The Fight of Faith

The fight of faith is the only one the Christian is called to fight. We do not fight fellow Christians. We do not fight the Church. We are called to fight the good fight of faith. The faith fight is the only fight we are supposed to be in. If we are in any other fight - we are in the wrong fight.

Paul wrote to Timothy: "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses" (1 Tim. 6:12, NKJV, emphasis added).

The "good fight of faith" is the spiritual conflict with Satan's kingdom of darkness in which all men of God are necessarily involved. When Paul advised Timothy to "lay hold on eternal life," he was not speaking of Timothy's salvation, but instead of his fruitfulness in this life and his rewards in the next. "The good confession" is Timothy's call and ministry. Paul was urging Timothy to continue his ministry of preaching the Word of God.

There wouldn't be such a fight to faith, if there weren't enemies or hindrance to faith. You can't very well have a fight without having an enemy or an opponent.

The greatest enemies to faith

One of the greatest enemies to faith is the lack of understanding of the New Birth. You cannot believe beyond your actual knowledge of God's Word. This is the reason many people fail in their prayer life and in their faith life because they are trying to believe beyond their knowledge of God's Word.

One reason we, as Christians, live in unbelief and our faith has been hindered, is because we lack knowledge about redemption and about our redemptive rights. We lack knowledge of what God's Word says about our redemption, and the lack of knowledge is the greatest enemy of faith. Lack of knowledge of God's Word produces unbelief. Because we don't understand what the New Birth actually is - what it means and the benefits it provides the believer - our faith is hindered.

Christians are God's new creatures

Paul said: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17, KJV, emphasis added).

The New King James version says "a new creation" - completely recreated by God our Creator.

We are Spiritual beings

We must realize this New Birth is speaking of the inward man (the real man) and not speaking of the outwward man.

Paul said: "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day" (2 Cor. 4:16, emphasis added).

The "outward man" is the physical body of man. The "inward man" is the real you.

No one can ever know himself, much less anyone else, unless he has been born again by the Spirit of God and has become a new man in Christ. Without the New Birth man does not even know he is a spirit man.

The answer to man's need exists in the spiritual realm. A man doesn't really know or understand himself unless he is a Christian, and a man who isn't a Christian is liable to do or think anything. This is because the spiritual nature of man is fallen nature, and man cannot change his own nature.

God said through Jeremiah, "Can the Ethiopian change his own skin or the leopard its spot" (Jer. 13:23)? No, man cannot change his own nature - but God can!

Contending with the flesh

In a new creation, of course, all things would become new. As Christians, we need to learn to let this new man - this new reation - on the inside dominate the outward man. The outward man is not a new man, because the body has not been born again. The body will keep on wanting to do things it used to do - things that are wrong. Paul said his body did; so don't be surprised when your body does.

Paul said: "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:27).

Into subjection to what? To the inward man. God is not going to do something with your body. You are going to have to do something with your own body, or else nothing is going to be done with it. God does something with your spirit. He makes the inward man, man's spirit, a new creature. Then He sends His Holy Spirit to dwell in your spirit to give you the power so you can do something with the outward man.

Someone may say, "Well, I can't help the things I do. I just can't help doing it." Yes, you can!

Paul said, "I keep my body under, and I bring it into subjection." You know as well as I do that Paul wouldn't have had to keep his body under if his body were not wanting to do things that were wrong, would he? Certainly he wouldn't.

After we were born again, we still have the flesh to contend with, and the Devil will work thought the flesh. In times of tests, trials, and temptations the Devil will sometimes tell Christians, "You must not even be saved. If you were saved, you wouldn't want to do wrong." Satan insinuates that it was really you who wanted to do the wrong deed. But the man on the inside doesn't want to do wrong to begin with.

Paul's body evidently wanted to do some things that were wrong, or he wouldn't have had to keep it under subjection. He simply said, "I am not going to let my body dominate me. I bring my body into subjcetion. I keep it under lest by any means, after I have preached to other, lest I should be disapproved."

Remission and Forgiveness

Many people who are born again by the Spirit of God can't believe that Lord will do anything for them (such as heal their bodies or answer their prayer) because they lived such a sinful life before they were saved. These people have a lack of understanding concerning the New Birth and the "new creation" they have become in Christ. The Word says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things heve become new" (2 Cor.5:17).

When the sinner comes to Jesus, his sins are remitted. His sins are simply blotted out. All that he was spiritually speaking in the sight of God before he was born again is blotted. He became a new man in Christ Jesus. God does not see anything in his life before the moment he was born agin. The sinner receives remission of sins.

After being born again and becoming a child of God, the Christian receives forgiveness of sins.

Peter said, "... as new born babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). He was writing to born-again Christians who have become new men and women in Christ Jesus. The Bible teaches there is a similarity between spiritual growth and physical growth. No one is born a full-grown human. We are born babies in the natural and we grow up. No one is born full-grown Christian either. Christians are born as babies and they grow up.

You have no past

Those who are born-again babes in Christ are newborn babes who desire the sincere milk of the Word. You have become a new creation! You are like a newborn babe. You have no past. Your past is all gone! God will not remember anything against you.

God said, "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgression for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins" (Isaiah 43:25).

The Lord said, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more" (Heb. 8:12).

As He looks at you, God doesn't remember that you have any past. Why should you remember it? Remembering past sins and mistakes will hinder your faith.

Religious Labels

The Lord has taught me something - we sometimes let ourselves be religiously brainwashed by whatever religious or Church group we are with. It was the same in New Testament days. After the Church was instituted and the Gentiles were saved, some of the brethren of the circumcision wanted the Gentiles to be circumcised. Here the Gentiles were already saved, already baptized in the Holy Spirit, already speaking with other tongues, and these Jewish brethren said, "You cannot be saved unless you are circumcised."

Some Churches believe that unless you are baptized in water in the Name of Jesus you are not saved. I believe being baptized in water in anyone's name (including the Name of Jesus) has nothing in the world to do with being saved. The New Birth is a spiritual birth; you are not born again of the water. Being born of water would not be a spiritual birth; being born again by the Spirit of God is a spiritual birth.

Some members of some Churches believe that unless you belong to their Church you are not saved. What a ridiculous belief! You can put any kind of a label on an empty can, and the can would still be empty! It is not the name on the Church door, or even being a member of a Church that saves you. It is getting something on the inside of you - Jesus Christ - that saves you!

Not knowing the truth of the New Birth will hinder your faith and keep you from receiving the blessings God intended you to have. Walking in line with what God's Word says. Feed your faith on God's Word - and watch your faith grow!

Understanding how faith grows

In order to experience the growth of faith we need to understand the enemies of faith.

Paul said, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).

The greatest enemy or hindrance to faith is a lack of understanding of God's Word, because faith come by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. When people pray for faith it is really knowledge of God's Word they need, because we cannot have faith beyond our actual knowledge of God's Word. As soon as the light of God's Word shines in the heart of man, faith comes. That is why the psalmist said, "The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understand to the simple" (Ps. 119:130). When you have knowledge and understanding of God's Word - you have faith.

Let us investigate one of these hindrances to our faith - the lack of understanding "righteousness" or our right standing with God.

James said, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit" (James 5:16 - 18, emphasis added).

This passage states that the prayer of a "righteous" man avails much. A lack of understanding of what righteousness is and what privileges righteousness gives to the believer holds more Christians in bondage than any other thing. In my opinion, righteousness is one of the most misunderstood subjects in the Bible.

Paul said, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:10, emphasis added).

Paul also said, "For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17, emphasis added).

Notice that Paul makes two significant statements in these verses about righteousness.

1. With the heart man believes unto righteousness.

2. when we receive Jesus and we are born again, we receive "the gift of righteousness."

The Bible says in Romans 5:17, that righteousness is a gift. Too often we have associated righteousness with good works. The Bible teaches good works and right conduct of course, but all of our good works and right conduct will never make us righteous. If good works could make us righteous, we wouldn't need Jesus!

Another fallacy about righteousness is that we've thought we had to grow into some kind of "high" spiritual state in order to be righteous. We might think - "My prayers would work if I could just get to be righteous. If I could just develop to some high state of spiritual maturity, then I would be righteous."

Thank God, we can grow in the Lord and we can develop spiritually, but we cannot grow in righteousness. Why? Righteousness is a gift and not fruit. You'll never be any more righteous than you are right now! You'll not be any more righteous when you get to heaven than you are right now - at this very moment!

The gift of righteousness

Paul said, "For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more thos who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will rign in life through the One, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17, emphasis added).

Righteousness is a gift. When you were born again, you become a new man in Christ Jesus, and you were made the righteousness of God.

Paul said, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:17, 21, emphasis added).

You are made the righteousness of God in Christ in the New Birth.

