The fear lies in the contention and arguments that can arise from these two issues, nonetheless they are both life-affecting topics of politics and religion that must be addressed. God made life, God’s Word is life, and the lost in sin world needs God and His holy Word; shouldn’t His children be bringing the light of gospel truth for social balance and security? Would it be bad to have an appropriate Bible verse or passage at an appropriate time to bring up to someone in need of loving truth? Is it wrong to desire to rescue someone from spiritual death and eternal damnation … to save their life? Tell them what you believe and why. It’s not a “letdown”, it’s a “lift up”.
The Bible has the answer to everything … it’s all in there, but needs to be read or heard. Jesus did not call us to be closet disciples. He didn’t say that the only time that you talk about Christianity is when you are around other Christians. In America, our Constitution guarantees the Freedom of Religion and the free exercise of it; not merely freedom of worship inside the home or church building. The Lord Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Don’t keep the cure for sin from the dying. We are not citizens that happen to be Christians, but Christians who happen to be citizens, because born-again, sanctified, consecrated, regenerated and transformed Ambassadors for Christ is who we are, not simply what we do. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”
Matthew 10:33 “Whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
Salvation is serious business; nothing could be more important. It is God’s plan and the reason that Christ came into the world, so the Lord gives serious warns on the all-important subject. James 2:17-18,22 “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.” Keeping your faith to yourself is not a “living faith”. Faith 24/7/365 goes with you wherever you go as light and is to be out of the closet, going into all the world, and visible to all for the glory of God and the redemption of as many as possible. Our faith was designed and made to be public. Christians are called to evangelize and that cannot happen by being silent.
There have been times in history when it was not advantageous to be identified as a Christian, a Follower of Jesus. Fear of persecution drives many from confessing their faith. The Lord Jesus explained in Mark 4:14, 16-17 “The sower sows the Word [of God]. These are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.” It is a treacherous path to live as a Christian in an atheistic secular world of darkness that rejects God and hates His authoritative Word, Will and Way for life.
Let's continue Pastor Herk's message on "closet Christians" in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
No comments:
Post a Comment