If a man would be a soldier,
He’d expect to fight.
And he couldn’t be a author,
If he didn’t try to write.
So it isn’t common logic,
Doesn’t have the right true ring,
That a man to be a Christian
Doesn’t have to do a thing.
If a man would be a hunter,
He must go among the trees;
And he couldn’t be sailor,
If he didn’t sail the seas.
How strange for any person
To think perhaps that he,
Can fail to work and worship,
And a faithful Christian be.
Author Unknown
Via Bulletin Digest
The poem “Christians Are For Real” really has a lot to say. If one is a Christian that means that he or she does have a job to do, to be, a ministry to fulfill. Each and every Christian has something they can do and need to do for Christ and His church. We are told in 1 Peter 2:21 that Jesus left us an example for us to follow in His steps. Jesus, Himself, said in Luke 19:10 that He came to seek and save the lost. So, there is just one of the examples Jesus set for us along with many others in His caring for and helping others. There are four basic attitudes that Christians must have, what are these attitudes?
1. All Christians must want to accomplish the work of God. Again, the example of Jesus in John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” That means we must have a “servant” mentality (cf. Matt. 20:28; Phil. 2:21-26; 2:3-4). We must understand that God has given each of us jobs to do and, the abilities to do those jobs (Rom. 12:1-8).
2. All Christians must recognize that a harvest time is coming. At that time, the angels will gather all souls and bring them before the judgment seat of Christ. (Matt. 13:37-43; 25:31-46). At that time we will all be judged according to our deeds (John 5:28-29, “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment” and also 2 Cor. 5:10).
3. All Christians must be willing to involve themselves in the work of sowing. Somebody has to scatter (sow) the seed, the saving word of God (Rom. 10:14-15, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things”). Christians must take an active part in personally spreading the gospel (3 John 1:5-8)
4. All Christians must be willing to involve themselves in the work of reaping. There are many souls who have heard the truth but, they need someone to help them respond to, act upon what they have learned, to complete the work of evangelism. Christians must involve themselves in winning souls for Christ. Brethren, there are souls out there that only you can reach. It may be because of the respect they have for you, it may be because you are the only real, true Christian they know. That means their salvation depends on you!
Christ accomplished what He came to do, may we accomplish our tasks as well.
I want to extend my thanks to Derrick Shepherd of the S.W. congregation in OKC for the basic thoughts I was able to use here.
Until next week, I love you all,
Dan