Uncomfy with evangelism? Check out these 20 daily thoughts.

Day 1:   Have you felt uncomfortable talking about God? Like you're viewed as stupid? Maybe you don't want to be public about it? Ultimately, Jesus told us to pray for laborers to go into the harvest, but it's tempting for us to say, "I'll pray for laborers, but I don't want to do it myself. That's not really my calling. I'll just be on the sidelines and encourage those who are working." In Zephaniah 1:12, God had harsh words for a certain group, saying,

"It will come about at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And I will punish the men who are stagnant in spirit..."

Those who refuse to stand against Satan ultimately aid him, which is why God became so upset in the above passage. Don't let Satan keep you quiet! Don't let him convince you that spreading the good news isn't possible anymore! "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind!" (2 Tim 1:7) Need a battle buddy to help you get started? I'd love to be that person, and I'm not alone in that desire. 
 

Day 2: 

Are you convinced that spreading the gospel isn't for you? That being Christ-like without ever mentioning Christ is the best way to go? Like talking about God is kind of a social faux pas that upsets others?
Before we ate as a group during my deployment, my young commander stopped everyone and said that he wanted to say a prayer. Since he isn't a chaplain, it was unexpected. And he even ended it in Jesus' name, which was even more surprising. This same commander was out shoveling sandbags with me. As Christians, we all need to be willing to show that sort of leadership. We need to be willing to proclaim our God to anyone. We need to be willing to serve others out of love.

An incredible image of our Savior came when He washed the feet of His disciples in John 13, and then said, “You call me teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Jesus wasn't talking about just feet, but servant leadership! And Paul powerfully said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)

Recognize that being a servant-leader will make people respond positively to your message of the gospel. Don't be ashamed! Be bold! Serve others! LIVE like Christ!

 

Day 3: 

I think that we're getting pretty close to the last days. Do you go home from church and say, "Wait, is that true? Is that really accurate in context?" Do you think, "You know what, I want to know the truth. I don't care if it goes against everything I was raised with. I just have to know the truth." Most people want to hear what they grew up with. What is comfortable. It's easier to have people tell you what to think in a nice sermon or catechism or youtube video. It's easier to be a "normal Christian." Consider these two types of people:

1—"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great EAGERNESS, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11)

2—"For the time will come when they WILL NOT ENDURE sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires." (2 Tim 4:3)

I love a good sermon. But I go home and say, "I'm going to investigate this further, because my life depends on this." Satan himself was great with quoting scriptures to Jesus (check out Matthew 4), but he pulled them out of context. It's great to quote God, but anything in your Bible can be twisted to cause destruction. Fact-check me. Fact-check your preacher. That's your responsibility, because if Satan tried it on Christ, he'll certainly try it on you.




Day 4:

It's hard to know people based off of their "church attendance." At church people can seem so Christian, but if you saw them at work, or school...they could seem so different. It's like some people have a spiritual off switch. If they're in assembly, they listen to the sermon with the rest of the sermon-listeners. If they're with their friends who are partying, they're partying also. They're Christians by coincidence.

And then others just grew up with Christian parents. They're not going to rock the boat. It's a system that works pretty well, so they're going to go to church, too. There is no evangelism to spread the Gospel. They're Christians by coincidence. If they'd been born to Mormons, they'd be Mormons. If they'd been born to Church of Christ parents, they'd be Church of Christ.

We are the bride of Christ, and what we work at—or avoid working at— reveals a lot about our spiritual state. "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil 2:13) I always ask myself, "How is God using me for His pleasure? Am I stifling His Spirit in me?"



Day 5:

Have you ever heard someone say on Sunday, "Now we take up collection on the first day of the week, as we have been commanded?" I hear that a lot, but it is interesting to me that Paul once wrote that this was something which "I am not commanding you." Consider this brief bit from 2 Corinthians 8:

"For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints...I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also."

