February 27, 2013
We read in Acts
26:16-18 (NIV 1984): The Lord replied, ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to
appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what
I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles.
I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness
of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Although these were Jesus’ exact words to Saul (Paul) on the
road to Damascus where Saul, later called Paul, was headed to persecute
Christians, and Jesus was letting him know he had other plans for his life, his
words to Saul (Paul) could be said to any believer in Jesus, for this is the
calling of each and every individual follower of Jesus Christ.
To “get up” and to “stand up” are calls to action - to
listen; to awaken; to take courage; to ready yourself for action; to be resolute;
to not fear; and to speak God’s words with boldness, and in his power and
strength within you.
Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us that we
shall be his witnesses throughout the whole world (see Acts 1:8). This is not
optional. We, as true believers in Jesus Christ, have been given the Holy
Spirit within us, and we will witness for him for good or for bad by our lives,
by our actions and by our words. Yet, it is his desire that we witness the
truths of God’s word, and the true gospel of Jesus Christ – through our lives,
words and deeds - to a world in need of The Savior.
Jesus said that we are to “Go” and to make disciples
(followers of Christ) of all nations, and that we are to teach them to obey
Jesus Christ’s commandments (his teachings) – see Matt. 28:19-20. This means
that each and every follower (disciple) of Jesus Christ has a God-given
commission and responsibility to open the eyes of the spiritually blind, and to
turn them from the darkness of sin and living for self to the light of the
gospel of Jesus Christ and to salvation by grace, through faith (see Eph.
2:8-9); and to turn them from the power and control of sin and of Satan over
their lives to God, i.e. to true faith in Jesus Christ. Then, they will receive
forgiveness of sins, and will have a place among other followers of Jesus
Christ who are daily being sanctified (purified; made holy) by faith in Him.
In order to do this, we must be sharing the true gospel of
Jesus Christ. We are saved by God’s grace alone, and it is not of our own
doing, not by any good deeds or works that we might perform, lest any of us
should boast that we gained heaven or God’s approval in our own merit (see Eph.
2:8-9). Yet, we must understand the Biblical meaning of the word “faith.” The
Bible teaches us that faith is action, that faith is obedient, and that it is
repentant (see Acts 3:19; Heb. 11; I John; Rom. 6; 2 Co. 7:10; 2 Pet. 3:9, et
al).
Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny
(disallow) himself (his self-life) and take up his cross daily (die daily to
sin and self) and follow (obey) Him. He said if we hold on to our old lives of
sin and living for self, we will lose them for eternity, but if we forsake our
old lives of sin and living for self, we will gain eternal life (see Luke
9:23-25). As well, God, speaking through Paul, said that the way we come to
know Christ is by forsaking our old lives of sin (and self), by being
transformed in heart and mind (of the Spirit of God), and by putting on our new
lives “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (see Eph.
4:17-24).
Hello! My name is Sue Love. I pray if you have not yet
repented of your sin - turned from darkness - and turned to follow Jesus Christ
with your life - turned to God and the light of his truth - that you will do so
today. If I can help answer any questions you might have regarding how to be a
follower of Jesus Christ, and/or how you can fulfill your God-given
responsibility to be his servant and witness, you may write me at suejlove@outlook.com.
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