Surrender
Batter my heart, three-personed God, for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurped town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captivated and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you and would be loved fain,
But am bethrothed unto your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
John Donne
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Swimming Against the Current
There is a part of me that has always wanted to get into a fight just to see what I'm made of and what kind of damage I could do. In college I often provoked my roommate in hopes that she would throw a punch. (This was before I was saved. I'm not condoning this mentality or behavior.) What if she had? What if she had punched me in the face and we began fighting? Can you imagine what would happen if I stopped fighting mid-fight? I can; I would've been beaten up. To stop fighting in the middle of a fight is absurd.
The same is true in your faith. To stop fighting for your faith and in your faith is absurd. Yet, it is realistic to expect that at some point, and probably several points, in your journey of faith you will stop fighting for one reason or another. Perhaps you are overcome with laziness or indifference. Sometimes you might become angry with God and blame Him for circumstances. Whatever the reason, ceasing to fight is a dangerous place in which to be.
In Scripture several metaphors are used to describe our faith. Our fight against sin and for holiness is compared to fighting a fight (1 Timothy 6:12, 1 Corinthians 9:26), running a race (1 Corinthians 9:24, Hebrews 12:1), and preparing to be a bride (Revelation 19:7, Matthew 25:1-13). My favorite picture of our struggle against sin isn't one that's used in the Bible, I don't think. It is that of swimming against the current. Since I think of salvation as being rescued from the water, especially since this incident, it naturally flows that I would keep with the theme of water. If our faith is a river, then sin is the current. We spend our entire lives fighting against the current of the sin so that we are not dragged away by it. If at any point you stop fighting you do not remain at the same spot in the river, but instead you begin to drift away instantly. Let that strike fear in us so that we do not become so cold that we begin drifting away without even caring. Do not think that when you are disobedient or negligent of spending time with Him that you are ok. You are drifting away. I am not intending to imply that our salvation can be lost- it cannot. Our salvation, if we are in Christ, has been secured. We will, however, at times be in disobedience and allow the current to pull us away. It is so dangerous because as we stop fighting we become slowly desensitized to our sin. Our hearts lose a bit of their softness. Regretfully, I know this from experience.
Lately, I've been reliving my drowning experience nightly in my sleep. Why? Because I have stopped fighting. No, not entirely, but partially. I have become lazy and undisciplined in my faith. As a result, I know that I am being dragged away with the current. The good news is that God is gracious. He always brings me back to Him. And since I am not relying on my own righteousness to begin with, but His instead, there is no shame when he draws me back to Himself. The times in which I give up the fight are good reminders that I need Him; that I could not ever resist the current of sin without Him. So while tiring of swimming is never good, it can be used for our good. (Romans 8:28)
Running a race, fighting in a battle, preparing to be the bride of Christ, swimming against the current; regardless of which set of biblical imagery we best connect with, we must be consistent. We must persevere. Whether you view your faith as a race, a battle, a marriage, or a swim against the current- in reality it is all of these. So, if you find yourself in the same position as I am right now, be encouraged. Keep swimming! Do not let the current drag you away! Saturate your mind with the Word of God and let your mind and heart meditate on it. And if you have never begun to swim against the current of sin in your life, then perhaps you have never been rescued to begin with. What do you do if you are in need of rescue? Cry out for help from the only One who can save you.
"Find rest, my soul, in God alone
Amid the world’s temptations;
When evil seeks to take a hold
I’ll cling to my salvation."
The same is true in your faith. To stop fighting for your faith and in your faith is absurd. Yet, it is realistic to expect that at some point, and probably several points, in your journey of faith you will stop fighting for one reason or another. Perhaps you are overcome with laziness or indifference. Sometimes you might become angry with God and blame Him for circumstances. Whatever the reason, ceasing to fight is a dangerous place in which to be.