Doing things because they are "commanded" doesn't prove earnestness. Being a Christian because "that is what separates us from those going to Hell" doesn't show a marriage to Christ, but rather a contract for reward or punishment. Let's show the sincerity of our love by being exceptionally bright lights, not just "normal Christians."



Day 6:

Christians often lament the decline of America. Why are there so few Christians? Ultimately, it is because we, as Christians, have a problem with ourselves. If we genuinely love people, we naturally want to help them, even at our own expense. Consider your genuine love—is it communicated to people in everything you say, everything you do, the way you hold yourself? That's hard to fake. It's easy to brush yourself with a veneer of Christianity, pick up your Bible, and head out the door...but people can see through that.

The key to spreading our faith is in changing our character so that we genuinely care. People will believe us, because it's actually true. If we don't want to ACTIVELY share Jesus with others—not just hoping that they get Him through spiritual osmosis—then we really don't love others. It's about being ACTIVE. Not just sitting in a pew. Not just having a Bible. Not just wearing our "Christian-name" around town. Those things don't make you like Christ. The ACTIVE commission that Jesus gave is this:

"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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Mt 28) Are you ready? Do you REALLY care about Jesus and others? Then let's get started. I'll help ya! 



Day 7: 

There is an elephant in the room for Christians, and it makes us uncomfortable and even upset to think about. We'll be singing songs about ringing out the message true and glad, about bringing in the sheaves, yet...that's not what we're doing. "Bringing others to Christ....that's not really my gift," you'll hear. As one lady told me, "I just want to be a normal Christian, not vocal and studying the Bible with people like you do. You're too Christian."

But God doesn't really break this down into "you make new Christians" and "you don't make new Christians." In fact, we know that He gave us all talents and expects a return FROM EVERYONE. (Mt 25) He expects all of us to be making disciples (though there are a million excuses not to)!

The elephant in the room is that Jesus said, "“Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17) There is no other option. There is no getting around our calling to study Jesus with people. We must make disciples. We must bear fruit. The only time that you can ever know that you have is the present, so now's the time to get started.


Day 8: 

 What are some reasons that Christians don't share their faith with others? Why do we often say internally, "I'll believe in Christ...but the souls around me are on their own?" Here are some common things that you hear:

-"I'm afraid that I'll lose a friend/girlfriend/boyfriend." 
-"I worry that I don't know the Bible well enough and don't have all the answers." 
-"I feel like I'm not given that gift...that's for a pastor or preacher." 
-"I'm afraid that my past is kinda shady...people will think I'm a hypocrite."
-"I'm worried that I'll get in trouble."
-"I'm afraid that I'll be thought of as weird."
-"I'm afraid that I'll fail!"

These are valid fears! Yet all these thoughts contain, "I'm afraid that it's going to cost ME." Stop. Take a step back for a second—what we're really saying is, "I'm afraid of growing up into the character of Christ. I don't want to grow up." The only obstacle that we have to sharing our faith is US. Not anything around us. Not a girlfriend. Us. Our own fears. Consider whether or not your own, personal evangelism is important. I'd like to leave you with this from Revelation 12:

"They overcame [Satan] because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death." Your testimony and Jesus, working together, even unto death, are what overcomes Satan. Your testimony is not just words, but your life. The time you give to others to bear the gospel. Are you ready? Are you willing?



Day 9: 
 

"I'm not a vocal Christian...I prefer to keep it to myself." I used to think and feel that way myself. It proves that our emotions follow our investment, "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Mt 6:21) If we are invested in Christ, we will not have a "live and let...die" mentality. We will be passionately compelled to fight for others' eternities, because we will love them as Jesus does!

After Jesus came back from the dead, He talked with some people and they said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us?" (Luke 24:32) He WANTS to burn brightly within us! He WANTS us to be straight-up Hunger Games Catching Fire, a flame that everyone can see and which cannot be put out!

And so He said, "I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" (Luke 12:49) Take EVERY opportunity to bring people to Christ! Study! Pray! Fast! Don't let Satan have an inch! Refuse to be lukewarm—be on fire!


