I think Kevin says some good things here. In particular, I like how he points out that we need to motivate one another to overcome sin by focusing on the freeing nature of grace instead of the over powering burden of guilt. Overall a good, helpful read.
Are Christians Meant to Feel Guilty All the Time? – Kevin DeYoung.
Most of us are familiar with the imperative of Christ concerning our duty to make disciples:
[18] And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] 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, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)
Sometimes this commission to the Church is received joyfully and acted upon with passion and conviction, but I think too often it is given lip service and nothing more. We think it is a good thing to do and hope that “the Church” will do it, but as those under the authority of Christ with the promise of his continual presence, we still ignore the individual responsibility.
Now, I am one who believes in the final perseverance of the saints. In other words, I believe that one who is truly redeemed by Christ’s blood will persevere in obedience to God into eternity. Nevertheless, I am convinced that, while the promise to the disciple is that if you obey and make disciples, then Christ will be with you, the converse is true too, namely that if you disobey and do not make disciples, then Christ will not be with you. The simple fact is that if we disobey this commandment, to make disciples, then we are giving evidence that perhaps we have not been redeemed, we are not children of God and co-heirs with Christ.
To encourage you and me to take this command seriously I direct our attention to 2 Kings 7:9. Here we see how four lepers discover their responsibility to share the good news of God’s deliverance. Samaria was besieged, the people were starving and these four lepers, in an act of desperation, at night, determined to go into the camp of the enemy. God confused the enemy, who mistook the approach of the four lepers as the approach of the armies of Egypt and the Hittites, and they fled leaving behind everything. Their tents were full of food and gold. At first, the lepers received their deliverance selfishly. They took gold and food and hid it for themselves. But then they realized that what they were doing was wrong. They said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king’s household.” (2 Kings 7:9 ESV)
By receiving the good news of salvation by grace, through faith in Christ and keeping that good news to ourselves, we are not doing right. The day of good news, the day of Christ’s kingdom coming, should not be hidden; we must not be silent concerning the gospel. I fear that many will remain silent and find Christ unreceptive when they approach him at the judgment. He will say to many, “You called me lord, but you did not share your good news with others, depart from me, for I never knew you.”
I pray that isn’t the case for you or me. Let us share this good news with the world!
Image used with permission from dan and FreeDigitalPhotos.net
A Burden That Lifts
In the first chapter of 2 Kings, King Ahaziah fell out of the upper chamber of his home and became bedridden and sick. He was not well, and so, he sent messengers to Ekron to enquire of their god, Baal-zebub to see if he would be healed. Elijah was made aware of their going by God and met them and pronounced to them, and by extension to the King, that because he was seeking help from a false god, he would surely not recover but instead die from his injuries. Obviously, this upset the King, and he sent 50 soldiers and their captain to take Elijah by force to see the King – three times.
Now, one would think that a lone man sitting on a hilltop, one who had just pronounced a judgment of death upon a King, that such a man would be afraid and perhaps he was, but we see in this account that his fear was overcome by his confidence in God. Twice soldiers come to take this man of God by force, by order, to stand before the King, and twice Elijah calls upon God to prove that he is God and that Elijah speaks for God, by consuming the soldiers with fire, and God does so.
I want that kind of confidence in God. I want to look my problems in the face and say to them they are nothing to me because God is my God and through him I am more than a conqueror of all my problems. Knowing what I know about Elijah and his life, and knowing what I know about the spiritual ingredients that go into making us wise, strong and courageous, I realize that Elijah faced 150 armed men, fifty at a time, without any fear because he lived with God. Elijah was a man whose heart was set upon God and who was at home most in the presence of God. In God’s presence Elijah learned of God’s power, faithfulness, holiness and justice. He even learned of God’s grace and protection. Because of all the years spent with God, Elijah was not afraid of man or of life’s temporal difficulties. He trusted God to deliver him.
This is why I pray. This is why I read the Bible. This is why my attentions and thoughts are primarily focused on knowing God more…so that I will not be afraid. Instead, as I abide in Christ and he in me, I know that all things are possible and that whatever I ask in his name, he will provide (John 15:1-8). And that is the reason I am a disciple of Christ, for only with him am I at peace.
Are you afraid? Are you worried? Are you carrying a burden greater than you can bear. Go to Christ and cast it upon him and he will replace it with the burden of Sonship, which is a light burden, indeed a lifting burden, a burden that brings peace, strength and courage. Go to Christ and be not afraid.
For the full story see 2 Kings 1:1-18