In Scripture several metaphors are used to describe our faith. Our fight against sin and for holiness is compared to fighting a fight (1 Timothy 6:12, 1 Corinthians 9:26), running a race (1 Corinthians 9:24, Hebrews 12:1), and preparing to be a bride (Revelation 19:7, Matthew 25:1-13). My favorite picture of our struggle against sin isn't one that's used in the Bible, I don't think. It is that of swimming against the current. Since I think of salvation as being rescued from the water, especially since this incident, it naturally flows that I would keep with the theme of water. If our faith is a river, then sin is the current. We spend our entire lives fighting against the current of the sin so that we are not dragged away by it. If at any point you stop fighting you do not remain at the same spot in the river, but instead you begin to drift away instantly. Let that strike fear in us so that we do not become so cold that we begin drifting away without even caring. Do not think that when you are disobedient or negligent of spending time with Him that you are ok. You are drifting away. I am not intending to imply that our salvation can be lost- it cannot. Our salvation, if we are in Christ, has been secured. We will, however, at times be in disobedience and allow the current to pull us away. It is so dangerous because as we stop fighting we become slowly desensitized to our sin. Our hearts lose a bit of their softness. Regretfully, I know this from experience.
Lately, I've been reliving my drowning experience nightly in my sleep. Why? Because I have stopped fighting. No, not entirely, but partially. I have become lazy and undisciplined in my faith. As a result, I know that I am being dragged away with the current. The good news is that God is gracious. He always brings me back to Him. And since I am not relying on my own righteousness to begin with, but His instead, there is no shame when he draws me back to Himself. The times in which I give up the fight are good reminders that I need Him; that I could not ever resist the current of sin without Him. So while tiring of swimming is never good, it can be used for our good. (Romans 8:28)
Running a race, fighting in a battle, preparing to be the bride of Christ, swimming against the current; regardless of which set of biblical imagery we best connect with, we must be consistent. We must persevere. Whether you view your faith as a race, a battle, a marriage, or a swim against the current- in reality it is all of these. So, if you find yourself in the same position as I am right now, be encouraged. Keep swimming! Do not let the current drag you away! Saturate your mind with the Word of God and let your mind and heart meditate on it. And if you have never begun to swim against the current of sin in your life, then perhaps you have never been rescued to begin with. What do you do if you are in need of rescue? Cry out for help from the only One who can save you.
"Find rest, my soul, in God alone
Amid the world’s temptations;
When evil seeks to take a hold
I’ll cling to my salvation."
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
A Poem About Redemption
Deserving not the life He gave
With selfish pride I tried to save
My soul from its lost state depraved
By moral deeds while still a slave
To sin, and death, and to the grave.
The depth of my iniquity
Is greater than the deepest sea.
Yet still He chose to die for me
And bear my sin upon the tree
While I was still His enemy.
His blood was spilled to pay my debt.
God's wrath for me He did offset
By dying on the cross and yet
Defeating death. He rose to beget
A people in His silhouette.
I owe Him more than I can give.
So out of love I choose to live
A slave to Christ and let Him sieve
Dross and sin to which I was captive
Out of my heart to never relive.
My heart rejoices for in Him I've found
Life eternal. His praises resound!
By my sins I am no longer bound.
My chains are gone and I am crowned
With His righteousness for His renown.
With selfish pride I tried to save
My soul from its lost state depraved
By moral deeds while still a slave
To sin, and death, and to the grave.
The depth of my iniquity
Is greater than the deepest sea.
Yet still He chose to die for me
And bear my sin upon the tree
While I was still His enemy.
His blood was spilled to pay my debt.
God's wrath for me He did offset
By dying on the cross and yet
Defeating death. He rose to beget
A people in His silhouette.
I owe Him more than I can give.
So out of love I choose to live
A slave to Christ and let Him sieve
Dross and sin to which I was captive
Out of my heart to never relive.
My heart rejoices for in Him I've found
Life eternal. His praises resound!
By my sins I am no longer bound.