Day 10:
 

There are two classes of people: those who are baptized and clothed in Christ (Gal 3) and those who are held captive by Satan to do his will, whether they know it or not. (2 Tim 2) Think about your friends. How many of them are outside of Christ. Do you love them? Check out this attitude: “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God." (II Corinthians 5:20)

YOU are the ambassador that has been sent! Think of one person you know who is outside of Christ. Pray for them—make dedicated time to pray at length. You'll become invested in them, instead of them just being another casual write-off. Pray for an open door to bring them to Christ.

And if that door opens even a hair, take it. Need help with presenting the good news? Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest." (Luke 10:2) I'd be honored to labor with you and help you out! 


Day 11:

Are you a Christian? This is straight-up for you:

"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the [Christian] may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2 Tim 3:16-17)

How familiar are you with the Bible? Can you explain why you believe what your preacher says is true, instead of brand X down the street? If so, good, but notice that God's end point is not just to know stuff, it's to do EVERY. GOOD. WORK.

The best work we can ever do is bringing someone to Christ. Happy are the feet of those bring the good news! (Romans 10:15) Be a child of God in more than name—get involved in making Christians.



Day 12:

Spending time to bring the gospel to people is the easiest thing in the world to avoid! Too old, too young, too busy, too experienced, too afraid...the saints in Christ are too SOMETHIN'! 
It's easy to beg off of being a fisher of men.

"I answered, “Oh, Lord God, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.” The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you." (Jer 1.6-7)

God has work to be accomplished, and it's for all of us, no excuses! Let's use the power He gives to be His mighty, living army, with a heart of flesh, not of hard stone (Eze 36-37). A heart that cries out for all to come to repentance that none should perish!


Day 13:

Ever seen someone that really needs some solid spiritual leadership in his/her life? Maybe you've thought, "Wow, I can fix this person!" At some point, you'll meet someone who says, "I don't think you're the right one to help me, sorry."

That can be true. As Paul noted in 1 Cor 3:6, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth." Apollos was the one to really help provide guidance—not Paul.

Don't be offended if someone rejects your help. Ask if you can assist them in finding someone that will be a good helper for them. Remind them that you can always be of service and that you love them!


Day 14:
 

You were there and saw it. Your friend died in front of your eyes. People killed him and there was nothing you could do—he gave his life to keep you safe. He loved you beyond your comprehension.

In response, you sat on a bench an hour a week! Ticket to an eternal reward, too! Ticket to heaven! Christ died and all ya gotta do is believe it! Right? That's what a loving relationship looks like?

"And the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army." Ezekiel said in 37:10 that Christ died so that our hearts would be changed from stony, unloving ones, to ones of loving flesh—that we would be an overwhelming army, as Christians.

Christians have a new heart. They're valiant. They're an army. They, as Christ did, seek to save the lost.Does love for the who died for you look like a chair or pew an hour per week? Or would you, for the man who died for you, offer "your bodies as living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your rational service?" (Romans 12:1) What's love look like? Are you in love with God?



Day 15:
 

Consider the following statements from two sites regarding the worship services on Sunday:

—"God actually cares what we do when we come together to worship as his people."

—"Worship is the most important thing humans do...In those few minutes, we have God’s undivided attention. "

Now ask yourself these questions: "Is there a time when God doesn't care what I do? Is there a time that I can't have God's undivided attention? Where does the Bible mention a "worship service?" Consider that God said that Christians would receive His Spirit in them (Eze 36 & 37), and that Jesus, when asked where to worship, said it would no longer be a physical place, but rather "in spirit and in truth." (John 4)

Ask yourself, "When am I not in spirit? When should I not be submitting spiritually to God? Does worship have an "off switch?" Lastly, consider Isaiah's prophecy of Christians and ask yourself if it seems like it means, "an hour per week."

