Resources/Articles
Let Us Love In Deed & Truth (Part 3)
Here are three more points mentioned in the article entitled “Thirteen Things Churches Need to Know”…
Understand that, “The building is open, come if you want” is not the same as “Go into all the world.”
Evangelism is not the process of placing a welcome mat at the front door. It is not in ad placements on social media. It is personally teaching the gospel “in deed and in truth.” People are drawn to God as they are taught his word. Jesus said, “Everyone that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me” (John 6.45). Two examples point this out:
- Timothy followed Paul’s “teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, patience” (2 Timothy 3.10).
- The Philippians were commanded to do the same (cf. Philippians 4.9).
Inviting people to our building without any prior explanation of why any building will not suffice is not evangelism. A ready, graceful answer as to why you personally don’t worship in just any building is needful (cf. Colossians 4.6; 1 Peter 3.15). Paul’s command to Titus to be “ready unto every good work” (Titus 3.1) is not just for preachers (cf. Acts 8.4). Those who were scattered preached the word. Indeed, the reason for being forced out of Jerusalem was because they had been preaching the word.
This same principle applies in the home. Parents must be proactive in bringing up their children in the Lord’s nurturing and admonition. Punitive discipline, apart from instructive discipline, is not following the Lord’s example. Proper behavior must be exemplified before them. This is also true in evangelism. We must lead by example. We must forward about “other gospel[s]” (Galatians 1.6-9). Let us love in deed and in truth.
Honor the past, but don’t live in it.
Don’t let your past hold you back from moving forward. Learn from past mistakes, but don’t let them define your present or your future.
The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah reminded the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of this (cf. Isaiah 43.18-21; 65.17-18; Jeremiah 16.14; 23.7). Their past was not anything to be proud of: they had been delivered out of slavery in Egypt only to return to slavery by the Assyrians and Babylonians. These prophets encouraged and strengthened them that their past would be overcome through repentance and obedience of faith. So can yours.
Sin has consequences, but they can be endured and overcome with God’s promised help. The apostle Paul wrote: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward” (Romans 8.18).
Past failures can prevent us from having a fruitful season in the present and rob us of our future hope (1 Corinthians 15.19). The past can only be overcome in one way: exercising faith in the words of Jesus. He said, “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing” (John 15.5).
Understand that your cleansing comes by your abiding in his word. “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15.2). This cleansing involves pruning what is dead so that your life can be productive. In this manner, the word cleanses your life. This abiding must continue in the fine for the fruit to be good. The gospel declares, “Put off…put on…” (Colossians 3.5-10). Cleansing is the result.
Be more focused on reaching the lost than you are on keeping the saved happy.
Christians must remember this: as servants, pleasing our Master is our aim. Regardless of our earthly status (master or servant), in all our relationships we share a common trait. We all have the same Master in heaven and there is no respect of persons with him (Ephesians 6.9).
Reaching the lost was Jesus’ focus. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20.28). Paul wrote, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye though his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8.9). “For Christ also pleased not himself; but, as it is written, ‘The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me’” (Romans 15.3).
Clearly, our salvation was Jesus’ joy. Serving is the joy of his servants. The apostle Paul wrote, “Doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service as unto the Lord, and not unto men: knowing that whatsoever good thing each one doeth, the same shall he receive again from the Lord, whether he be bond or free” (Ephesians 6.6-8). There simply is no better way of reaching the lost than a godly example. We have that example from Christ.
Godly examples are needed to reach the lost. They are needed in our homes and with our brethren. Conversely, hypocrisy plants seeds that will bear the fruit of prejudice and division. Peace and unity will be destroyed, the name of God will be blasphemed, and souls will be lost (cf. Romans 2.17-24). Our example as citizens, spouses, parents, and brethren will either give credibility to the gospel, or discredit it.
Let us keep our focus on Christ’s purpose for redeeming us: “…That we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness” (1 Peter 2.24).
