Don’t keep my faith to myself . . .

In New Testament days, Rome was the center of the known world. This is one of the reasons that Paul could make this statement in his letter to the church in Rome:

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.” (Romans 1:8)

In Christian circles today, some churches have that reputation, such as the Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea and a few in North America that have been noticed around the world. However, Paul was not talking about numbers, but their faith.

What makes faith the mark of the church at Rome? Another letter from Paul clarifies what he was saying. This one was to the Christians in Thessalonica:

“For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.” (1 Thessalonians 1:8)

Note the wording is about them sharing their faith everywhere. Paul did not need to say anything to this church because they were doing what they were supposed to do. They had turned from idols to serve the living and true God (verse 9) and were waiting for the return of Christ as they told others about what He had done to save sinners from eternal punishment. They had filled their world with the good news, just as the church at Rome was doing and for this Paul was thankful.

Tozer says that true faith means believing everything God has said about Himself and about us. Until we believe that we are as bad as God says we are, we can never believe that He will do for us what He says He will do. The sad part about Christianity today is that many who proclaim to believe “never quite accept the severity of God or the depravity of man.” Instead, most would rather stress God’s goodness and human misfortune. For these, our sin is merely a ‘pardonable frailty’ and God is not concerned about it. He merely wants us to trust in His goodness.

This belief system is one characteristic of the “emerging church” with proponents that have decided they can pick and choose whatever they want to believe rather than accepting that God speaks and faith believes Him, like it or not. They don’t realize their ‘faith’ is in their own ideas and not in God.

Sadly, this ‘faith’ appeals to the independence of people, an independence that turns hearts away from loving and obeying God with, “I will rule my own life.” Such an attitude also describes what the Bible calls sin.

Tozer says, “To hope for heaven by means of such faith is to drive in the dark across a deep chasm on a bridge that doesn’t quite reach the other side.”

^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, Your Word says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) One of those rewards is that You forgive sin and extend to sinners new life, eternal life. It is not earned or deserved — only given to those who believe in You. Even faith (the ability to believe) is a gift from God for without it, no one will even seek You, let alone believe in You and in what Your Word says.

God’s Story

Malachi 2:10–4:6, Acts 28:1–31, Job 31:23–40

The Bible contains 66 books all telling the same story. It could be outlined: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation. The world is currently in the Fall-Redemption

God’s Savior has come and paid the penalty for sin. Sinners need to hear that good news, or have heard it and accepted it, or heard and rejected it.

Two of today’s Bible readings are in that Redemption section but before the first advent of Jesus Christ. Malachi prophecies that event; Job shares his faith in God’s promise of that event. The third reading is still in the Redemption section, but after Jesus came and before His return. It tells how the first Christians, particularly the Apostle Paul, shared the good news of Jesus with the rest of the world.

God said Jesus would come

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord . . . .” (Malachi 3:1–4)

Malachi describes more of what will happen when Jesus comes: “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. ‘They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.’” (Malachi 3:16–18)

Yet even before Jesus came, there were OT believers who trusted the promises of God and declared their faith by words and by changed lives. Job was one of them.

Job shares His faith

Job said he feared God and could not face Him if his life was not in order: “If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand, this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above.” Job 31:23–28)

Job knew that the changes in his life were by grace, yet he was responsible to live by grace. His obedience demonstrated his faith in the God who had blessed him with a changed life. He refused to trust his wealth or anything else for that would ruin and make false his faith in God.

Paul preaches Christ to Jews and Gentiles

Paul persecuted the early Christians, but after Jesus appeared to him, his life changed. He believed the gospel, told others about it, and was arrested and put in prison. He asked to be tried in Rome so was sent there and allowed to stay by himself with a soldier who guarded him. After three days he called the local Jewish leaders and said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation. For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.”

These Jews knew nothing about this, but said, “But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”

So they came to Paul in great numbers. “From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved.”

Paul finally told those who rejected the message, “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: ‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” Paul lived there two years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ boldly and without hindrance. (Acts 28:16–31)

Where do I fit in this? I’m a sinner redeemed by God’s grace. I’m left here on this earth to glorify God and tell others of His saving mercy until He takes me home or until Jesus returns!

Support your pastor

Pastors can struggle in ways that their congregations may not realize. In our travels, we’ve found ourselves in several churches. For some reason, perhaps because the pastoral staff knew we would not be there long, we found ourselves taken into their confidence and sought out for encouragement and advice.