“So your offspring and your name will endure.
“And it shall be from new moon to new moon
And from Sabbath to Sabbath,
All mankind will come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.” (66:19-23)

Day 16:
 

 I've said before that Hillary Clinton is the world's most lifelike AI—that her human suit is almost enough to fool me. While I've said that in jest, it's very easy to carry the title of "Christian," without actually being one. It's easy to get some externals right—goes to church on Sunday, acts polite to elders, posts a Bible verse on Facebook every now and then—while being anything but like Christ inside. No set of laws is adequate for an immoral people, and so Jesus said,

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also." (Mat 23:25-26)

If you want to be a Christian, in the end it has to be more than a name. It has to be who you are inside. If you can change the desires of your heart, the outside will become truly clean—you'll be eager to spread the good news to people, you'll want to help those in need, you'll love praying with others, and no amount of "church attendance" will seem like enough. You'll be on fire inside, and everyone will see the glow outside!




Day 17:

Ever met someone who is weak in their Christianity? These people need you to slap 'em around a bit so that they wake up! (J/k) Check out what Paul said:

"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more...to the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel." (1 Cor 9:19-23)

Sometimes people are fragile and weak in their faith, and they need a gentle hand to help build them up. Much like a husband and wife, nagging them to do better isn't very healthy. Instead, encouraging their good traits can be the best option.

Day 18:
In my not so distant past, I used to have some disdain for Christians that I saw as being "not really on fire" for God—and that's a BAD spiritual sickness on my part! My friend Jeff Hostetter from Ghana (been there for over 3 decades) reminded me that, "Jesus would not extinguish a flickering wick."

"A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish." (Is.42:3)
I was recently reminded by a friend that I can get somewhat patronizing sometimes, and that's to my shame. "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." (1 Cor 8:1) When you see the flickering ember, help it grow strong and bright! Protect it until it can go on its own. Don't be the Christian Fire Brigade that comes to put it out. 

Day 19:
 

Christianity's dying, folks. You're a lazy bum—a total scumrotten slobbergoat—and you know it. Just kidding with the last part! Let's be serious for a moment. What is your function? What's your job? At work? In your family? What do you do to pull your own weight? Do you have role at work and home, or do you just show up?

If you've been baptized, you have a job. "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body...the body is not one member, but many. But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. (1 Cor 12)

The fact is that God gave us differing abilities and He expects us, as His children, to use them. In the parable of the talents, the one slave returned exactly what he'd been given, and his master was angered. That's like us showing up with just ourselves to God and saying, "Yeah bro, kept this meatsuit safe, pretty sure Ya owe me." Yet God said of us, "the whole body is fitted and held together by every supporting ligament. AND AS EACH INDIVIDUAL PART DOES ITS WORK, the body grows and builds itself up in love." (Eph 4:16)

The body grows ONLY when each of us recognizes what God has given us and uses it. Wonder why Christianity is dying out? Like a bodybuilder whose muscles wither away, we're shrinking from a lack of us. Because we show up to work and sit in the break room. Let's fix it!



Day 20: 
 

So God gave you...yourself! In return, He's looking for you to bring your ol' meatsuit to heaven, right—the ultimate show of love? "Made it, God, kinda resented the whole "be like Christ junk," really wasn't feelin' the whole "teach and baptize and spread the gospel nonsense," but here's me, so how boutcha hit me with that reward!" In Matthew 24:14-30, Jesus told a parable about some men who were given money by their master. "To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability."

Two of the people went and made a profit off what they'd been given. God told those two, "‘Well done, good and faithful servant." The other one, while appreciative in a way, just buried it in the ground and later returned exactly what his master had given him. The master was less-than-pleased, saying, "‘You wicked and lazy servant! You ought to have invested my money with the bankers...cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’"

Imagine: God has given us a lot. He loves us. When we're in love with someone, we shower them with affection. When you're in love with your spouse, you do stuff for them. Yet we often treat God with a subtle resentment: "Jeesh, look, I'm looking for the heaven, but hold the Christ." That's like saying that you love your spouse so that you can stay in his AWESOME house, without ever actually showing any love.

