We are responsible

  We are responsible

Jesus said,

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

Charles H. Spurgeon said,

"We are not responsible to God for the soul that are saved, but we are responsible for the Gospel that is preached, and for the way in which we preach it" Charles H. Spurgeon.

As true believers in Christ we are responsible to present the gospel of Christ Jesus in word and in deed. 

Francis of Assisi noted,

“Preach the Gospel at all times 

and 

when necessary use words.”

                                              Francis of Assisi.

Whether you like it or not. If you claim to be a Christian, people are not just listening to your words but looking at your life. 

You are Christ’s representative on this earth and it is through the lense of your words and deeds that people will see Christ.

To quote Francis of Assisi again,

"The deeds you do

 may be the only sermon some persons will hear today" 

                                                                              Francis of Assisi.

Thus the question becomes, If you claim to be a true follower of Christ Jesus, what are your words and deeds telling people about God?

Please think about it.

Why do you believe what you believe?

Why do you believe what you believe?

The apostle Paul writing to Timothy said,

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2Timothy 4:3,4.

I was once told “listen not only to those who agree with you but to those who disagree with you.”

When it comes to being a Christian we need to know what we believe and why we believe it. Not only that we should not dismiss out of hand those claim to be Christians and disagree with us. We should be asking the question why do those with whom we disagree believe what they do.

Is it their misinterpretation of scripture? Or, Are we misinterpreting Scripture?

Are they being mislead by the pastors, evangelist and teachers they listen too. Or, are we?

Here in North America where I live, we have laws that protect freedom of speech. Thus everyone has the right to express their own opinion provided it does not hurt someone else.

In such an environment it is easy for someone to be turned away from the true faith. As a result we as true believers in Christ Jesus need to study the Bible carefully both by ourselves and under the tutorage of a good pastor and teacher. While at the same time questioning what we are being taught. Asking questions of those who are teaching us.

Always remember a good and honest teacher, or preacher will give you direct answers to your questions.

So, my question to you is. Why do you believe what you believe?

Please think about it.

The Spectrum of hearers

 The spectrum of hearers 

Matthews gospel records Jesus as saying,

“That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.  

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.  

As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.  

But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.  

Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.  

He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:1-9.  

         Jesus then gave this interpretation to the parable,

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 

The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.  

But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.  

The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.  

But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:18-23.

What Jesus is saying here is happening today. There are those who hears the message but fails to fully understand it and quickly falls away without trying to look deeper.

There are others who receive the word out of the emotion of the moment only to fall away when the emotion dies off.

Then there are those who receive the word but have a lot of earthly baggage. They fall pray to the worries of the world. And fall away as their worries in this world take precedent over the word of God.

Then there are those who truly believe who go forth and take the gospel to those around them producing more believers.

Where are you in this spectrum of hearers of the word?

Think about it.