My chains are gone and I am crowned
With His righteousness for His renown.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Pudding and Faith
What do pudding and faith have in common? They should both have a beautiful consistency. If you took a bite of butterscotch pudding (Yes, butterscotch because it is the best, clearly.) and it was full of lumps that had not been smoothed out, would you go back for another bite? It would make you pause. What if the lumps were huge and in your mouth the powder exploded leaving you with a mouth half full of wet pudding and half full of dry pudding mix? Would you still eat it? Wouldn't you first at least attempt to beat out the inconsistencies; stirring it or mixing it until the lumps were gone? Well, the same is true with our faith. It should be consistent in all areas. It should not just affect who we are at church. It should affect every aspect of our lives. Our faith must be in itself consistent on a day to day basis, but it also must be consistent with our words. Just as we would spit out a mouth full of pudding that did not have a beautiful consistency, God will do the same to those whose faith lacks consistency because it is not true faith. True faith is consistent.
"'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'" Revelation 3:15-22
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." James 1:22-225
In our own power, we can never be consistent. We must remain dependent upon Christ. He often beats out our lumps through trials. In the good times, we might be oblivious to the "lumps" in our faith, but the bad times help point them out.
So, for the believer, I encourage you to persevere and keep working out your faith with fear and trembling(Philippians 2:12) and to examine yourself daily to see if you are truly in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5). Do not just give the Lord lip service, obey Him!
"So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:26-27
"'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'" Revelation 3:15-22
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." James 1:22-225
In our own power, we can never be consistent. We must remain dependent upon Christ. He often beats out our lumps through trials. In the good times, we might be oblivious to the "lumps" in our faith, but the bad times help point them out.
So, for the believer, I encourage you to persevere and keep working out your faith with fear and trembling(Philippians 2:12) and to examine yourself daily to see if you are truly in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5). Do not just give the Lord lip service, obey Him!
"So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:26-27
Saturday, October 8, 2011
This is not Candy Land
We are not in a game in which some win and some lose, but everyone is happy in the end and the game is over. No! We are in a war. Blood is spilt. There are casualties. There is an enemy. And there is a King! Can you imagine entering a physical battle zone with the mindset that you were just playing Candy Land? You would be slaughtered very quickly. Why, then, are we so quick to adopt this perspective in terms of spiritual battle zones? When we have a Candy Land mindset there is no urgency. No urgency to pray, to seek God in His Word, to share the gospel with others, to pursue holiness in our lives, to defend truth. It is a war mindset that pushes us to do these things because it gives us a sense of urgency.
Realizing we are in battle, let's put on the full armor of God which are the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (Bible). When we have on the full armor of God there will be an urgency in our lives for the things of God. We will not be passive but instead proactive in seeking God's will and obeying it in every area.
Ephesians 6:10-18
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..."
The power in a believer's life comes from holiness and submission. So before you can fight in the outward war you must fight the inward one. You must first make war on your own sin before you can be an effective warrior.
"The only possible attitude toward out of control desire is a declaration of all out war! You ask, 'Why am I this way?' Make war! There is something about war that sharpens the senses. You hear a twig snap or a rustling in the leaves and you're in attack mode. War keeps us vigilant. There is a violence in Christianity. It is a violence against all lust in ourselves. All enslaving desires- this is our enemy. This is where we make war. The only foothold Satan has in your life is your flesh and your sin. Much more important than fighting Satan is fighting sin. You complain about it, talk about it, but have you made war 24/7 against it?"
John Piper
"Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly. I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:26&27
As you strive to kill your own sin, your eyes open and you become more alert to the souls around you. Since this is war it is souls that are at stake, not points in a game. So, stay alert and be ready to defeat the enemy by starting with your own sin. Stop pretending that the souls around you are not a big deal- they are, as is your own soul.
Realizing we are in battle, let's put on the full armor of God which are the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, feet fitted with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (Bible). When we have on the full armor of God there will be an urgency in our lives for the things of God. We will not be passive but instead proactive in seeking God's will and obeying it in every area.
Ephesians 6:10-18
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..."
The power in a believer's life comes from holiness and submission. So before you can fight in the outward war you must fight the inward one. You must first make war on your own sin before you can be an effective warrior.
"The only possible attitude toward out of control desire is a declaration of all out war! You ask, 'Why am I this way?' Make war! There is something about war that sharpens the senses. You hear a twig snap or a rustling in the leaves and you're in attack mode. War keeps us vigilant. There is a violence in Christianity. It is a violence against all lust in ourselves. All enslaving desires- this is our enemy. This is where we make war. The only foothold Satan has in your life is your flesh and your sin. Much more important than fighting Satan is fighting sin. You complain about it, talk about it, but have you made war 24/7 against it?"