Love is a verb. Love is a doing word. Don't show up with just yourself. Spread. That. Gospel.



 

A fraudulent bomb-detection device.

There is a fraudulent bomb-detection device that has sold thousands of units to countries around the world, and may be responsible for untold numbers of deaths. When a member of the company approach the CEO with his concerns, the CEO replied, "It does exactly what it's supposed to—it makes money." ( http://j.mp/fraudbomb )

In Ephesians 6, God tells us to put armor on. He says, "and take the helmet of salvation..."  Helmets, like bomb detection devices, are meant to protect us. Satan is the great deceiver, though, and would love to give you a fraudulent lookalike. Would you take a helmet that was missing a critical part? That looked so good but was made by an enemy? Could you tell which was which?

Would you reject even one thing that God says saves you? Can you name different things that God says are a part of our salvation?

Is it possible to lose your salvation?

It is a popular theory that losing one's salvation is impossible, but God says,

"For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." (Heb 2:4-6)

So how can that be?  The Bible speaks of us who are "being saved." (1 Cor 1; 2 Cor 2)  It tells us to "grow in respect to salvation."  (1 Peter 2) And in Revelation, it threatens to remove people from that security.  We are told that we have the "down payment/earnest" (Eph 1:2 Cor 1) of the Spirit.

All these are present, progressive things which haven't yet reached completion; they aren't static/fixed. Thus we can "grow in respect to salvation," but we can also leave it. We can choose to be those who are "being saved," or we can throw God the bird. Let's make the right choice out of love! It's great that He lets us choose. :)  

What difference will one more sin make?

Many Christians let their past failures accumulate to the point where they have a hard time resisting temptation. They think, "What difference would one more sin make?"

There's a way to beat that. 2 Cor 5:17 says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."  That's a beautiful statement, but God alsosays, "you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Rom 6:11)

We ARE new creations. We ARE dead to sin. But we have to actually believe it—we have to consider it, buy into it, and act in faith on that. Do you really consider yourself as dead to sin? If not, start today. 

Rattlesnakes and salvation.

Want an antivenin for the Serpent's poison? In Luke 4:13, Satan kept trying his tricks with Jesus, but he failed, so 'he left Him until an opportune time." Notice that Satan is looking for opportunities. Have you ever failed again and again? Seen a brother or sister who keeps failing? Let's talk about our part in giving Satan opportunity, and what we can do about it.

Here it is again, opportunity for Satan: "For you brothers were called to freedom, but not the freedom for an opportunity to the flesh. Rather, serve one another through love." (2 Cor 5:17)  Ah ha! It's the counteragent to sin and letting Satan win, and it's serving one another through love!

Something so simple? Can it be? Yep! If you're busy studying with the lost, you won't be out DUI driving. If you're taking your brothers and sisters in Christ on a hike, you won't be getting an STD with someone you met at a bar. Jesus' entire life was characterized by service, and He was perfect. Are you ready and willing to serve? 

What is your motivation for salvation?

What was your motivation for seeking salvation? Was it to be changed or just to escape the consequence of sin? Do you fully believe that God was telling the truth when He said, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come?" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

For a long time, my motivation was just to escape the consequence of sin. I resisted the change. Not anymore. Now I want success, and not for myself, but to bring glory to my God, who not only created me, but saved me when I went astray, and at an incalculable cost. I am a new creation, and I will keep the old man in the grave. 

Organ donation.

Organ donation is an amazing thing, but recipients of organs often need to be in fairly good shape to get them.  Amazingly, God found us in terrible shape but still gave us an organ donation. He says, 

"I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Eze 36:25-26)

We've been given a new heart and a fresh start. If we go back to the same things and lifestyle that made us sick, instead of working to grow stronger, we can risk wasting that new heart. Let's recognize how precious this new heart is and grow stronger every day, taking care of this gracious gift we've been given. 

Do you strive?

