all stumble at times with our words, so we shouldn’t slam this poor pastor. But wouldn’t it be great if we could avoid similar mistakes? Wouldn’t it be great if we had some principles to guide us in this area?

The good news today is that there are principles to guide us. They are found in God’s Word, and all we have to do is remember and apply them. And we can do that, because God has given us His Holy Spirit, living in us and empowering us to obey His precepts.

The book of Proverbs, in particular, is filled with helpful advice on how to use our tongues, and, today, I want to review briefly seven simple speech principles found in that book. We’ll call them “The Seven Steps to Spectacular Speech.” Here they are:

1. Listen first.  “He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.”  Proverbs 18:13

Whole books have been written on the importance of listening, and they usually outline methods for improving your listening skills. But let’s be honest, the only thing you need to do, in order to listen well, is to close your mouth and concentrate on what the other person is saying. 

2. Think about it.  “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer...”  Proverbs 15:28

Think first, then speak. I wish I had practiced this principle more carefully throughout my life. I would have saved myself and others a lot of pain. And what should you think about? Well, as my wife reminds me frequently, think about this: “Is it kind, necessary, and true?” You could also ask yourself that great question, “Is this something Jesus would say?”     

3. Shut up.  “Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.”  Proverbs 17:28

I had a ministerial friend named Dan who mastered this principle. Dan was no fool. He would keep his mouth shut, particularly in long business meetings. Everyone would give his or her opinion, some more emphatically than others, except for Dan. And then we’d remembered that he hadn’t contributed yet, and we’d turn to him. By then, he had heard everyone else’s ideas and had carefully formed his own thoughts. His comments were always comprehensive and insightful. He sure came across as a wise person.

4. Choose wisely.   “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!”  Proverbs 15:23

Words aptly chosen are valuable, and a person who makes genuine contributions through his comments will be honored. This often boils down to knowing what to say when. Wisdom entails discerning a time for light comments (“The weather’s taken a turn for the worse, hasn’t it?”) and a time for heavy ones (“If you died today, where would you spend eternity?”). I guess this goes along with the other principles, such as “think first.” Choosing words wisely depends on your taking a moment, assessing the situation, and choosing gracious words that will bless and build.

5. Test for quality.  “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.”  Proverbs 13:3

Every thought, even those brilliant true thoughts, does not need to be expressed. Here again is a principle I wished I had learned when I was younger. I won’t go into the story much, but I remember a girlfriend once asking me how I would describe her body build. I thought about it, and then answered truthfully, “Hmm, pear-shaped?” Enough said.

6. Be concise.  “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.”  Proverbs10:19

The fool babbles on. This, I know, is true, and, frankly, it scares me. I’m a bit of a talker, and I have to guard against overindulging in verbal expression. I guess that’s one of my areas of temptation to excess. Some people are tempted to eat too much; some people are tempted to drink too much; and some of us are tempted to talk too much. If you also struggle with that temptation, you will have to join me with confessing your failings and asking the Spirit’s help in overcoming this sinful tendency. Hmm, maybe we should start an “Overtalkers Anonymous” or “Blabbers Anonymous”?

7. Put some heart into it.   “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth…”   Proverbs 16:23

As we speak with others, we would be wise to remember Who God is and who man is. By that I mean we should remember that God is utterly holy, and it is only by His grace that any of us stand. So we should be careful to avoid harshness in our conversations. We should seek to be gentle with all. And, yes, I’ll admit it, I struggle with that too. I’ve noticed it’s easy to be gentle when I’m getting my way and ‘my rights’ are being respected, but when I’m not and they’re aren’t, it’s a different story. My flesh calls my tongue to battle, and I am tempted to use words to eviscerate my adversary. At this time, I must listen to the Spirit who reminds me that ‘I am but dust, and to dust I will return’ and ‘to do unto others as I would have them do unto me.’

I hope you haven’t made the blunders I and my pastor friend made. But if you have, don’t despair. Ask God’s forgiveness, accept it, and then move on. Forget the things that are past, and push forward in His strength toward greater holiness. Ask the Lord to help you apply these seven steps to spectacular speech!

“Let your speech always be

with grace, seasoned with salt.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Colossians 4:6

- Christian Pilet

7 Biblical Reasons for Christians to Rejoice Today!

“Count your blessings,

Name them one by one...”