John Piper
"Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly. I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:26&27
As you strive to kill your own sin, your eyes open and you become more alert to the souls around you. Since this is war it is souls that are at stake, not points in a game. So, stay alert and be ready to defeat the enemy by starting with your own sin. Stop pretending that the souls around you are not a big deal- they are, as is your own soul.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Snake Killing
Not too long ago my Grandpa shared with me a very simple story. Though simple, the story has impacted me so much that I want to share it with you.
A father told his son to go down to the lake and catch some fish for dinner. The boy eagerly grabbed his pole and headed down to the water. He baited his hook and cast his line into the lake. As he was waiting for a bite, he noticed something in the bushes. It was a snake. He quickly reeled in his line and set his pole aside. He then began to devise and execute a plan to kill the snake. Once the snake was dead he picked up his pole. "Dad will be so proud of me for killing a snake," he thought. As he began to cast the line back into the water he saw that the bushes were rustling. Another snake slithered out of the bushes. Setting his pole down again, the boy proceeded to kill the snake. All day long he killed snake after snake after snake. About dusk his father came to bring him back up to the house.
"How many fish did you catch, son?"
"Well, none."
"You didn't catch any fish? Why not?"
"I tried to catch fish, but look how many snakes I killed!" exclaimed the boy as he gestured to the giant pile of dead snakes.
"I didn't ask you to kill snakes, son. I asked you to catch fish."
The boy hung his head in disappointment as he walked empty handed with his father back to the house.
The point my Grandpa was trying to make is that while killing snakes is important, we should not get so distracted by them that we catch no fish. In other words, righting wrongs, defending the gospel, and exposing sin are crucial, but if all we ever do are those things and yet catch no fish (witness to others), we are revealing an imbalance within our own hearts. It is easy to stand on the bank of the lake and throw stones at snakes. Fishing is hard work. It takes practice and patience. And so it is easy to stand back and point fingers at everything that is wrong, which I do far too often. But it is very difficult to get out on the battlefield where souls are won and share the gospel. Why is it difficult? Simple. Because it takes much more effort and faith than pointing our fingers, which takes virtually no effort at all. Sometimes, the snakes we are killing need to be killed. It is important that we do not ignore blatant sin in the lives of other believers or that we do not sit silently while false gospels are preached. These are important, but must be balanced with the sharing of the gospel. When we get out and share the gospel something happens to us. It doesn't just change the lives of those with whom we share, it changes us. It softens our hearts to the lost. It makes us more loving and gentle. So, kill snakes, but don't forget to catch fish!
When I realize that I am focusing on all the things that need to change around me instead of focusing on all of the dying souls, I remember this story. My Grandpa is a very wise man. He knows all too well my tendency to want to kill all of the snakes. God made me a snake killer! But, he also knows that it would be sinful for all of my efforts and energy to be focused there. And, afterall, God has commanded me to be a fisherman. I sure am thankful for my Grandpa and all the godly wisdom he shares.
A father told his son to go down to the lake and catch some fish for dinner. The boy eagerly grabbed his pole and headed down to the water. He baited his hook and cast his line into the lake. As he was waiting for a bite, he noticed something in the bushes. It was a snake. He quickly reeled in his line and set his pole aside. He then began to devise and execute a plan to kill the snake. Once the snake was dead he picked up his pole. "Dad will be so proud of me for killing a snake," he thought. As he began to cast the line back into the water he saw that the bushes were rustling. Another snake slithered out of the bushes. Setting his pole down again, the boy proceeded to kill the snake. All day long he killed snake after snake after snake. About dusk his father came to bring him back up to the house.
"How many fish did you catch, son?"
"Well, none."
"You didn't catch any fish? Why not?"
"I tried to catch fish, but look how many snakes I killed!" exclaimed the boy as he gestured to the giant pile of dead snakes.
"I didn't ask you to kill snakes, son. I asked you to catch fish."