The Bible teaches that there is a similarity between spiritual growth and physical growth. Christians are born babies, and they grow up. And those who are newly born again into the Kingdom of God are just as righteous in the sight of God as older saints who have been born again and living for God 50 or 60 years, and are full of good works and right conduct. Those new born babes can get their prayers answered just as quickly as older saints - because righteousness means right standing with God. We must realize that we have right standing with God not because of what we did, but because of what Jesus did! Right standing with God is a gift! We have received the gift of righteousness in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion

The faith life is the most beautiful life in the world, and it is the life God wants us to live (Romans 1:17). And the walk God wants us to walk is the faith walk (2 Cor. 5:7). It is those who act upon God's Word who get results. You act faith. You talk faith. You actions and your words must agree that you are a believer. It will not do you any good to talk faith if you are not going to act faith. And if it were somehow possible for you to act faith without talking faith, that would not do you any good either. Let both your words and your action agree.

Salvation of the Remnant

Paul, in Romans 9, reveals that those Israelites whom God has actually chosen for Himself will be only a remnant out of all Israel.

It is significant that this word "remnant" is applied to Israel in Scripture more that 40 times. In most of these instances the reference is to the period that just prior to the close of the present age.

In Romans 9;27, Paul quotes a prophecy from Isaiah 10:22 concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant will be saved" (NKJV).

The phrase "the remnant" is specific. It denotes a precise number chosen out of all Israel. Paul returns to this theme of a remnant in Romans 11 - "I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abrahem, of the trible of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 'Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life'? But what does the divine response say to him? 'I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal'" (Romans 11:1 - 4, emphasis added).

When God says, "I have reserved for Myself," He emphasizes that these seven thousand were reserved by God on the basis of His grace, not of their good deeds. It was not something they had earned.

Paul goes on to apply these words to the condition of Israel in his day: "Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise work is no longer work" (Romans 11:5, 6).

Paul explains that grace goes beyond anything that we can earn by good works. In fact, grace begins in our lives precisely where our own ability reaches its limit. So it is with the remnant of Israel. Their presevation is due to God's grace; it is not something that they have earned or can earn.

Paul said: "And so all Israel will be saved, ..." (Romans 11:26).

In the light of what he has said previously about a remnant, it becomes clear that the "all Israel" who will be saved will be the "remnant whom God has chosen and reserved for Himself by His grace."

Many other passages from the prophets emphasize that those whom these promises of restoration are given are a remnant. For instance Zephanish said: "I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteiousness and speak on lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in the mouth; for they shall feed their flocks and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid" (Zephaniah 3:12, 13, emphasis added).

God's end purpose in dealing with Israel as a people is to produce that remnant. For their sakes He has patiently endured the appalling wickedness with which, over many centuries, man has persistently violated God's laws and desecrated the earth. He has also permitted the many sorrows and sufferings with which it has been necessary to purify His chosen ones.

At the end of it all, God is looking for a meek and humble people who will trust in the name of the Lord. God is also aiming to produce a meek and humble people in the Church. This is one reason why many Bible scholars say Isreal is a type of the Church.

"The Israel of God" explained

The Lord spoke through Zechariah: "All it shall come to pass in all the land, says the Lord, 'That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third through fire, will refine them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; and each one will say, 'The Lord is my God.'" (Zechariah 13:8, 9).

Again the Lord is describing the process aimed at producing the remnant God has chosen. Even though it involves refining and testing by fire, God will not cease until His purpose is accomplished. Two-thirds may be cut off, but the remaining one-third will be brought through the fire to acknowledge the Lord personally as their God. This is the remnant God has set His heart on from eternity. They may appropriately be called, "The Israel of God."

Election and the Church

God's dealings with Israel are the expression of His sovereign decision, not made on the basis of works. In particular, the apostle Paul emphasizes that God rejected Esau and chose Jacob while they were still in the womb, in order to demonstrate that the basis of His dealing with nations is His own sovereign choice. Gentile Chriatians sometime have difficulty in accepting tthis principle, especially when emphasis is placed on God's choice of the Jews.

Nevertheless, a careful analysis of the New Testament reveals that exactly the same principle applies to Gentile Christians. In fact, it applies to all believers, irrespective of national or racial background. Every true believer in Jesus Christ has been divinely elected (chosen). Otherwise, he would not and could not be a believer.

Some sections of the Church do not recognize this. Those sections of the Church that do recognize it are often regarded with suspecion. This may due partly to the fact that while these believers have embraced an importnat truth, they have sometimes emphasized it to the point where they have ignored other equally important truths. In this way they have carried one particular truth to unbiblical extremes.

It is probably better, however, to press this truth to the extremes than to ignore it. To put it the other way, I believe there is greater imbalance in ignoring God's sovereignty and divine choice than there is an overemphasizing it. In fact, a great deal of superficiality and presumption in contemporary Christianity is due to the fact that we do not realize the divine, eternal origin of our salvation.

We are Christians not because we chose God but because God chose us. In much contemporary teaching, we are left with the feeling that salvation depends entirely on our making the right decision, when actually this is secondary. Salvation depends on the decision God has already made. Any decision we make is merely a response to the decision which God has already made. Furthermore, He made that decision before He created the world.

The Principle of Divine Election as applied to the Church

This principle of divine election, in other words, which we have seen applied to Israel, applies just as much to the Church. God has no other principle. He never endorses or blesses any decision or program which He Himself has not initiated. Many Christians would be less insecure if they realized that their lives are products of a plan that was conceived in eternity before creation ever took place.

There are a number of New Testament Scriptures which, taken together, unfold this principle of divine election.

Jesus said to His disciples: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you" (John 15:16).

The apostles had not become followers of Jesus because they made the right choice. It was not they, but Jesus, who made the choice. This principle applies to all believers whom God calls into His service.

Paul wrote to Timothy: "... God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began" (2 Tim. 1:8. 9).

The process of divine election is unfolded in greater detail in Romans 8:

"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified" (Romans 8:29, 30).

This passage contains a succession of verbs in the past tense: foreknew, predestined, called, justified, glorified. They mark out the only route that leads to God's glory. The first two stages - foreknew and predestined - occurred in eternity before time began.

The whole process had its origin in God's foreknowledge. From eternity He forknew each on of us. On the basis of this He predestined us - that is, He planned the course that our lives should take.

Personally, I am very grateful for this. Only in eternity will I know what God saved me from - had I tried to direct my own life. Even more important, eternity will reveal the fruit which came forth because I sought to follow God's plan and obey His direction.

1 Peter sheds further light on this process. It is important, however, to recognize that this epistle is addressed "to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, ..." (1 Pete 1:1, 2).

This epistle (along with Hebrews, James and 2 Peter) is addredded primarily to Jewish believers. However, the truth it presents applies equally to all believers.

"Elect" is, in modern English, "chosen." Thus Peter discloses one more stage of the process that occurred in eternity. God "chose" us. If we combine these words of Peter with the words of Paul in Romans 8:29, 30, we find that there are actually three stages that belong to eternity, before time began: God "foreknew" us; He "chose" us; He "predestined" us.

This revelation of God's "forknowledge" is needed to complete the revelation of His choice. Without this, we could conclude that God's choice is purely arbitrary. But it is not so. His choice of every individual proceeds out of His "foreknowledge." He knows exactly what He can make of each life.

Many times a person who is called by God to some special task feels entirely inadequate - as did Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, and many others. There is a temptation to respond, "But, God, I can't do that!"

However, God has already given His answer in Scripture: "I knew you before creation took place. My choice and My calling are based on My knowledge of you. I know better than you youself what I can make of you, and I have arranged the course of your life accordingly."

My greatest concern is to fulfill the plan God worked out for me in eternity. Free from pride or presumption, I begin to identify with the words of Jesus: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (John 4:34).

We need to trust the Lord who worked out your plan from eternity - "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5:24).

David, the psalmist said: "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring to pass" (Psalm 27:5).

The Remnant of the Church

An important question needs to be answered: "Will the Church that is saved also be a remnant?"

God promises a truly glorious future to Israel, but He also warns that the saved remnant of Israel will have gone through intense pressure to make them what He intends them to be. Will the Church likewise emerge as a remnant that has been purified by a pressure no less intense?

Several Scriptures concerning the Church seem to depict a remnant that has fulfilled certain conditions:

1. The Narrow Way - Jesus addresses the question: Are there few who are saved?

Jesus said: "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, whee you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.' But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity" (Luke 13:24 - 27).

2. At the close of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives a similar warning:

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (Matt. 7:21 - 23).

Personally, I do not believe that people who made these claims of working miracles were lying. They had actually done what they claimed. But being able to prophesy, cast out demons and work wonders does not necessarily prove that a perosn is one of God's elect.

In the Lord's answer to these people there is one significant pharse that occurs three times: "I do not know you ... I do not know you ... I never knew you." They had never been on the list of God's elect. From His perspective in eternity He had looked below their public ministry into their personal lives. He had searched for the nature of Jesus, the nature of the Lamb, manifested in meekness and purity and holiness. But in vain!

Outwardly, these miracle workers had been busy serving the Lord, but in their innermost character God had discerned something described as "lawlessness." This expressed itself in attitudes such as pride, arrogance, self-seeking, covetousness, personal ambitio. For such, He had no place reserved in heaven. There is one unvarying requirement of God that runs through the whole Bible - "Without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14).