Today’s devotional reflects that leaders are targets. The pastor who wrote it finds it painful that Paul endured opposition. He even said, “At my first defense (speaking of his first trial in Rome) no one stood with me, but all forsook me” (2 Timothy 4:16). This happened to Paul, a godly man who was being obedient to God!

On another occasion, Paul wrote to the Philippians and said of Timothy, “I have no one like-minded . . .”  (Philippians 2:20). He felt there was just one person at that time that he could depend on. This is scary for the average person, even worse for someone in leadership.

Despite this sense of being alone, Paul was a positive thinker. He could see the hand of God in even the worst situations. Just before writing that only Timothy shared his mind on things, he wrote about his imprisonment:

But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. (Philippians 1:12-18)

It was not Paul’ personality or anything about him that made him a target; it was his goal. All the unseen spiritual forces of evil are against the preaching of the gospel. The wickedness in this world opposes the message that will deliver people from sin and from the clutches of the evil one. No Christian leader is exempt from this opposition. No Christian layperson is either.

I’ve experienced some of this negativity during the past couple of days. God gave me the opportunity to share Christ with a person that I’ve known since my teens. She is of the opinion that she is a Christian, yet she does not know forgiveness, or have the assurance of eternal life. She is totally in the dark about redemption and grace. To her, Christianity is a “nice” kind of life in which she protects herself from unpleasantness, including the avoidance of any discussion about sin and repentance.

This time she asked me if I had any memorized prayers I could share with her. I told her that my prayer life was not like that, but more of an intimate conversation with a dear Friend. I shared how Jesus came into my life and changed me. I used a couple verses from the Bible, but my desire was not to “preach” but to share with her how the Lord saved me.

This was the second or third time I’ve shared with her. Both times it went right over her head. I’m reminded that Jesus said for some, when the seed of the Word is sown, the devil comes and snatches it away. The spiritual enemy has her happily living in her weeds and thinking they are sweet flowers, and he wants to keep things that way.

But he also doesn’t want me to talk about Jesus. I felt like he was hitting me again and again with sad, deflated, and hopeless kinds of thoughts, stuff I would not otherwise be thinking. This comes with a sense of spiritual oppression is like a black cloud and heavy.

All this supports the valid point of my devotional reading. If I get that sort of stuff thrown at me for sharing Christ, what happens to Christian pastors and leaders who are expected to do it all the time? Far too many Christians have “roast pastor” for Sunday dinner and have no idea how spiritual forces make their lives a battlefield. All of us ought to be on our knees praying for our pastors and others in leadership ministries.

A Convicting Dream

It was a most unlikely dream. My oldest son is at a men’s soccer team lunch. He is asked to pray for the food and in his prayer, he shares the gospel. One of the players responds and experiences salvation. Our son asks our next-door neighbor to disciple this new Christian. He already knows him, so says that is not a problem. I wake up.

The dream is unlikely because our oldest son is not into sports of any kind. Besides that, soccer teams are at the bottom of the list for saying table prayers, and our next-door neighbor is not a Christian (yet). But the dream did set me up for the devotional reading today. It says,

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. (1 Peter 3:15)

Most people have experienced that “I should have said . . .” regret after a conversation. This verse is telling me that if God is set apart, or put in first place in my heart, I will be more apt to talk about Him and know what to say when given opportunity to share what I believe.

This isn’t about being annoying or shoving my beliefs down the throats of others. It isn’t about “in your face” God-talk that pushes people away. It is about having a reverence for God and respect for those who are interested in Him, and being willing to tell them about my faith.

My husband encountered this last week. He’d been in touch with a cousin who lives on the other side of the world. I’m not sure of their conversation, but the cousin said, “I wish I had your faith.” While not a question, this sounds like someone wanting to know a reason for the hope that my husband displays.

When this happens to me, I’m too often thinking about other things rather than the reasons why I believe and have hope. The questions or comments blind-side me and by the time I think of what I should say, the conversation has gone somewhere else.

The last phrase is also part of my problem. Meekness and fear are about my attitudes toward my own abilities and toward the God whom I serve. Being meek is not a weakness. It is gentleness, a quiet and submissive spirit that trusts God for everything. It is the opposite of feisty, self-defending and controlling. If I am not meek, then I am thinking about myself, my rights, my ideas, etc., and not at all ready to share my faith and tell someone how I depend on God.