Do you strive?
BQ: Spiritual apathy is present in most of Christianity. "Why go to church every week? Why read the Bible? My pastor/reverend/etc. is smart and takes care of me. I believe in God and I'm a good person..."  What would happen if we took the same approach to eating? If we said, "I think I'm good enough, I'll eat once a week...once a year."

Q: What do we do to enter the narrow gate? What did Jesus Himself say we keep us spiritually alive? 
A: Lk 13:24; Mt 4:4

Just wanting heaven isn't enough. We have to STRIVE to get in. We need to know ALL of the words, not just what a pastor or church leader says.  Being a "best-behavior-Sunday-only" Christian is the wide road to destruction. Jms 1:21 says, " Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls." Read that again. It's a salvation issue. Let's put aside perversion and start getting to know God's word.
(PN72)
 

Works of God.

Works and faith. 
BQ: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, emp. added).  

Q: Are we saved without works? 
A: James 2:14-24, John 6:27-29

The NT mentions at least 3 kinds of works: (1) works of the Law of Moses (Galatians 2:16;  Romans 3:20); (2) works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21); and (3) works resulting from obedience of faith (James 2:14-24). This last category is often referred to as “works of God.” 

"Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may WORK the  WORKS of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the WORK of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (Jn 6)

Belief is a work. Are we saved without belief? The works of God include belief, baptism, etc. Baptism, for example, is something done TO a person in submission to God, not BY a person.  

(PN34)

Tumblers in the lock—salvation.

Requirements of Salvation
BQ:What's the process of salvation according to the Bible?

A: 1-Romans 10:14-17 (We must HEAR.)

2-John 8:24, Romans 5:1-2, Acts 16:31 (We must BELIEVE.)

3-Acts 2:38, Luke 13:5, Acts 3:19, 2 Cor 7:10-11 (We must REPENT of
our worldly ways.)

4-Mt 10:32-33, Romans 10:8-10, Acts 10:36-37 (We must CONFESS before
men that Jesus is the Son of God.)

5-Acts 2:38, Acts 22;16, 1 Pet 3:21, Romans 6:4, Gal 3:27, Mk 16:16
(We must be IMMERSED in water to wash away our sins and to get the
gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit)

6-Rev 2:10, Rev 3:11, Mt 10:22 (We must remain FAITHFUL until death.)
(PN11)
 

Faith alone?

Justification—by faith alone?
BQ: I was talking to a friend who mentioned that we're saved by "faith alone." James 2:24 says, "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone." When I brought it up, the counter-argument was, "but we are JUSTIFIED by faith alone, then." 

Q: Does the Bible say we are justified by anything other than faith?
A: Mt 12:37, Rom 3:2; 5:9; 16, 8:33, Lk 18:14, 1 Cor 6:11, Titus 3:7, Jms 2:21-26, etc.

The Bible says we're not saved by faith alone and records the same for justification. The sum of His word is truth. Attempting to throw out any of the items listed as justifying or saving us and still getting the only true salvation is impossible. 
(PN48)
 

Faith Alone
BQ: Controversy time! Truth doesn't fear examination, so let's examine the book of Truth and see what we find!

Q:Are we saved by faith ALONE?

Let's start off with Romans 5:1, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Faith is obviously necessary, but is that the whole picture?

A: James 2:17; 21; 24. Mt. 12:37. Rom 2:13. Rom 5:9, 1 Pet 3:21.

There are yet more things required. This is just a snippet, but the most salient point is this: "faith without works is dead."
(PN10)

What is the gospel?

What is the gospel?
BQ: II Thessalonians 1:7-9 says bluntly, "and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,  dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power."

Q: So what is this "gospel" that brings eternal life or damnation?

A:"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,  and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures."

So the gospel is that Christ died, was buried, and was resurrected. HOW DO WE OBEY A HISTORICAL FACT!?! The answer is found in many verses, but the most plainly stated is Rom 6:3-6, which says,

"Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,  knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin."

God considers the watery grave of immersion vital. Do we?
(PN89)

Is your belief enough?