3. Those who endure to the end

In Matthew 24 Jesus reveals another mark which characterize God's elect: endurance. He gives a brief but vivid picture of the period lesding up to the close of the present age. He describes a series of events which He calls "birth pangs" or "labor pains' because they climax in the birth of God's Kingdom on earth (read Matt. 24:4 - 13). He warns His disciples that they will be subjected to progressively increasing pressures - "But he who endures to the end will be saved" (Matt. 24:13). Notice that enduring to the end is a requirement for salvation! Only those who have endured will qualify.

There is a divine purpose behind these tests, to which both Jews and Christians are being subjected. As the present age draws to a close, God intends to bring forth a people for His name, who will be fit to share His Kingdom through eternity. Therefore He will not spare His people any test that is needed to produce the kind of commitment and character that He requires. The same type of testing that faces Israel likewise faces the Church.

Israel and the Church

It is not merely the case that Israel is never used in the New Testament as a synonym for the Church. The opposite is actually true. There are various passages where Israel denotes Jews who have actually rejected Jesus and therefore cannot be considered as members of His Church.

Let us look a just a few passages in Romans 11:

"What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded" (Romans 11:7, NKJV).

It is obvious here that Israel is used to describe those who have not believed in Jesus the Messiah, and are therefore not part of the Chruch. In the same chapter Paul says about Israel:

"I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealously, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness! For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them" (Romans 11:11 - 14).

Throughout these verses Paul maintains a consistent contrast between Israelites who have rejected Jesus and Gentiles who have received salvation through faith in Him. So, far from Israel being a name for Gentile believers, Paul uses the name to distinguish them from Gentile believers!

"For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in you own opnion, that blindness in part had happened to Israel until the fullness (full number) of the Gentiles has come in" (Romans 11:25).

Being a Jew

Paul said: "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God" (Romans 2:28. 29. emphasis added).

When Paul says "whose praise is not from men," he is playing on the Hebrew meaning of the name "Jew," which is taken from the name of the tribe of Judah, meaning "praise" or "thanksgiving." When Leah gave birth to her fourth son she called him Judah saying, "I will praise the Lord." The meaning of Judah or Jew, then, is "praise." So Paul says if you are a real Jew, your praise should come from God and not men. Paul was saying it is not enough to be a Jew outwardly. A true Jew must have the inner condition of heart that earns him or her the praise of God.

Being Israel or Israelites

Let us now turn to the words "Israel" or "Israelites" as used in the New Testament.

Paul said: "For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, 'In Isaac your seed shall be called,' that is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed: 'At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.'" (Romans 9:6 - 9).

Here Paul explains that to be physically descended from Israel - that is, from Jacob - is not sufficient. To qualify for God's promised blessings, a person must also demonstrate the same faith that characterized Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; otherwise, he or she is not really entitled to the name "Israel."

Let us bear in mind that Paul is not extending the use of "Israel" to include all believers, irrespective of national origin. On the contrary, he is restricting its use to include only those descendants of Israel who are in the faith of the Messiah. It is an error to suggest that in this passage Paul describes all believers as Israel.

In other places in Romans 9, Paul uses "Israel" in the normal sense of all who are descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Paul said: "For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen" (Romans 9:3 - 5, emphasis added).

Here Paul calls "Israelites" those who have actually rejected the Messiah. Nevertheless he calls them countrymen. Furthermore, Paul wishes he would take their place of unbelief and rejection by God. It is obvious that Paul is here using the name "Israel" or "Israelite" to describe all those descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whether they are believers or unbelievers. This is the normal use throughout the New Testament.

The Israel of God

Paul said: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God" (Gal. 6:15, 16, emphasis added).

Here again Paul uses "Israel" in a restricted sense. He is talking about two kinds of people. On one hand are those who, without a background in circumcision or Judaism, have experience the new birth and are walking in the new creation. On the other hand are Israelites by natural descent who have remained in the faith that was the mark of their ancestors and through that faith have embraced Jesus as Messiah, thus entering into the New Covenant. The latter Paul calls "the Israel of God." What really matters, Paul is saying, is not some religious rite but a creative act of God in the heart generated by the New Covenant.

There is an important reason why Paul makes the distinction between believers from Gentile and Jewish backgrounds. Gentiles, on one hand, had become Christianss by a single supernatual transformation that had taken place in their hearts. They had no previous background of knowledge of the one true God. For Jews, on the other hand, their faith in the Messiah was the culmination of a historical process which was initiated at the Exodus from Egypt and then developed over many centuries through the ministry of God-appointed rulers, prophets and priests.

The spiritual condition of the Gentile world in the time of the New Testament could be compared to a field which had been left in the natural wild condition, without undergoing in any process of cultivation. For a Gentile to come to Christ represented a direct intervention of God in an individual life which had not undergone any historical process of preparation.

The Jewish people on the other hand, were a field that had been carefully cultivated over many centuries. For this reason, during the period of His ministry that was confined to Israel, Jesus said to His disciples: "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored, others have labored, and you hae entered into their labors" (John 4:38).

The disciples were reaping in a field that had been cultivated over many centuries by a long succession of God's servants.

The terminology that Paul uses in Gal. 6:15, 16 bring out this distinction between the backgrounds of Gentile and Jewish believers. For both alike, there was a personal encounter with the Messiah that transformed their lives. For Gentiles, this was a direct intervention of God, without any previous historical process of preparation. But for Jews the encounter was the culmination of a historical process that had been going on for many centuries. It was appropriate, therefore, to describe them not just as "Israel," but as "the Israel of God." Their faith in the Messiah represented the fulfillment of the purpose of which God had brought Israel into being.

The Church

This analysis of the use of "Israel" in the New Testament would not be complete without a similar brief analysis of the way in which the New Testament uses the word "Church." A "Church" is not a physical structure of wood or brick or stone. In the Greek text of the New Testament, the word usualy translated "Church" is "ekklesia." This denotes "a company of people called out for a special purpose." The closest English word would be "assembly." According to the usage of the New Testament, the "Church" is "an assembly of people called out" from the present world order to serve Jesus Christ and to be prepared by Him to become the collective instrument of the goverment which He will establish in the next age.

The Body of Christ

Paul said: "He put all things under His feet, and gave Him ato be head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Eph. 1:22, 23, emphasis added).

Seen in the light that the Church is the Body of Christ, it is not an organization but an organism. Each member of this Body in directly related by personal faith to Christ, as its Head, and through Him to all the other members.

Over the centuries, however, this concept has been so corrupted and distorted that the Church, as it is known today, bears little or no resemblances to the original model established in the New Testament. Many of those who consider themselves as members of today's Church have no living, personal relationship with Christ, and are often at enmity with other professing Christians. Only a small minority of those who are currently called Christians are members of the Church which is described in the New Testament.

In the midst of all this confusion, however, the true Church is still here on earth.

Paul said: "Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity'" (2 Tim. 2:19).

The Church so defined, has two distinguishing characteristics:

1. God, and God alone, knows all those who are truly His.

2. Everyone who claims to be a member of this Church is required to demonstrate it by a life of practical righteousness and holiness.

For most Jewish people, this New Testament picure of the Church has no reality. They think of the Church as a large institution, on the same order as a political party or an ethnic society, which for many centuries has been the main instrument and propagator of anti-Semitism. Thus the confusion produced by Satan concerning the identity of Israel is exceeded only by the confusion he has produced concerning the identity of the Church.

God's Choice

Israel and the Church, as correctly interpreted, have one vitally important element in common: each of them is the product of what theologians term "divine election." More simply stated, this means "God's Choice."

Much of the controversy concerning Israel revolves around this issue of God's choice. If there is anything the natural mind of unregenerate man does not like, it is the revelation that God has chosen certain people. We can usually tolerate it so long as we believe we are the poeple God has chosen. Our problem comes when God says He has chosen people we would not have chosen!

Jacob and Esau

Paul offers a historical example of election from the Old Testament - the birth of Jacob and Esau (read Romans 9:10 - 18).

Both twins were conceived by the same father, but before they were born God declared His attitude toward each of them. Paul says God did this to demonstrate that the decisive issue in a person's destiny is not what he does, but God's choice. This has never been an easy doctrine for the carnal mind of man to conceive.

Before both brothers ever came out of the womb, without reference to anything they had done, God declared His choice - the older to serve the younger which was contrary to the accepted cultural rules of the day. Clearly God's choice was not based on Jacob's character or good deeds, since he had not even been born. On the other hand, any goodness that subsequently came out of Jacob's life was the fruit of God's choice.

God's mercy, compassion and grace

Mercy and compassion come from God's sovereign decision. Unfortunately, however, the truth of God's sovereignty is hardly ever mentioned in the contemporary Church. We could define God's sovereignty by saying God does what He wants, when He wants, the way He wants. He asks no one's permission.

Paul said: "So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy" (Romans 9:16).

All our effort and all our good works are not sufficient. We are totally dependent on God's mercy, which He Himself freely dispenses as He chooses. God, by His own sovereign decision either grants or withholds mercy in the life of every person. We always need to remember that God does not own mercy to any of us. If He never offered mercy to a single one of us, He would still be perfectly just.

When God offers His mercy, He lays down certain simple conditions that He requiers us to meet. These are stated in the message of the Gospel. The fact that we have met His conditions for mercy, however, by no means indicates that we have earned it. By definition, neither mercy or grace can ever be earned.

