We serve a Living Savior

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers says our biggest snare is “taking the pattern and print of the religious age we live in (and) making eyes at spiritual success.” He calls it spiritual wantonness.

The pattern of success in this world is bigger, better and more. Full churches, big crowds, many souls saved. The higher the number, the more esteem. However, Jesus says something different about rejoicing in the power and ability to serve God. 

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:19–20)

As God’s child, I need to measure my “success” by God’s grace toward me. I cannot fill churches or save souls. In fact, the Bible is clear that Christians cannot “save” anyone. This is the work of God. Instead, we are told to, “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” (Matthew 28:18–19).

Making disciples is not a commercial venture. Literally, this verse says, “as you are going, or as you move through life, make disciples.” It didn’t take me very long to realize that this cannot be done without the Holy Spirit. It is a work of God. “Soul winners” are mere gloves on His hands, tools to do His will.

This, and any other work of ministry begins where God’s grace lays a foundation. Salvation and spiritual growth happen because of God’s sovereign grace. Christians are to teach others what He has taught us until together our lives are totally yielded to God. As Chamber says, one life wholly devoted to God is of more value to God than one hundred lives simply awakened by His Spirit.

The proof of this “one life yielded” is in Jesus Christ. God claimed an entire nation as His children and gave them a mandate to glorify Him in the world. They disobeyed and did not accomplish their task. Then God gave one person, His Son, a far more difficult task. He sent Him to die for the sin of the world, the sin of all mankind for all time. Jesus did it. As He yielded His life on the cross, He declared, “It is finished” meaning that our debt for sin was paid.

Yet at that point, to the world and even to His disciples it appeared that Jesus failed. His short ministry touched many lives, but what good is a dead Savior? How can a corpse save anyone from sin? In confusion, the disciples scattered. Then they discovered that the tomb was empty. Hope rose in their heart. Jesus was alive.

The resurrection is key to Christianity. If Jesus is dead, we have nothing to believe. Paul knew this would be an issue when he wrote these words,

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12–19)

Without the resurrection, there is no point in “soul-winning” or making disciples. Why ask anyone to follow a dead man who promises life if He Himself does not live? This would make Christianity senseless.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20)

This chapter in 1 Corinthians answers several questions about the resurrection, then at the end links it to the ministry God has given His people.

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory (over sin and death) through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:56–58)

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Jesus, because you live, I live also. Your eternal life is my eternal life. For that reason, the work that You gave me is not about ‘success’ in this world valued by using superlatives. Instead, it is about being steadfast, immovable and faithful. It is knowing that whatever I do in Your name and by Your leading has eternal value.

Your obedience to Your Father never matched the standards of success that the world looks for, but by Your obedience all Christians in all parts of this world celebrate two things this Easter day: You died for our sin — and You rose again to give us eternal life! Praise God — it is finished and You are alive!