Is your belief enough?
BQ: I studied with a young lady who said, "Well I believe and I go to church sometimes and I love God, I'm going to heaven." 

Q: Is your belief enough? If you're devout and you pray, is that enough?
A: Acts 10:2; 11:14, Jms 2:19

Cornelius was called, "a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually." Certainly that's better than many lukewarm Christians today, who go to church on occasion, but was it enough? It was not. We see that he was told, "and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household." 

You see, James says that "even the demons believe and shudder." Being devout, praying, believing, those are parts of the recipe for eternal life, but they don't grant eternal life by themselves. Do you know what does? Where is your eternity headed? Cornelius wasn't yet saved even with all his great traits--are you? How do you know? 
(PN94)
 

If—then conditionals and baptism.

If—then conditionals.
BQ: Satan LOVES to keep you down. Not kidding. Doesn't matter if you're a new Christian, an old one, he wants to trip you up and then pin you down in your fallen position. 2 Cor 5:17 is perhaps my favorite verse in the Bible. It says freeingly, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."  Do you see that? Amazing. But look closely, because this is a conditional statement. See that word in there? "If."

Q: If we are in Christ, then we are new, then the old is gone, then the new has come. How are we in Christ, then?

A: "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,  knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;  for he who has died is freed from sin." (Rom 6:3-7) Notice that there is that remark on being united again, and also on being new. Coincidence? No!

"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Gal 3:27)

God's gift is free, but it's also conditional. We don't have to go and die on a cross, but think about about this: I've offered you a free set of tickets to a concert. All you have to do is show up at my house before the concert and I'll hand them over, no charge. You don't bother showing up. It's a free gift. It's right there. And you missed out. 
(PN119)

What SHOULD come from belief?

If you believe…
BQ: I like John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." 

Let me ask you a question. You're in a theater. An usher comes in and says, "There's a fire." You believe him. Yep, smells like smoke. Do you exit the building? Do you listen to the rest of what he says, instructing you to exit the building? Do you obey those instructions? Or do you nod happily and think, "Glad I'm not in danger now," and then go back to watching the movie? 

Q: What does belief lead to?
A: "Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith.  According to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith." (Rom 1:5; 16:25-26) 

"Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?" (Rom 6:16)

Sin is missing the mark God sets forth. If we truly believe that usher, we're going to obey and hit the mark he sets forth, which results in life. Look at John 3:16 again. The proper translation is "should not." It's conditional; it's qualified negation. If you believe that usher, you shouldn't perish, but you still can if you choose to do nothing. 
(PN121)
 

Saved from what? Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the immersion.

Saved from what, and how?
BQ: People often say, "I'm saved," but from what?

A: "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Mt 1:21) We see that we need to be saved from our sins, because, as Is 59:2 says, "your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear." 

Being saved=no separation from God due to no sin. So we need to be saved from sin that we're covered in. In Isaiah 1, God says, "“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean...Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow."  We need to wash ourselves, to be clean from sin, to have a new exterior. How do we accomplish this in order to be saved from sin? What does God see afterward?

"Now why do you delay? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name." (Acts 22:16) “So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls....And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” 

People were being saved from sin—which results in separation from God—in baptism, with God doing the operation.  Why does He see as as being white as snow afterward? Galatians 3:27 has the answer:  "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. " Truly we come up as white as snow! 

(PN142)

How do we call upon His name?

How do we call upon His name?
BQ: Acts 22:16 says, "Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name." We see that washing away sins is associated with being immersed/baptized and "calling on His name." (Tomorrow: saved?) 

Q: How does one "call on His name," and what does it mean? 
A: First, Acts 2:21 records, "And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." This is not something audibly done with the mouth, as in Romans 10:9, which isreferred to as "confession with the mouth," which leads "to salvation." So what is it?

In Acts 25:11, Paul "appealed" to Caesar: "I appeal to Caesar." This word is the exact same as in Acts 2:21 and 22:16. It is from "epiklaeo," to appeal, to call upon. We appeal to Him because of what we recognize Him to be: the One before Whom justice would be served, just as Caesar was on earth to Paul.  