Fear is about total awe and respect for the power of God. While that attitude is easy to slip into with very little effort, it does require that I think about Him. If I’m talking to someone else and thinking about me, mine, or even them and their words only, God is not likely to be part of what I say.

In my dream, most men my son’s age (mid forties) at a soccer team lunch would be thinking how a prayer in Jesus’ name would rile some of the muscular men around the table. Most would be fearful of the responses if they told these tough guys that they are sinners who need a Savior.

However, this son is normally outspoken about what he believes. His willingness to speak up sometimes gets him in hot water. When in high school, he was kicked out for a short time because he stood up for what the Bible says about a certain issue. I’m not nearly so courageous and could take a page out of his book.

That is probably why he was in the dream — and not me.

Weakness is a strength

Darlene was a stretch. Her husband left her. Four of her six boys had moved out too, leaving her with two rowdy preschoolers. When I met her, those boys were dismantling the house trying to get some attention. Their mother was unable to work, had little skill with money, her welfare money didn’t stretch far enough, and she was selling her furniture.

Befriending her was a stretch too. Taking care of her boys while she recovered from a beating inflicted by the oldest son was a full-time challenge. Taking her shopping opened my eyes. That troubled family lived on potato chips and sugar.

Nevertheless, God had a plan. One Sunday one of our boys was not feeling well so I stayed home with him while the others went to church. He was occupied with television so I called Darlene. I’d been practicing a gospel presentation and the Holy Spirit seemed to be prodding me to share it with her. I did. My practice was flawless, but I really flubbed doing it for real. It was awful. I mixed things up, forgot important points, and wondered if any of it made sense.

Darlene accepted Christ that day, to my utter astonishment. She later told me what part of what I said had got through to her. After that, we watched her life change. We saw her experience the utter joy of knowing Him, and gradually begin to make better decisions. She eventually married someone who adored her and her family. Even though we later lost touch, I often think of her, especially when I see a vehicle like the one she drove. It was from her that God showed me how His strength is “made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

This spiritual truth is a comfort to those who feel inadequate, but a challenge to the talented. I used to win every debate in high school and came into the kingdom of God thinking that I could talk others into believing the same as I did. God had to teach me otherwise.

A silver tongue or a sharp intellect might be an asset in some situations, but when sharing Christ with others, it is a hindrance. Some people can be persuaded with rhetoric, but to what end? If they agree, it does not mean that they believe. God had to teach me this too.

One lesson happened about the same time that I knew Darlene. I was on a team with two others. They were teaching me how to share my faith and we put those lessons into practice by visiting people who had visited our church.

One evening we were doing this, and the only person at a home was a teenage girl. We talked with her and she readily agreed with all that was said. She seemed ready to become a Christian and I was excited. Then, to my dismay, the two men on my team proceeded to talk her out of it. Again, she began agreeing with their negative comments and easily became persuaded to not become a Christian.

They told me afterward that human reasoning and persuasion do not produce genuine believers. If someone can be talked into “faith” they can also be talked out of it. True faith happens because of God’s power, not ours. I was dumbfounded, but never forgot that dramatic lesson.

Today’s devotional verses vividly bring back thoughts of Darlene and that evening where God showed me the danger of being eloquent or persuasive.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

In the devotional comments that went with this passage, the writer says that everyone has an image of Jesus Christ, but the one image that surpasses all the rest is Jesus Christ on the cross. To know Christ crucified is to know Him as the author and finisher of my faith and is the truest picture of His Person and work.

This seems fitting. If in His greatest weakness God used Him to do His greatest work, then it makes sense this also should be true for His followers. Jesus didn’t save me by a great act of verbal persuasion, but by yielding Himself to whatever God wanted to do with Him. God spoke to the whole world through a broken body, not a silver tongue.

Christ’s suffering on the cross is the focal point of the Christian faith and where His deity, humanity, work, and suffering are most clearly seen. Because of that, I don’t need to be anxious wondering if I am up to the task of sharing my faith. If I thought I was, I would not be!

Instead, His strength is perfected in weakness. Feeling weak and helpless is not a bad thing, and I must not let it sidetrack me from remembering where true power comes from. God wants me to humbly obey Him, just doing whatever He asks regardless of how I feel.