Johnson Oatman, Jr.

In the hustle and bustle of daily life, even Christians can get overwhelmed and discouraged. Eternal realities can be forgotten in the midst of temporal pressures. But if we take a moment and think about all God has done, is doing, and will do, we can regain our confidence and joy. Today I would like to list seven reasons you can rejoice. I believe these precious truths can carry you through any momentary hardship. See if you agree…

Reason #1:       Jesus bore your sins at the cross. 

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us.”  
2 Corinthians 5:21a

Reason #2:       Jesus ‘closed the account’ on your sins through His death.

“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”  
Hebrews 10:14

Reason #3:       God credited you with Jesus’ righteousness.

“It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” 
Romans 4:20b

Reason #4:       Jesus gave you unending life.

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish…” 
John 10:28a

Reason #5:       Jesus promised you’ll never lose your life again.

“…Neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”  
John 10:28b

Reason #6:       The Holy Spirit ensures your eternal life will transition from good to better to best.

“He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 
 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Reason #7:       Your ‘best life’ is nearer now than ever!

“Now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”  
Romans 13:11b

What reasons for rejoicing would you add?

 “Rejoice in the Lord always.

Again I will say, rejoice!”

                                                                               

Philippians 4:4

-Christian Pilet

The Three R’s of Forgiveness

“…and forgiving one another,

if anyone has a complaint against another;

even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

Colossians 3:13

We all know we should forgive those who sin against us. But sometimes it seems easier to say than to do. We find ourselves giving ‘intellectual forgiveness’ and still struggling to give ‘emotional forgiveness.’ But is there a way to move beyond this? Can the Bible help us out here?

I believe that the Bible does indeed provide a way to gain victory in this area. It fleshes out the command to forgive with practical guidance, and today I would like to point out three of basic principles it states. I’ll call them “The ‘R’s’ of forgiveness.” Perhaps they will help you the next time you are called upon to forgive.

§  Remember.

It is amazing how good we can be at remembering the faults of others. But that’s not the type of ‘remembering’ I’m talking about here. No, the remembering I’m referring to here refers to the recalling of our own faults and needs.

First, we should remember our membership in the global family. I must remind myself that I, too, am a descendant of Adam, and that I have also received from him a sin nature. When I quote Romans 3:23 (“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”), I must remind myself that I am truly part of the “all.” I myself was once at war with God. And this is no esoteric, philosophical notion. I was a literal rebel, cursing Almighty God in my thoughts and actions.

Second, we should remember that our rebellion against Almighty God earned us the ultimate death sentence. I, personally, was placed upon the Divine’s death row. And rightly so. When I read that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), I must recall that I earned my place in hell’s torture chambers.

Third, we should remember that it is only Almighty God’s gift that frees us from that death sentence and, more than that, gives us a position in His heavenly abode. That’s what I should remember as I finish reading Romans 6:23: “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

And then, fourth, we should remember what Jesus told Peter about forgiveness. This is recorded in Matthew 18. Jesus likened a person’s offense against another to a paltry sum owed between servants, and then He likened a person’s offense against Almighty God to an incomprehensibly large sum owed by a servant to a king. In the story He tells, He describes the king as having forgiven the servant’s debt. And then He describes the servant as having exacted payment from his fellow servant. The matter is reported to the king, and the unmerciful servant is punished. The underlying principle is that the one who has been forgiven much should forgive much. For me, it means that when another person sins against me, I should remember how much Almighty God has forgiven me and forgive that person, genuinely, from my heart. (Matthew 18:35)

§  Reframe.

To ‘reframe’ an event is to re-think the event and to question the assumptions you made about it in the first place. Or add new ones to it. It is a matter of trying to see it from the other person’s perspective.

In many ways, ‘reframing’ is similar to ‘remembering.’ The difference here is that you choose to remember specific things about the other person that you may have forgotten or ignored. The first is that the other person also is a fallen individual, one who needs God’s grace as desperately as you do. The second is that he or she also has many things going on in his or her life, things of which you are unaware. And, the third is that you are neither omniscient nor sovereign. Reframing means remembering that only God is God and deciding to leave the judgment to Him.