So this is an "inquiry" (eperotema; closely related), which is ALSO the same as "an appeal," and we see it in 1 Pet 3:21, which says, "Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you-- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

We can see from above that calling upon His name takes place with immersion. It's an appeal for a good conscience, and it washes away our sins. What a great thing to be able to make an eternal appeal to God! 
(PN141)

Christ did not send me to baptize—do you eat Africans?

Qualified prohibitions. (Do you eat Africans?)
BQ: The average North American consumes more than 400 Africans. A woman, without her man, is nothing. A woman: without her, man is nothing. "Don't!!! STOP!!!" vs "Don't stop." How things are written and said can vastly change meaning and interpretation.

Q: 1 Cor 1:17 says, "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel." What is analytically important in this verse that we see in several other verses in the Bible, yet which causes people to stumble in their understanding? 

A:  There are several "NOT...BUT" passages in the Bible that are relative, not absolute, prohibitions, and they're expressed through this correlative conjunction. Some look at this and fail to understand the impact of the construction and come to the conclusion that Paul was absolutely prohibited from immersing people, as that would be rebelling against Christ. Yet we see in 1 Cor 1:14 that he baptized Crispus and Gaius, and in 16 that he baptized Stephanus' household.

There are other verses which carry this same, important construction: "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life." (Jn 6:27) We cannot interpret this as an absolute prohibition, just as we can't say that Paul was prohibited from baptizing. Otherwise we'd all starve, and 2 Thess says, " If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat."

I'll leave these last two for you to think on, given what we've looked at above:
"Let NOT your adornment be external -- braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses, BUT let it be the hidden person of the heart. (1 Pet 3:3)  "For they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says." (1 Cor 14:34)
(PN130)

Baptism as a "work."

Let’s define a “work” from Eph 2:8-9.
BQ: I've been told that repentance, baptism, etc., have no part in salvation or forgiveness because they're "works and, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Eph 2:8-9)

Q: Are "works" defined? Is everything I do meaningless? Do I just believe?
A: "Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." (Rom 3:27-28) 

 “We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified." (Gal 2:15-16)

Look at that. We're not justified by works of the Law, keeping the commands of the Old Testament. We can see that in Gal 3:10 :"For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” Do you see that? You get one strike and you're toast! If you want to be justified by works, you'll have to keep every single one perfectly. Only one man has ever managed absolute perfection. 

Tomorrow: we'll explore deeper. 
(PN137)

Does your congregation teach that baptism (immersion) saves, or that it’s an unnecessary work?
BQ: Following yesterday, many say, "faith alone saves," and thus discount baptism/immersion as being at all necessary. Partially, this stems from an arbitrary and erroneously applied definition of "faith" and "works" to Ephesians 2:8-9. Being dunked in water is a "work," right? That's something "you have to do," so it can't be required, lest you should boast, right?

Q: Is there anything else that a person must physically do that God says is necessary for salvation?
A: Pay attention to this one. :) "that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." (Rom 10: 8-10)

So consider this: if we say that the arbitrary definition of a work is "something a man must physically do (eg, baptism)," does confessing with your mouth fit in with that? It does. And just like baptism, this is also required for salvation. Have you done both of those, too? 
(PN138)

 

So you believe, but do you obey?

So you believe, but do you obey?
BQ: So you believe, but do you obey in what you do? This is important to consider.

Q: How much obedience do you show to God? Do you rely on your belief? Is your belief enough without good obedience? When is belief enough?

A:  We'll start off with James 2. "What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?" (14) You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. (19) You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. (24) For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. (26)"

"As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, THEN you are truly disciples of Mine." (John 8:30-31)
The people believed in Jesus, but they had to do more than just that. They had to continue in His word. 

Faith is a necessary foundation. Now that we have the rock and have the foundation laid, let's build something wondrous that leads to eternal life. 
(PN136)