Election and the Church

We have seen that in the Old Testament God's dealings with Israel are the expression of His sovereign decision not made on the basis of works. In partcular, the apostle Paul emphasizes that God rejected Esau and chose Jacob while they were still in the womb, in order to demonstrate that the basis of His dealings with nations is His own sovereign choice. Gentile Christians sometimes have dificulty in accepting this principle, especially when emphasis is placed on God's choice of the Jews.

Nevertheless, a careful analysis of the New Testament reveals that exactly the same principle applies in Gentile Chrsitians. In fact, it applies to all believers, irrespective of national or racial background. Every true believer in Jesus Christ has been divinely elected (chosen). Otherwise, he would not and could not be a believer.

Some sections of the Church do not recognize this. Those sections of the Church that do recognize it are often regarded with suspicion. This may be due partly to the fact that while these believers have embraced an important truth, they have sometimes emphasized it to the point where they have ignored other equally important truths. In this way they have carried one particular truth in unbiblical extremes.

We are Christians not because we chose God but beacuse God chose us. In much contemporary teachings, we are left with the feeling that salvation depends entirely on our making the right decision, when actually this is secondary. Salvation depends on the decision God has already made. Any decision we make is merely a response to the decision which God has already made. Furthermore, He made that decision before He created the world.

The principle of divine election, in other words, which we have seen applied to Israel, applies just as much to the Church. God has no other principle. He never endorses or blesses any decision or program which He Himself has not initiated. Many Christians would be less insecure if they realized that their lives are products of a plan that was conceived in eternity before creation ever took place.

There are a number of New Testament Scriptures which, taken together, unfold this priciple of divine election:

1. Jesus said: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you" (John 15:16).

The apostles had not become followers of Jesus because they made the right choice. It was not they, but Jesus, who made the choice. This principle applies to all believers whom God calls into His service.

2. Paul said: "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom he called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified" (Romans 8:29, 30, emphasis added).

The above passage contains a succession of verbs in the past tense: foreknew, predestined, called, justified, glorified. They mark out the only route that leads to God's glory. The first two stages - foreknew and predestined - occurred in eternity before time began.

The whole process had its origin in God's foreknowledge. From eternity He forekew each one of us. On the basis of this He predestined us - that is, He planned the course that our lives should take.

God seems to say, "I knew you before creation took place. My choice and My calling are based on My knowledge of you. I know better than you yourself what I can make of you, and I have arranged the course of your life accordingly."

People may react in different ways to this revelation from God's Word. My own response is the very opposite of pride or presumption. I have an awesome sense of my personal resposibility. My greatest concern is to fulfill the plan God worked out for me in eternity. I begin to identify with the words of Jesus: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (John 4:34).

On the other hand, my sense of responsibility is balanced by the wonderful assurance of what Paul said: "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it" (1 Thess. 5:24).

The outcome is an acknowledgment of moment-by-moment dependence on God's all-sufficient grace.

To those who are held by a sense of their own inadequacy, I would like to offer a word of encouragement - "Look away from yourself and your own ability, a trust yourself to God's omnipotence."

David, the psalmist said: "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass" (Psalm 37:5).

A call to be a Soulwinner

The Great Commission carried one principle message, and that is "wining the lost." It is consistent with why Jesus came, and with His teaching. He come to seek and to save that which was lost. His constant teaching about the prodigal son, the lost coin, the lost lamb, lost rich man, weeping over Jerusalem, and constant concern over lost Israel, wanting to make fishers of men out of His disciples, reveals that His uppermost burden was saving the lost. For this purpose He came, for this purpose He died and rose again. That is why He sent the Holy Spirit, that He may draw men unto Him. It is for this purpose He has called us. This was the Great Commission - "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel" - The message of good news.

The Message of Good News

Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:18 - 20, NKJV, emphasis added).

There are three "Alls" - "all authority"; "all the nations"; "all things"; and a forth if I may take literary license and say "always."

In other words, Jesus said, "You go into every nation and get people save. I am empowering you to do so and am promising I will not abandan you."

This commission is not just for the missionary or the evangelist. It is for every Christian. No one is exempt. If you do not go abroad you are responsible to see to it that others are able to go - by helping them financially or in kind.

The Pastor, as everyone else, is called to be a soulwinner. He even has a greater responsibility, for while he is to be a soulwinner himself, he is also responsible to see to it that each member of his flock is winning souls. That is the number one program of the Church. You may be a full-time worker, an administrator, a builder, a counselor, a preacher, a teacher, a musician or a retire, but first and formost you must be a soulwinner. I you are not, you are living in disobedience to the last Command of Christ.

Being commissioned to be a soulwinner

Soulwinning starst the day you get saved. When the woman at the well found Jesus, she soon had the whole town at the feet of Jesus. I don't understand from what version of the Bible we get the idea that we must be saved for years, take several courses on soulwinning or spend four to seven years years in college or university getting a degree before we go out. Some of the deepest theologians are the poorest soulwinners! Some of them say, "That is not my responsibility. It is the evangelist's calling." Calling or profession has nothing to do with it. Every Christian is commissioned to be a soulwinner.

There should never be a Christian function without soulwinning as the objective. You may have friendly badminton or tennis games at school where the majority of the young people are not Christians. Or you may have Christian ladies invite their non-Christian friends to the Church cooking class. Or you may have a Church Camp where Christians have the opportunity to invite their non-Christian friends to go. A speaker should be invited to speak in the Camp. This will give an opportunity for non-Christians to listen to Christian messages and respond to the altar-call.

Christian youths are in great danger of just having a social gathering they called Youth Camp. They just want to have fun. Can you imagine that there is no Bible study and no intercessory prayer meet? All they do is to play card games or Monopoly!

Wherever Christian gatherings are held, there the Great Gommission should be heard and felt or it is not Christian, it becomes a secular thing. Of course, Christians should have fun, but their fun should point others to Christ. If sinners are present, then it is an opportunity to motivate the believers to be soulwiners.

Anyone who feels they are not called to soulwinning is not in tune with the burden of Christ. They do not have the pulsating heart-beat of the Holy Spirit. I wonder if such person is born-again. If there is some flicker of life in them and they are not winning souls, then certainly they are out of the will of God.

The calling of Pastors

Pastors are called to reach the lost and to teach the reached. So many Pastors act more like politician electioneering than shepherds who lead the flock. God did not call Pastors to dine at every banquet, kissing babies and embracing women folk. He did not comission Pastors to attend every convention, belong to every club and attend every party. He called Pastors to seek the lost, cry out,"Oh, God, my community is going to hell. Their blood will be required at my hands." Pastor needs to know that he will have to give an account for every lost lamb of his flock, for the lean, barren sheep that he is shepherd of.

The Spirit of God is saying to all believers, "Hurry and get the Gospel to every creature." Keeping people out of hell was so important that Jesus left heaven, came to this earth, suffered untold physical and spiritual agony, bled and died, as He gave His soul an offering to sin. If He was willing to pay so great a cost to win the lost, how come we, redeemed son, dare take the matter of winning souls so lightly? Dare we become embarrassed to speak to someone about his soul? Dare we have a neighbor, a fellow worker that we have not witnessed to?

A Pastor should at least, once a year, lead a team of Christians into the neighborhood homes and apartment buildings. We, who are called of God, should have witnessed to, or personally won, at least one soul to the Lord in a specific period of time. We should bring forth the evidence of our call, of our burden and concern for the lost. Wesley didn't tell his disceiples to go and he himself personally relax at home. Booth didn't send the cadets to the street meeting and take his wife shopping. They showed their disciples the way by personal example. The mandate of Jesus was and still is, "Win the lost!" The command is "GO." and not send others and find some reason not to go himself.

The New Testament Church never considered the cost or impossibilities. We say the doors are closed to the schools, government departments, apartment buildings and many countries, especially to where Islam is the official religion. It is time we acted like we believe the Gospel. Jesus said that there was "salvation in no other Name" but through Him. Do we really believe that? If we do, we will act like it. The rulers in the days of Peter, John, Paul and Barnabas said, "You must not speak in the Name Jesus." But they said, "Shall we obey man or God?"

The New Testament Church got the message. They got the power and they went. They went from house to house. They were rejected, they were persecuted and stoned. They were ridiculed and arrested. Their love ones disowned them. Some women became widows because their men became martyres, but they went on witnessing. It was more important for them to obey than to live in disobedience. Little wonder they said, "....Those who have turned the world upside down have come here too" (Acts 17:6).

They won the world by sacrificing themselves. We are losing the world by self-indulgence. Yes, the early Church shook the whole Roman Empire. We are allowing some ungodly bylaw that says you cannot assemble of give literature in schools or in a park, shopping mall or apartment building, shake us up. Maybe some will have to pay the price of being arrested, of having their reputation splashed across the newspapers. Paul didn't seem to mind being arrested for there he found time to write the Paulin Epistles!