Practically speaking, reframing looks a little like this: Someone ignores me and refuses to shake my hand at a social event. My natural (fleshly) instinct is to think, “Wow, that guy is really a jerk. He just thinks he’s better than I am.” And then I am tempted to ignore him from then on. But then I remember Jesus’ words, and I realize I need to forgive him. But perhaps I am still struggling. At this time I should consciously decide to ‘re-frame’ the event. I might imagine something like this: Maybe he was thinking about a huge problem he has going on at work, and maybe he was distracted and failed to see my hand, and maybe it was only later that he even realized he had passed by me. And maybe he even felt a little bad for ignoring me.

Now, of course, the reality is that I don’t know what was going on in his mind. And that’s just the point. I don’t know, and I can’t know. Only God knows. And when I recall that, I am left with only a few options. I can go to him and ask him why he ignored me, or I can simply assume he meant no harm.

I think that is much of what Paul is driving at in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: that we should assume the best and move on. And if I do that, I will find that I am keeping that other great command: to love my neighbor as myself. I mean, really, don’t I want people to give me the benefit of the doubt?

§  Release.

The third “R” I came up with is ‘release.’ By that, I mean to ‘let it go.’

I think we sometimes forget that we have the freedom to let things go, and my hope here is simply to remind you (and me) of that option.

But I do want to clarify something… In the past, particularly in cases of parental abuse, I have heard abusers say to victims, “Just forgive me. Why do you have to even bring this up? Just forget it, forgive me, and move on.”

I do not believe this sort of ‘release’ is what is involved in biblical forgiveness. In such cases, it seems that the abuser is asking the victim to engage in denial, not forgiveness. Why? Because I don’t believe that a person can genuinely forgive another person until he or she has realized that a wrong has occurred. Now, please don’t misunderstand. I am not suggesting that wrongs must be examined in excruciating detail to legitimize them. But I am suggesting that a call to forgiveness rests on an affirmation that a wrong has, indeed, occurred. To forgive is to say, essentially, yes, a wrong has occurred, and I will forgive you for doing it.

Forgiveness is not denial. It rests on acceptance and culminates in release. It is a decision to ‘let it go’ and to keep no record of the wrong.

This is what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. There is no question of whether we did wrong. We all did. We all needed His forgiveness. And there is no question of the enormity of that wrong. It was an incomprehensible and incomparable evil. But to recall this is only to rehearse (and glorify) the enormity of His forgiveness. With full understanding of the evil in which we engaged, with full cognition of our rebellion and enmity, Christ died for us, that we might live and be imputed His very own righteousness. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Wow. Praise God!

Well, that cover’s my three “R’s.” Did you think of others? Is there someone you need to forgive today? If so, let me encourage to do so before the sun sets!

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted,

forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:32

-- Christian Pilet

                                                                       

5 Roadblocks to Missions

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,

for it is the power of God to salvation

for everyone who believes.”

 Romans 1:16

Leland Miller will be focusing on “The Takeaway” this Sunday at church, and the discussion should raise some interesting questions about missions and about how we can best do the work of missions.

Last week I suggested some ways we can do the work of missions here in our community. This week I’d like to take a look at some roadblocks to missions and suggest ways to get by them. See if you agree with my list of these Five Roadblocks to Missions:

Doubt

We live in a pluralistic society, and we are bombarded daily with messages of toleration. We are told that we should ‘live and let live,’ and we are exhorted to maintain a nonjudgmental attitude toward differing lifestyles and religious beliefs. These messages are preached from the podiums of political offices and from the lecterns of schoolrooms.

But the gospel of Jesus Christ is not a message of toleration. It is not a message of the acceptance of alternative lifestyles and of differing religious opinions. It is built on the presupposition that there is only one true God, and that He has revealed Himself fully in the person of Jesus Christ. And it is also  built on the presupposition that man is sinful and stands condemned before holy God. Indeed, the reason the Gospel is Good News is that it tells how man can escape eternal condemnation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We who are believers know these things. We know, for instance, that the worship of Allah, as expressed in Islam, is abhorrent in His sight. We know that the pantheism of Hinduism and Buddhism is an abomination. And we know that only the fool says in his heart, “there is no God.” And, most importantly, we know that it is only through the preaching of the Gospel, through the hearing of His Word, that one comes to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ.

And yet, it seems, we doubt. And in many different ways. Some doubt whether the message of the gospel is truly exclusive. Some doubt that Jesus truly is the only way to the Father. And some doubt whether the God we worship is truly as holy as He says He is.

