| April 16, 2000 |
Vol. II, No. 51
|
As Christians we are each involved in some type of evangelism, through teaching privately, or publicly, and in our examples to other individuals that we associate with each day. We have a grave responsibility because the destiny of ourselves, our families, and others will in some way rest with us. In this we have a purpose to develop and we shall look at this under three headings.
BRING EVERY THOUGHT INTO CAPTIVITY
II Cor. 10:5—6, Paul wrote, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ: And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” This indicates the complete authority of God through Christ. The person seeking salvation must be willing to yield himself into submission to God’s Word. This, of course, rules out all the doctrines of men, involving their disciplines and creeds. It engages one in complete humility and a desire to conform his living only to the teaching of Jesus and the apostles sent by Him. Have you done this?
PRESENT EVERY MAN PERFECT IN CHRIST JESUS
We read in Col. 1:28—29, “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.” When we have taught others to bring their thoughts captive to the mind of Christ, and have immersed them, the task has just begun. We must be diligent in teaching how to worship, how to live, and how to love in Christ. We need to teach that Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have been written to bring us to confessing Jesus. As we read on into the book of Acts we can see how the gospel was obeyed in New Testament times. When we give attention to the books following we have all we need to bring us to perfection. Peter wrote, II Peter 1:3, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:” Peter then gives seven things for us to learn and grow in: virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity. This sets before us a task that must be accomplished day by day. We must not be discouraged nor “lose heart” but keep our focus on Christ and heaven.
TILL THE LORD COMES
Each Lord’s day when the child of God partakes of the Lord’s supper he remembers Christ in His death and looks forward to His coming. Thus, every few days one is reminded of something that he doesn’t know “when.” God gave “all authority” to His Son. We have a scripture in I Cor. 15:24 that reveals what will happen, “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” Christ is reigning over His kingdom now and we are priests, serving Him.
--James L. Finney
In Matt. 14:24-33, we have Matthew’s record of Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee. Not wading IN it, but walking ON it. Let’s look at a few of the details. When Peter was sure that it was Jesus who was walking on the sea, and not a ghost or a figment of his own imagination, he requested of Jesus, “Command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus did so, and for a brief time, Peter himself began to walk on the water. “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” Jesus’ response as He reached out to save Peter, was, “O, you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
I’m not sure why Peter wanted to walk on water, nor why Jesus granted that request. But through the centuries, God has granted many and various blessings to His faithful servants. God has not told us to walk on water, or we could do it, too. But He has told us something of the power of prayer: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). Do we properly exercise that power?
Could Peter have continued to walk on the water if his faith had not faltered? Certainly! Jesus commanded it and gave him the power to obey. For a brief time, Peter did indeed walk on the water, just as his Master was doing.
But Peter, plagued with the same fears and problems that you and I have, realized that a storm was brewing. The wind was boisterous. The waves were leaping about him. His sense of human limitation overcame his trust in the Lord to supply the strength necessary to do the thing that was impossible without that deep abiding trust.
It is easy for us to look askance at Peter for his faltering faith. But how many of us would have the faith necessary to take that first step? The faith to leave the boat? Oh, we tell ourselves that if Jesus commanded us to do so, we would immediately obey. But, I wonder. He has told us to spread the good news of salvation to our friends, relatives, and neighbors. And most of us -- perhaps all of us -- let our fears and our sense of our own limitations keep us from doing as much in that area as He has given us the ability to do.
And talk about walking by faith! Peter didn’t take many steps on the water before he lost heart and began to sink -- but every step he did take was a step of faith. Peter walked by faith. And, at last, it was doubt that sunk him.
Peter put more emphasis on the problems than he did on the Lord’s promised blessing. He saw the invisible wind more clearly than he saw the visible Lord. Is it any wonder, that sometimes we see the visible problems far more clearly than we see our invisible Lord? But in Peter’s case and in ours, the solution is the same: a greater faith, which can only come by hearing God’s word, Rom. 10:17.
--CRJ