Every believer can and must win souls if we are going to get the job done. It matters not whether you are active in business or crippled in a wheelchair at home. Ther is no living person who is a Christian who is exempt from soulwinning. Pastors must challenge the members of his congregation to win souls. If no, it is probably because they are not doing it themselves. Pastors should not neglect their duty because the Churchgoers will reflet their burden or lack thereof!

One day the Pastor will conduct a funeral and have to console distraught parents whose teenager got killed in a road accident. He knew they had a wayward child, but as a shepherd (Pastor) he never visited that home and tried to reach that child. How would the Pastor feel when the mother clings to his arms and asked, "Pastor, do you think my child has gone to heaven?" Try to assure her, when you never cried with her over the child before he was killed. Take a leisurely drive to his home after the funeral service, listen to the music on his car radio, sit up and watch TV with his wife that night. God to sleep if he can. If he can, he has just disqualified himself from the Christian ministry!

We love the Lord by winning souls

Do we love the Lord enough to go and win souls, and do we love the lost enough to obey Christ's command? It was God's love that He sent His Son to the cross. It was His love that was expressed in self-sacrifice. How do we express His love to the lost? Are we gripped by His love for the lost until His love becomes our love for the lost?

An unsaved father was cleaning and playing with a gun one day while his Sunday-school-attending son sat by and watched. Accidently the gun went off and struck the boy. While they waited for the speeding ambulance to arrive, the boy squeezed his father's hand and said, "Daddy, I love you even if you get drunk and don't treat me very good." The boy went to heaven but his love prepared the father to follow him. Do loved ones and sinners really know that we love them? Seldom will anyone resist witness if it is done.

Invest in prayer for the unsaved

Do allow the Holy Spirit to keep probing all our hearts. How much time do we really invest in prayer for the unsaved?

See our Lord looking at the multitude and having compassion for them, for they were as sheep without a shepherd. See Him on the side of Mount Olivet looking at Jerusalem and crying, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing" (Matt. 23:37)!

See Abraham pleading for the lost in Sodom and Gomorrah. Moses prostrated himself on the rocks and was willing to have his name removed from the saved if need be to have Israel spared. Jeremiah wept for his wayward people until he ran out of tears. Paul ceased not to petition, and even to receive the curse due to them for rejecting their Messiah. The crying was incontrollable,and by his own confession he wept at times day and night. He travailed over the maturing saints, for Christ to be formed in them.

Have we caught the burdened spirit of sages and prophets, over the generation, for those who are lost? We are responsible for ur generation, and particularly for those for whom we have accepted responsibility. When a Pastor accepts a charge, he is charged with the spiritual responsibility of that congregation. The parents, grandparents, youth and children are his responsibility.

Visitation

When someone got saved, the Pastor should do his best to find out about him and his family. If a Pastor is posted and accepted a pastorate of an existing congregation, his first priority is to visit every family and adherent in their home. He should accept the most serious responsibility that any human could accept. He knows that one day he will face the Chief Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep, and he will have to give an account how he cared for those whom He loved unto death. It is a solemn, awesome charge. God help that shepherd in the Day of Judgment who cared not for the sheep, who attended to his own and his family's comfort, but failed miserably as an undershepherd.

Harvest time but shortage of laborers

It is harvest time around the world.

"Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I asy to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields for they are already white for harvest" (John 4:35)!

If it was harvest time in the day of our Lord with several million people, what is He saying today with nearly 6 billion on the earth? If the harvest was white then and about to fall, surely it is over-ripe today, and falling. It is hard for us to realize that more than a million souls perish every week, and the majority of them have never heard that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. You have the opportunity to talk to them daily, on airplanes, in trains, in restaurants, in offices, in schools, in hotels and everywhere. You talk to stewardesses, waiters, hotel maids and many others. And you talk to Hindus, Buddists, Moslems, but you are likely to realize that they have never heard of the message of the Cross and that no one can enter the Kingdom of God but through Jesus Christ. Do you realize that over 2 billion of today's population have never heard that message for the first time? Yes, many have heard about Christianity but very few know what it means to be a Christian. They simply look upon Christianity as the American or European religion, just like Hiduism as the Indian religion, Buddhism as the Chinese and Japanese religion and Islam as the Arabic religion. The fields are over-ripe and the grain is falling.

The problem was in our Lord's days and it still is today - a shortage of laborers.

Jesus said, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Matt. 9:37, 38).

A shortage of righteous people

Sodom and Gomorrah would not have been destroyed had there been at least handful of righteous people. Lot had so compromised that he called the Sodomites "brethren."

"Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly" (Gen. 19:7).

But for the prayers of Abraham and the mercy of God, Lot may have perished with the rest of the crowd.

God had to destroy the world in Noah's day because it was so wicked that it was beyond salvation. Only eight souls counted as "righteous" were spared. In each case there were no laborers to save the situation. It doesn't always take a great crowd to change the situation, but it does take an Elijah to take on the hundreds of false prophets. It took a repentant backslider like Jonah to save Nineveh. It took Elijah with the power of God to change the situation. If you think your community is hard and unresponsive, you should try to face what Eijah did. The power of God with fire from heaven made the difference.

The crime of murder, the crime of abotion where millions of unwanted babies cry as they are being killed still in the womb, the thousands being killed in the insurrections, in coups and in wars are all terrible crimes, but the worst crime of all crimes is committed by God's people. It is the sin of neglect, of lukewarmness, of a self-induced sleep while over a million souls go into hell every week. A hundred and fifty thousand die daily, almost 7,000 per hour and yet we can sit back and watch it happen!

We Christians can make the destiny of souls heaven or hell. How are the lost going to hear unless we speak to them? The angels were not charged with the Gospel. The charg is to Christian believers only.

There is a need today, a need tomorrow and a need everyday. There are lost ones in our communities, in our workplace and in our schools. Let us, as Pastors, full-time workers and concerned Christians join hand with others as we enter to seek, and seap the lost.

A Christian and his Personal Walk

When a person joins the armed forces, they are immediately taught how to walk worthy of their new vocation. Everything they do, every place they go, whether they are aware of it or not, whether they like it or not, they represent the Armed Forces.

When a ambassador accepts a post, he is going there to represent his country. He is trained, scrutinized and commissioned to walk worthy of his calling. he is under orders of the chief administrator to act on his behalf.

If this Christian is a Pastor, he is called and appointed to represent Jesus Christ to that congregation and community. His life and walk should be of the hightest order. It should in every way reflect the walk of Jesus. Not only is that the requirement for the Pastor, but it is the standard for all Christians.

John said, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:6, NKJV).

Paul said, "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentlemess, with longsuffering, bearing with on another in love, endeavering to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling" (Eph. 4:1 - 3).

The apostle Paul accepted the challenge to walk as Christ walked and so he was able say: "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" (1 Cor. 11.1).

What it takes to accept a call into the full-time ministry

It is a most serious matter to accept a call into the full-time, five-fold ministry. You are no longer your own to choose where you go or what you do. To choose your own way is to declare that you have not made a complete surrender. Your standard of conduct is in a manual called the Bible. Let us review a few of the requirements and standards of conduct:

1. Laying aside one's reputation

The first thing that Jesus did when He stepped out of equality with God, into the shoes of a man, was to make Himself of no reputation (Phil 2:7). Why is it that man, regardless of his social standing, will defend his reputation with all he possesses? He may be a convicted criminal, shut away as unfit to mingle with society, yet talk to him and you will discover he is prepared to defend his reputation. If nothing else, he will claim to be a proficient criminal.

Jesus, though being equal with God, emptied Himself of that equality and in becoming a Man, He did several things that would make living a God-like life possible as Man.

By surrendering His reptutaion He would never have to defend it or Himself through life. Have you ever considered how much of the Lord's time we spend defending our reputation?

2. Taking on Himself the form of a bond slave

That meant He would do what He was told to without expecting payment, appreciation, or recognition (Phil. 2:7).

3. Surrendering His will to the Father

He never did anything of His own accord (John 6:38). He consulted and did only the Father's will.

These are three very important keys to an acceptable Christian walk. One who does not surrender his reputation will constantly be irritated, frustrated, become retaliatory, defensive and at time offensive, if he is evil spoken of. Not to be evil spoken of, not to be maligned, castigated, persecuted and falsely accused is unrealistic. Jesus was so treated and we should expect to be. The servant is not above the Master. We are told to rejoice and be exceedingly glad that we are counted worthy to suffer such things (Acts 5:41).

Furthermore, to retaliate and to defend ourselves is evidence that we cannot trust the Lord to defend or rather to take care of our reputation. The simple matter is - are we willing to commit our reputation to Him and not try to protect, defend, or maintain it ourselves? Our responsibility is to so live that they cannot rightly accuse us. Beyond that we are in His hands.

Are we willing to be love-slaves to the Lord and His Church? We are not talking about rightful remuneration for our sevice. The ox that treads the corn should eat thereof. They that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. But excessive salary are hardly justifiable. Beyond finances there are other forms in which we are called to render service as love-slaves. Being a Pastor is not a punch-the-clock type of calling or job. Unfortunately, some of our more recent Bible colleges produce Pastors who don't even do that. They take their days for the children, days for the wife, holidays, days to be with guests, days for conventions, check in late and check out early, and don't even put in a 40-hour week.