The boy hung his head in disappointment as he walked empty handed with his father back to the house.
The point my Grandpa was trying to make is that while killing snakes is important, we should not get so distracted by them that we catch no fish. In other words, righting wrongs, defending the gospel, and exposing sin are crucial, but if all we ever do are those things and yet catch no fish (witness to others), we are revealing an imbalance within our own hearts. It is easy to stand on the bank of the lake and throw stones at snakes. Fishing is hard work. It takes practice and patience. And so it is easy to stand back and point fingers at everything that is wrong, which I do far too often. But it is very difficult to get out on the battlefield where souls are won and share the gospel. Why is it difficult? Simple. Because it takes much more effort and faith than pointing our fingers, which takes virtually no effort at all. Sometimes, the snakes we are killing need to be killed. It is important that we do not ignore blatant sin in the lives of other believers or that we do not sit silently while false gospels are preached. These are important, but must be balanced with the sharing of the gospel. When we get out and share the gospel something happens to us. It doesn't just change the lives of those with whom we share, it changes us. It softens our hearts to the lost. It makes us more loving and gentle. So, kill snakes, but don't forget to catch fish!
When I realize that I am focusing on all the things that need to change around me instead of focusing on all of the dying souls, I remember this story. My Grandpa is a very wise man. He knows all too well my tendency to want to kill all of the snakes. God made me a snake killer! But, he also knows that it would be sinful for all of my efforts and energy to be focused there. And, afterall, God has commanded me to be a fisherman. I sure am thankful for my Grandpa and all the godly wisdom he shares.
Friday, September 16, 2011
A Marine Recruiter and the Gospel
**Disclaimer: I am in no way trying to show bias or favoritism for one branch over another. Both of my brothers are Marines, though one is now a Sailor (Once a Marine, always a Marine.), and I have a very dear friend who is a Soldier. These are just the facts of this particular story.
My younger brother, Andrew, is currently a Marine recruiter, though his MOS is forward observer. He is really great as what he does...really great. Part of what makes him so great at getting recruits is this: he really believes the Marine Corps to be the superior branch. That might sound arrogant, but can you imagine wanting to buy a Browning shotgun from someone who is very outspoken about Remington being the best? No! And probably, the salesman would not enjoy selling Brownings because his passion is for Remingtons. So, since Andrew's passion is for the Marine Corps, and it is very evident, it makes possible recruits also feel that the Marines must be the best. The other day while I was speaking with him on the phone he began relaying to me a story of some nearby Army recruiters. Now, my experience with military is mostly limited to Marines, but I can say with assurance that each branch thinks they are the best. He became frustrated with these particular recruiters because they were lying to their potential recruits. He had heard the same fallacious claims over and over again from one recruit after another. Andrew went to speak with the recruiters and confronted them with lying to people. At first they denied it, and then once they were trapped they had to admit it.
On one of his visits to their office he heard mention that they were going to devote a ceiling tile in their office to the mascot from each high school in which they were allowed to recruit, and paint the mascot onto the ceiling tiles. "Why would you do that?!" was Andrew's response. "So that they feel at home when they come here to talk with us," was the reply he received. "Why would you want them to feel at home here? They are not Soldiers yet! We would never do that. I don't want them to feel at home. I want them to know that the Marine Corps is different from everything else. We will not bring the high school into the Marine Corps. We will take the Marine Corps to the high school." He stressed that he would not be bringing any part of the high school into his office. He feels as though the facts about the Marine Corps speak for themselves and need no gimmicks in order to attract recruits. Apparently, Andrew's speech was fairly convincing because he noticed they never did paint the ceiling tiles.
As I was listening to this story all I could see was the spiritual parallel. Do you see it yet? I'll give you a hint: It has to do with the gospel. Isn't this what we so often do in our culture? To make non-believers feel welcome, we bring their music and even philosophies into the church. So often, we water down the gospel and bring a little bit of the world into the church in order to make it feel more comfortable in hopes they will connect with it. But, the gospel is sufficient. It is powerful and needs no "help" from us in converting souls. Instead of preaching sin and repentance, so many churches are preaching "God is love". God IS love, but until we recognize our sin and repent of it, He is not love to us. He is wrath. (Romans 1:18) Instead of changing the gospel and painting the ceiling tiles of our churches with worldly philosophies, we should be changing the world with the gospel. Instead of bringing the world into the church by luring in the unsaved, let's take the gospel of Jesus out into the world!