This must be the case, because if we did not doubt, we would be very bold in our proclamation of the gospel.

But what is the answer to doubt? The answer is faith.

We overcome doubt through faith, a reasonable faith that examines the Scriptural truth claims, considers their presuppositions, and determines to act accordingly. I do not act as a Christian with the hope of gaining faith. I act as a Christian because I have faith.

So, today, if you examine your heart, and you find that you have a heart of unbelief, I encourage you to study the Scriptures. Determine for yourself whether these things are true. Then, be settled in your own heart, and act accordingly.

Idolatry

Some people come to Christ and then continue to battle with idolatry. Their gods are the gods of their former lives, and they can be literal (as in the false gods of Eastern religions) or they can be figurative (e.g. self, family, education, career, wealth, health, and leisure).

Idolatry expresses itself in misplaced priorities. Idolatrous believers assert that God and His program are of the highest priority, but their day-to-day schedules reflect something different. They invest in things of temporal value at the cost of things of eternal value. They find it impossible to find time to devote to evangelism, but they find the find time to do the things that they, in their flesh, desire to do.

The answer to idolatry is worship of the true God.

If we will focus our hearts and minds fully upon Almighty God, if we will allow our senses to be filled with and captivated by his Holiness and Glory, we will find our desires for the things of the flesh diminished. Indeed, ultimately, we will find them abhorrent. And as we contemplate the eternal realities of who He is, we will make His desires ours -- and that means we will prioritize the work of missions in our lives.

Sloth

But let’s be honest. Sometimes it isn’t a matter of doubt or idolatry. Sometimes it is just plain laziness. Our minds are convinced, but our volitions are unaffected. We feel tired, and the work of missions seems like just too much work.

The answer to this roadblock is fairly simple: repent and do the work.

That said, I do wonder whether the frenetic pace of our society leads us, ironically, to slothfulness in this area. We are always busy. Though there is more wealth now than ever before, more of us are engaged in full-time work earning wealth. Perhaps, if we are too tired to do the work of missions, we should slow down the pace of our lives, embrace simplicity in terms of material possessions, and develop greater margin in the edges of our lives. This greater margin will provide us with increased opportunities and emotional resources for the work of missions.

Fear

The usual reason people cite for not doing the work of missions is fear. Typically this boils down to a fear of rejection. In America, the rejection we usually experience is social, though sometimes we may be verbally abused. These are realities of living in a sin cursed world.

The answer to fear is faith. One must believe that God is able to protect, preserve, and reward those who are His own. Such faith seems fundamental to the bold proclamation of the Gospel.

Another answer to fear is fear. The problem is not that people are afraid. Fear itself is not the problem. The problem is that they are afraid of the wrong person. Why would you fear someone who can injure your body or your societal standing but could not damage your soul? Would not it be wiser to fear the One who has authority over your soul and to do the thing that is pleasing in His sight, even at the cost of physical or societal injury? This is just a way of articulating the flipside of faith. Because we know that God is, and because we know Who He is, we seek to persuade others. Because of faith, faith in Him, we are able to overcome our fear of others.

Hatred

            The last roadblock I see is hatred.

Most of us Christians, if we were asked why we did not share the gospel, would not say that it is because wehate the person with whom we could have shared. But our actions speak otherwise.

A month or so ago, my wife shared a video with me. In that video, the famous magician Penn Jillette described an encounter he had with a Christian. Penn is an outspoken atheist, but he spoke of this particular Christian with great respect. He said that this man had come to him with the openly stated purpose of proselytizing him. This man’s desire was that he would lead Penn to the Lord. Penn listened to what he said and ultimately rejected it, but he said he respected the man for being bold and sharing what he believed. Penn then said that he had no respect for Christians who did not do that. He said, in effect, “How much must you hate someone to not share with them something you believe means the difference between eternal punishment and eternal life?”

It’s a great question. If we have the answer to man’s sin condition, and we are able to share with another person the way to eternal life, and we choose not to, how much must we hate that person?

The answer to this roadblock is, of course, love. We must love others enough to risk all in the sharing of the Gospel with them.

Well, there it is… a quick list of five roadblocks in doing the work of missions. Are there others that you would add? Do you agree with my suggestions and how they can be overcome?

How will you engage in the work of missions today?

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?

And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Romans 10:14

--Christian PIlet