A God-fearing and successful Pastor is on call 24 hours a day. He is in the office before the staff arrives. He is planning, counseling, studying and working all hours other know nothing about. He does not advertise his commitment. He expects no special mention or recognition for the same. He does not expect compliments and promotins. He is a love-slave and does it because he loves Christ and His Church.

The there points above will never become reality until one's will is presented as a living sacrifice unto God. Unless that Isaac is surrendered to tha Lord (Gal. 4), it will never be blessed and reproduced. It would be dangerous to bless and reproduce that which is not surrendered. An unsurrendered will and self will always want to do its own thing. As long as we do our own thing we will never really do His will. Too often our will clashes with His will. His will is for our "self" to be crucified, but our "self" resists crucifixion. He has, therefore, given us a free will so that we can voluntarily surrender it to Him. If we wll succeed in the above three surrenders, we will be ready to embark upon a walk that will be like unto His. That will involve:

A call to be obedient

Obedience springs forth from a surrendered will. Disobedience says, "I will not submit and obey, I will do my own thing." Neither God nor man can use a disobedient servant.

The successful Pastor has been careful to pull up every sibling plant of disobedience from the garden of his heart. If he finds his will resisting soulwinning effort, of personally physically getting involved by walking down the street and knocking at some doors, then he should overcome that resistance immediately. If he finds forgiveness difficult, or to love those who have persecuted him, or unjustly misrepresented him, he should attend to the matter immediately before it takes strong roots in his life.

When Abraham was under command to leave his country, friends and associates, he obeyed. He knew not where he was going. He had never seen the Promised Land. He faced opposition within and without, but none of those things deterred him from obeying and doing the will of God. When it seemed that even God was unreasonable in His commands, he still obeyed (Gen. 22:2, 3).

A call to self-denial

What do we really mean by self-denial? Which self am I to deny? Are we talking about the "depraved self" that is in sin, or are we talking about the "born again" self? Are we talking about the son of the bond-woman or the son of promise (Gal. 4)? We must define this for I fear too many of us do not understand what is involved.

Jesus made "denial of self" a condition of discipleship. He said, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Mark 8:34).

To deny self is to renounce the right to do our own thing, or to go our own way even if it is not sinful. It is a refusal to be a bonslave. It need not be comitting sin.

Self-denial is giving your will over to the Lord to choose your way for you. It is not your right to choose. You have denied yourself that right. You have been bought with a price. If He would not have died for you and accepted you, you would die in hell. He, therfore, has full rights to you. But He does not want your service on legal rights. He wants it on the basis of love - so He has given you a will to choose out of love to surrender (deny) yourself to Him.

A call for steadfastness

A major characteristic of a successful Pastor is steadfastness. A man who is not steadfast, stable, unwavering, will not earn the support and respect of others. If he is blown around with every wind of doctrine, changing loyalties and vision, he will not only lose favor with men but he will be overlooked by God.

James said, "... let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:6 - 8).

Lack of steadfastness is a big problem in the Christian ministry. It is not peculiar to Christianity, but it is to men of any unstable nature. What makes matters worse in the ministry is their attributing their lack of stability to the Lord. You can spot them readily. "The Lord spoke to me to come and be your Pastor." One year later - "The Lord has spoken to me to go elsewhere." It all probability the climate elsewhere is better and the wages more generous.

A call to be honest

Other than love, honesty is perhaps the greatest vitrue one can have. It is taken for granted that every Christian is honest. We are especially prone to believe that every Pastor is honest. By and large we believe that most are. In every profession there are those who deal with a slack hand, and unfortunately there are some in the ministry.

The problem of dishonesty exists as other problems do. The reason is in failing to make an unqualified surrender and maintaining a reverential fear of God. If a man has reverential fear to bring disrespect and disgrace to God and His cause, that man will keep his fidelity and will not be dishonest. Dishonesty will always surface, if not on this earth during one's lifetime, it will after death and certainly at the Day of Judgment.

A man may have faults that you can work on, and help him overcome, but if he is dishonest you are wasting your time with him. It is like a sculptor wasting his time on a rotten piece of wood. No amount of work is going to make a sound engraving of that wood. There must be that inward honesty that no matter how severely tested, regardless of how hard pressed he is, he will not yeild to that which is dishonest. That is a virtue that is indispensable in a Pastor. He must be honest with himself, his family, his people and above all, with God.

A call for humility

The apostle Paul, in addressing the Ephesian Elders, reminds them how he served them while in their midst.

"Serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you in public and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greek, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:19 - 21).

The apostle Peter writes on the subject saying: "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God rsists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:5, 6).

The opposite of humility is pride. Humility is something whereby we exercise our responsibility, and put on as a cloak. It is something we are to do. We are not told to ask the Lord to humble us but we are told to humble ourselves.

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:10).

A call to walk uprightly

The opposite of walking uprightly is to walk in wickedness.

"He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known" (Prov. 10:9, KJV).

It is living in uprightness and flourishing, or in wickedness and be overthrown (Prov. 14:11).

Better to be poor in uprightness than wicked in riches (Prov. 28:6).

A call to live above sin

This seems almost unnecessary to mention. Surely we need not stress the importance of living above sin. God's servants must live above sin!

Association with those who are living in sin will corrupt good morals. The spirit of the "loose living" will be absorbed by the godly.

God's people have to face up to their responsibility as to their support of ministries that are adulterous.

A call to face the wiles of the Devil

In your Christian walk you will face certain wiles or methods of the Devil to get you to quit, to be discouraged, to be down on yourself. There are more Pastors who get fed up, discouraged, disappointed and leave the ministry, than those who have to leave because of some gross sin.

They are the little foxes that spoil the vine, the little germs that are unseen by the naked eye, that eat away and eventually destroy the whole body. They must be attended to and overcome.

One of the things that may seem very simple is disappointment. Disappointment is the forerunner of discouragement. Every man who attemps great things for God and sees little progress can be overtaken by disappointment, yield to discouragement and become a quitter.

Someone said, "Blessed is the man who expects nothing for he shall never be disappointed." Such a man is a disappointment already. He is a disappointment to God, his Maker, to his mother who bore him, and really to himself for not making some mark to society.

A person who had tried, but didn't make it should not succumb to disappointment. Work more diligently than he did before. Pray harder, plan more thoroughly, recruit help more vigorously, apply himself more enthusiastically, and he will reach his goal eventually.

Do not allow disappointments to mature into discouragement. Elijah was disappointed so God encouraged him. When he got discouraged, God rejected him and sent him on his way to anoint his successor. Disappointment is normal, but if you despair it is abnormal. On those who set goals, who try and fail get disappointed. It is those who despair, who stop trying and fail.

Conclusion

There are many other things that could be said about a Christian/Pastor and his personal walk. I believe it is time we should learn how to suffer in Christian ministries. It is my conviction the Church and its ministries are on the threshold of world-wide persecution and thus suffering. Suffering is a cup given to the Church as it was given to the Lord. It was a cup that could not be set aside.

Paul said to the Church at Colosse: "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the Church" (Col. 1:24)

God's expectation of a Pastor

Paul said, "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers" (Eph. 4:11, NKJV, emphasis added).

A Pastor is part of the "five-fold" ministry - ministry gifts to the Church. Such a ministry should not be undertaken unless one has been especially called for such a purpose. The five-fold ministers are ministers of the Lord and He alone does the choosing. Those whom He chooses, have the benefit of a personal encounter and experience resulting in a "knowing" that they are called.

To be a part of this five-fold ministry, one must not presume that because he is scholastically prepared, or because he or others decide he should pursue such a ministry; qualifies him for such a ministry. Before specialized training is pursued, he must know, by having received a personal call.

That call may come in a dramatic way like it did to Moses or the Apostle Paul. It may come by a spoken invitation like it come to the disciples, "Follow Me"; mut must be in a way tha the candidate will know beyond a shadow of doubt that he is called for that specific office. The apotle Paul invariably start his Epistles with the prefix, "Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God ..." He would have never survived the opposition, persecution, and suffering, had he not known by experience that he was "called" to be an apostle.

Being "called" to be a Pastor is being called to "leadership." The Bible is exceptionally well documented with cases where God called individuals to leadership. Let us briefly examine such call - the call of Abraham.

Abraham and his call

"Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you'" (Gen. 12:1).

While Abraham's call wa clear, causing him to leave Ur and all his associations, that was not the only experience he has with God. At Shechem:

"Then the Lord appeared to Abraham and said, 'To your descendants I will give this land.' And ther he built an altar to the Lord, who appeared to him" (Gen. 12:7).

The Lord appeared to him in Canaan when he refused to fight with Lot over fertile pasture land.

"And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: 'Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward ..." (Gen. 13:14).

Personal encounters and experiences

If you take time to trace Abraham"s journey, you will find a constant repetition of , "The Lord appeared to Abraham"; "The Lord came to Abraham in a vision." In other words, he had many personal encounters personal experiences. But someone says, "Our is a walk of faith, we do not need persoal encounters in this Dispensation of Grace." If anyone understood the walk of faith it was the apostle Paul, yet his life and ministry was exceptionally punctuated by dramatic personal experiences. I do not know any twentieth century, walk-in-the-Spirit leader who has not received a definite call from God, and experience continued evidence of God's guidance and presence. He makes Himself known and real to those whom He calls.