As Andrew has a passion for the Marine Corps, let's truly have a passion for Christ and His gospel. Of course, we are superior to no one, but we do have confidence that the way of Christ is the only way that leads to eternal life. (John 14:6) Evangelism is much like recruiting. If Andrew just sat in his office and waited for people to come in, he might obtain a few recruits. But he doesn't do that. He gets out and drives to where the candidates are. We should do the same. Let's go to where the lost are, which is basically everywhere, and share the gospel. Andrew is just helping people find a career path. We have the key to eternal life and forgiveness and communion with God! How much more should we be out seeking "recruits", so to speak?
My younger brother, Andrew, is currently a Marine recruiter, though his MOS is forward observer. He is really great as what he does...really great. Part of what makes him so great at getting recruits is this: he really believes the Marine Corps to be the superior branch. That might sound arrogant, but can you imagine wanting to buy a Browning shotgun from someone who is very outspoken about Remington being the best? No! And probably, the salesman would not enjoy selling Brownings because his passion is for Remingtons. So, since Andrew's passion is for the Marine Corps, and it is very evident, it makes possible recruits also feel that the Marines must be the best. The other day while I was speaking with him on the phone he began relaying to me a story of some nearby Army recruiters. Now, my experience with military is mostly limited to Marines, but I can say with assurance that each branch thinks they are the best. He became frustrated with these particular recruiters because they were lying to their potential recruits. He had heard the same fallacious claims over and over again from one recruit after another. Andrew went to speak with the recruiters and confronted them with lying to people. At first they denied it, and then once they were trapped they had to admit it.
On one of his visits to their office he heard mention that they were going to devote a ceiling tile in their office to the mascot from each high school in which they were allowed to recruit, and paint the mascot onto the ceiling tiles. "Why would you do that?!" was Andrew's response. "So that they feel at home when they come here to talk with us," was the reply he received. "Why would you want them to feel at home here? They are not Soldiers yet! We would never do that. I don't want them to feel at home. I want them to know that the Marine Corps is different from everything else. We will not bring the high school into the Marine Corps. We will take the Marine Corps to the high school." He stressed that he would not be bringing any part of the high school into his office. He feels as though the facts about the Marine Corps speak for themselves and need no gimmicks in order to attract recruits. Apparently, Andrew's speech was fairly convincing because he noticed they never did paint the ceiling tiles.
As I was listening to this story all I could see was the spiritual parallel. Do you see it yet? I'll give you a hint: It has to do with the gospel. Isn't this what we so often do in our culture? To make non-believers feel welcome, we bring their music and even philosophies into the church. So often, we water down the gospel and bring a little bit of the world into the church in order to make it feel more comfortable in hopes they will connect with it. But, the gospel is sufficient. It is powerful and needs no "help" from us in converting souls. Instead of preaching sin and repentance, so many churches are preaching "God is love". God IS love, but until we recognize our sin and repent of it, He is not love to us. He is wrath. (Romans 1:18) Instead of changing the gospel and painting the ceiling tiles of our churches with worldly philosophies, we should be changing the world with the gospel. Instead of bringing the world into the church by luring in the unsaved, let's take the gospel of Jesus out into the world!
As Andrew has a passion for the Marine Corps, let's truly have a passion for Christ and His gospel. Of course, we are superior to no one, but we do have confidence that the way of Christ is the only way that leads to eternal life. (John 14:6) Evangelism is much like recruiting. If Andrew just sat in his office and waited for people to come in, he might obtain a few recruits. But he doesn't do that. He gets out and drives to where the candidates are. We should do the same. Let's go to where the lost are, which is basically everywhere, and share the gospel. Andrew is just helping people find a career path. We have the key to eternal life and forgiveness and communion with God! How much more should we be out seeking "recruits", so to speak?
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