An evangelist was heard addressing an audience: "I could do what Moses did if I would have received the call and the experience that he received."

God did not send Moses into the court of Pharaoh when Moses was first called. he gave him an experience first. Keeping the flock of Jethro in the backside of the desert, Moses was not expecting any Divine intervention; yet suddenly a bush was aflame, but not consumed. Drawing near to observe this phenomenon, he heard a voice "Moses, Moses." And he said, "Here I am." (Read Ex. 3:4 - 8).

God not only called Moses, but immediately commissioned him to an impossible task. How well Moses knew the hardness of the heart of Pharaoh, and his strength, but he also knew the stubbornness of the leadership of Israel.

Personal inadequacy

As every God-called servant, Moses felt his personal inadequacy.

"But Moses said to God, 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?'" (Ex. 3:11)

There is nothing wrong with knowing for sure that you are called, the credentials of Him who is calling you, and the type and quality of the credentials being offered to you. Moses asked the questions:

"Who is calling me?" "The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." "What is your name?" "I Am what I Am."

Your credentials

God did not send Moses empty-handed. He does not today send those whom He calls empty-handed; He still places into their hand a "rod." That rod is the "rod out of the stem of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1).

Moses' credential was not his university training in Egypt. It was not his military training as a great leader. It was not his adopted-son status by Pharaoh's daughter. It was not his humility and obedience as a shepherd. It was not his experience of the burning bush, as important as that was. his credential will be what happens when he stretches or utilizes the rod in his hand. The elders of Israel, along with Pharaoh, will require mor than rhetoric. They would require evidence and proof that he is called and equipped to accomplish the task for which he claims to be called.

Church members and visitors todya, have a right to see evidence from their Pastor, that he is truly called and equipped, before they offer their loyalty and allegiance to him as their leader. Does he have the "rod of jesse," the "rod that budded," the resurrected Rod Christ Jesus in his hand? And when he sues that "Rod," when he speaks in the Name of Jesus, are the sinners converted? Are the sick healed? Do the signs and wonders of Mark 16:17, 18 follow his ministry?

Just because one has a diploma or a degree from a Bible College or a Seminary, does not qualify one for candidacy to the ministry. Just because one has been approved fro the ministry by the credential's committee, does not equip him for doing the work of the ministry. The apostle Paul never appeared before any credential's committee, but he did appear before Him who was - "in the midst of the seven lampstands" (Rev. 1:13) whose "eyss like a flame of fire" (Rev. 1:14) whose "voice as the sound of many waters" (Rev. 1:15) and whose "countenance was like the sun shining in its strength" (Rev. 1:16).

Before Him Paul fell as dead enroute to Damascus. "Then he fell to the gound, and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (Acts 9:4).

In demonstration of the Spirit

Paul, a highly educated, over-zealous, arrogant Rabbi, approved by the hightest ecclesiastical authority, was disapproved by the highest authority in heaven. Similarly, you must be able to say, like Paul: "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 Cor. 2:4, 5).

Pastors and evangelists today expect to be accepted and supported because they have a piece of paper from Bible College, and because the presbytery has ordained them. They present their man-acquired credentials, and expect the right to utilize all the authority, the benefits of support, and the respect of a called, anointed and equipped man of God.

A hireling or a God-called, God-equipped Pastor

Many Churches find themselves harnessed with a hireling rather than a God-equipped Pastor. As a man is hired for wages and punches the clock at the factory, the Church is saddled with even less, for while he demands executive wages, he doesn't even punch a clock. While the working man is on the road early in the morning to his workplace, facing the rush-hour traffic, he is still slumbering in bed. He checks in at the office when he wants to, and some of the time doesn't want to. He diligently takes a day off to be with his children or wife. If some emergency arises among the parishioners, he knows that he can always send one of his trusted hand-pick leaders. He can always ring the person up using his cell-phone later on when he is not so "busy."

As a hireling, he approves his own vacation leave (so-called sabbatical); he approves his own extended leave. An executive among the parishioners once commended that his Pastor has the best job in the world. It is true enough. His Pastor and his wife (also a Pastor) recently took nearly three months self-approved leave to visit one of his married children and in-laws in an overseas country. While away, he kept in touch with his Church's fulltime worker regularly to see if there is any problem among his parishioners. Nevertheless, to him it is more important to be with his own family members than with his spiritual family members (his sheep). Eventually he came back with a "strange" infection on the face which affected his speech. Because of this, his doctor advised him not to preach for at least three months. More vacations?

As the Church attendance declines, he fails to examine himself and accept responsibility. Someone must be blamed for the situation. It must be internal dissatisfaction, lack of staffs, a predecessor or some other elements. It is never himself; never the lack of a genuine calling and esperience and never lack the authority of the budding Rod.

Pastors with shepherd's hearts

Fortunately, that is not the plight of all Churches. That is not the state of all Pastors. There are many Abrahams, Isaacs, Jacobs, Pauls and Timothys who rise early to commune with their God and receive their instruction. There are Moses and Peters who can say: "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6).

There are those who as Paul will even engage in secular work to start, nurture and develop a congregation. Thereare those whose efforts have been misunderstood and became the object of character-assassination, yet have remained silent and faithful. There are those who have not sought the limelight, but rendered service as unto the Lord. There are those who having given their family necessary time, love and attention, but have not made "gods" out of them.

Praise God! There are Pastors who have a shepherd's heart. When some sheep or lambs go astray, they leave the comforts of their home, and regardless of whether it is raining, or snowing, in the unbearable heat, or the bitter cold, they are out there seeking the lost at any cost.

There are those Pastors who know that if the sheep are to be healthy and bear lambs, they must have good food. They know how to give milk to the young and meat to the mature. They do not invite pulpit clowns to preach. They do not invite entertaining dancers to entertain the Churchgoers. They do not embarrass the mature saints who have travelled some distance by some pointless little ditty they called a sermonette. Sermonettes will produce Christianettes. Blessed is the congregation who has a Pastor who knows, studies, practices, lives, and teaches the Word. Preaching the Word is not a pointless recitation of Scripture. The saints can stay at home and read the Word. How important it is that Elders and Pastors understand the purpose of public assembly - the Church!

Churches that have God-called, God-equipped Pastors, are happy, loving, growing Churches. Members of such congregations can say: "I was glad when they said to me, let us go into the house of the Lord" (Ps.112:1).

The latest movie or sports game will not deter these saints from Church services. Neither will they keep their joy to themselves. They will seek out neighbors, fellow-employees and business associates to share the Good News with. The back seats of their cars are not empty, for if they are not occupied with family, guests or friends, they are filled with neighborhood children who should hear the Word of the Lord.

Prove your calling as a Pastor

What kind of Pastor are you? If you are called, then prove it to youself and your parishioners. Don't live off the fat of the land, for the fat will soon be exhausted. Is the congregation prospering because of your presence? Is it bearing fruit and much fruit, or is it only cumbering the ground? If it bears no fruit, it faces being cut down. It is shameful to face the Vine-Owner when you fail to keep a fruit-producing vineyard. Better to resign before the vineyard is totally destroyed. Better yet to arise, and diligently tend to the vineyard until it produces much fruit of the Master. Only such will receive the cherished commendation: "Well done, good and faithful servant; .... Enter into the joy of your lord" (Matt. 25:21).

Enablement

Those whom God choose, He gives an experience to, and enables them to accomplish the task in which they are called. Here are two examples:

God's choice of David

A typical example of this is King David. David was God's choice, whereas Saul was the people's choice. In the first place, it was not God's plan that Israel have a king, as other nations had. But Israel persisted, and chose Saul, who was head-and-shoulders above others men. They looked on the outward appearance. Tall, good-looking, the type of man Israel could be proud to have as they king. God granted their request. But he was not called by God. He was not equipped with experience, therefore was predestined to failure and disappointment (Read 1 Samuel 8 - 31; 2 Samuel 1, 2).

On the other hand, David was chosen of God and given an experience. Read about his experience against a lion, a bear and the Philistine.

God's choice of Abraham

Abraham went back to his call at Ur, back to the altars built during Divine appearances; back to Haran, to Shechem, to Bethel and Egypt; from Egypt to Hebron and Habah; from his encounter with Melchizedek to the angels appearing with the promis of a son, and news of the imminent destruction of Sodom. Experiences were his meat and strength during the arduous pilgrimage of faith.

Conclusion

The person who is called of God for a specific ministry, whether it be an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher, or to that of helps, giving, or other supportive ministries, will not only be called, have an experience, be enabled to perform but also be equipped with talents equal to the task.

Submission to Governing Authorities

Every one of us is called to submit to the Governing Authorities of the country we live in.

Christians in these countries must exercise wisdom and to find out whether they are permitted to share the Gospel to Muslims openly or not. You my like to say: "If we do not obey the Great Commission we fail to exercise our duty as Christians." So, we are faced with this dilemma - Fulfilling the Great Commission and forbiddance in sharing the Gospel to a section of the earth's population.

Paul said: "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves" (Romans 13:1, 2, NKJV).

Unfortunately many Pastors, Church members, in their zeal and eagerness to win souls, fail to submit to the governing authorities in their country which clearly state that sharing the Gospel to Muslems is forbidden, and in line with what Paul said, they resist the ordinance of God and so bring judgment on themselves. Furthermore, some Bible Schools or Seminaries teach their students how to share the Gospel to the Muslims. Some Churches invite speakers to speak in their Church Camps on how to witness to Muslims step-by-step - how to be bold, insisting and forthright and so on. In my opinion they are being disobedient and resist the ordinance of God.

Let me state the Great Commission here so that you don't have to look it up - After His resurrection, Jesus said to His disciples: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. God therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:18 - 20).

There are ways to overcome the problem of getting Muslems saved and so fulfill the Great Commission. One of the ways is to pray for their salvation. Pray that the Holy Spirit may convict them of their sins and that reverent fear will overcome any resistant. It is said that behind every soul that is saved God heard our prayers seven time - either seven Christians have been praying or one Christian prayed sever times. Whether you believe it or not, this is bearing fruit for many Muslems are at present serving as Pastors and Evangelists. Their government knows about it but keeps quiet. I believe it is because of Christians' prayers.

The Blessings of Obedience

The Great Commission was Jesus' last words. I believe the last words of any person are important and more so of Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore our Lord desires that every Christian obeys the Great Commission. Let us look at the blessings and benefits of being obedient to His Word.

God carries the theme of obedience throughout His Word, from Genesis to Revelation. In Revelation 22:14, He says, "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, ..."

From beginning to end, from paradise lost to paradise gained, God's Law is unchangeable. Only obedience gives man access to the Tree of Life and God's favor.

You may ask how man gained access to the Tree of Life when his original disobedience close the way. Paul said: "For by one man's disobedience many wer made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous" (Romans 5:19). Read also Philippians 2:8, 9 and Hebrews 5:8, 9.

The whole redemption of Christ consists of restoring obedience to its place. The beauty on His salvation is that He brings us back to the life of obedience, through which the creature can give the Creator the glory due Him. It is in this way that the creature can also receive the glory his Creator desires to give him.

Old Testament Obedience

In the Old Testament, obedience always came into special prominence with any new beginning in the history of God's Kingdom. Noah, the new father of the human race, acted "according to all that God commanded him, so he did" (Gen. 6:22). Read also Gen. 7:5 and Gen. 9:16. The Bible mentions Noah's obedience four times. God entrusts His work to the man who does what He commands. God will use the obedient man to save His people.

The writer of Hebrews said: "By faith Abrahem obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going" (Heb. 11:8).

God chose Abraham to be the father of the chosen race because He knew Abraham had an obedient heart. After Abraham had spent forty years learning faith and obedience, God came to perfect Abraham's faith and crowned it with His fullest blessings. Nothing could pepare him for this but a supreme act of obedience. When Abraham had tied his son on the altar, God said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, you only son - blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice" (Gen. 22:16 - 18).

The blessing contnued for Isaac. "... I will perform the oath which I swore to Abrahem your father. ... because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws" (Gen. 26:3 - 5).

When will we learn how unspeakably pleasing obedience is in God's sight? When will we understand how great the reward is that He bestows because obedience!

On Mount Sinai, God gave Moses this message: "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine" (Ex. 19:5).

In the very nature of things, it cannot be otherwise. God's holy will is His glory and perfection. Only by entering His will through obedience is it possible to be His people. The Bible says nineteen times that Moses, while building the sanctuary where God dwelled, and acted "According to the Lord commanded." Because Moses obeyed God, ".... the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle .... and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar" (Ex. 40:33, 34; Lev. 9:23, 24).

God delights to dwell in the midst of His people's obedience. It is the obedient He crowns with His favor and presence.

After the forty years wondering in the wilderness and its terrible revelation of the Fruit of disobedience, the Hebrews were ready for a new beginning. They were about to enter Canaan. In describing the Hebrew nation at this time, the book of Deuteronomy uses the word "obey" more frequently and speaks of the blessing obedience brings more than any other book. The whole idea is summed up in the words: "Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse; the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I commanded you today; and a curse, if you do not obey ..." (Deu. 11:26 - 28).

Yes, "a blessing if you obey!" That is the keynote of the Christian life. Our Canaan, just like Paradise and heaven, is a place of blessing as well as the place of obedience.

New Testament Obedience

In the New Testament, we immediately think of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ and the importance He placed on obedence as the one reason He came into the world. Jesus entered the world saying, "Behold, I have come to do your will, O God" (Heb. 10:9). He always confessed to men, "I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me" (John 5:30). Or all he did suffered, even to death, He said, "This command I have received from My Father" (John 10:18). In Christ's teaching, we find everywhere that He claims the same obedience He rendered to the Father from everyone who desires to be His disciple.

During His whole ministry, from beginning to end, He said obedience was the very essence of salvation. In the Sermon on the Mount, He began with that subject. No one could enter the Kingdom "but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). In His farewell discourse, He wonderfully revealed the spiritual character of true obedience. It is born of love, inspired by it, and opens the way into the love of God.

Take into your heart the wonderful words, "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:15, 16, 21, 23).

No words could express more simply or more powerfully the glorious place Christ gives obedience. It is only possible with a loving heart. Obedience opens the door to all God has to give of His Holy Spirit, His wonderful love, and His indwelling in Christ Jesus. No Scripture passage give a higher revelation of the spiritual life or the power of loving obedience as John 14. Let us pray and earnestly ask God that, by His Holy Spirit, light may transfigure our daily obedience with its heavenly glory.

Living daily in His Commandments

Chapter 15 of the Gospel according to John, the parable of the vine, confirms this idea. How oftern and earnestly we have asked to be able to live continually like Christ! We think that by studying the Word, having more faith, offering more parayer, or attaining more communion with God will make us Christ-like. Yet we have overlooked one simple truth. Jesus clearly teaches: "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love" (John 15:10).

For Him, as for us, the only way under heaven to live in divine love is to keep the commandments. Have you known obedience? Have you heard it preached? Have you believed it and proved it true in your experience that obedience on earth is the key to a place in God's love in heaven? Unless ther is come correspondance between God's wholehearted love in heaven and our wholehearted, loving obedience on earth, Christ cannot manifest Himself to us. God cannot abide in us. We cannot live in His love.

In Acts 2, Peter shows how our Lord's teaching entered into him. He said it was by, "the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him" (Acts 5:32). He showed that the preparation for Pentecost was surrender to Christ. Later he said, "We ought toobey God rather than men" (Acts 5:32). We are to be obedience even unto death. Nothing on earth can dare to hinder obedience in the man who has given himself to God.

In Paul's epistle to the Romans, he asserted, in the opening and closing verses, that "... for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name. And by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations ..." (Romans 1:5; 16:26) was the reason he had been made an apostle. He spoke of what God made happen "to make the Gentiles obedient" (Romans 15:18). He taught that as the obedience of Christ makes us righteous, we become servants of obedience. As disobedience in Adam and in us was what brought death, so obedience in Christ and in us is the one thing that the gospel makes known as the way of restoration to God and His favor.

Listening to and obeying the Word

James warned us, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). He then described how Abraham was justified and his faith perfected by his works.

In 1 Peter, obedience has an important place in Peter's system. In 1 Peter 1:2, he speaks to the "elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." He shows us that obedience is the eternal purpose of the Father. It is the great object of the work of the Spirit and a chief part of the salvation of Christ. He writes, ".... as obedient children, no conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct" (1 Peter 1:14, 15).

Obedience is the starting point of true holiness. In 1 Peter 1:22 we read, "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth..." Complete acceptance of God's truth was not merely a matter of intellectual assent or stron emotion. it was subjecting one's life to the dominion of the truth of God. The Christian life was, first and formost, characterized by obedience.

We know how strong John's statements are. "I know Him, and does not keep His commandments is a liar" (1 John 2:4). Obedience is the certificate of Christian character. "Let us not love in word or in tonque, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:3:8, 9, 22).

Obedience is the secret of a good conscience and the confidence that God hears us. "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). We reveal our love for God, to Him as well as the world, through our cheerful obedience.

Obedience holds this high place in Scripture, in the mind of God, and in the hearts of His servants. We should ask ourselves if it takes that place in our hearts and lives. Have we given obedience that supreme place of authority over us that God means it to have? Is it the inspiration of every action and every approach of Him?

If we yield ourselves to the seaching of God's Spirit, we may find that we never gave obedience its proper proportion in our scheme of life and that this lack is the cause of all our failure in prayer and in work. We may see that the deeper blessings of God's grace, and the full enjoyment of God's love and nearness, have been beyond our reach simply because we never made obedience what God meant it to be. It is the starting point and the goal of our Christian life.

Let us unite in prayer that the Holy Spirit will show us how defective the Christian's life is when obedience does not rule everything. Let Him show us how that life can be exchanged for one of full surrender and absolute obedience. We can then be sure that God in Christ will enable us to live this live successfully.