WHO'VE YOU TOLD?

WHO’VE YOU TOLD?

There’s an infinite difference between religion and faith - they are like East and West. Religion is what men do with their ideas of gods. Faith is man’s living out of God’s transcendent gift.

In my previous post, “7/7 LIVESMATTER,” I wrote about the biblical concept of unity. I specifically focused on John 17:20-23 where Jesus prays to the Father regarding the unity of the Church. In vv.22-23 we read, “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me— that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Jesus’ prayer was for the unity of the Church - not so that we could sing “Kumbaya my LORD” and eat s’mores together around campfires, but He says, “Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Jesus prayed for our unity for the supernatural impact of our collective testimony on a lost, dead, depraved, and hopeless world eternally separated from God, which brings light and life.

Jesus is the exclusive and ultimate fulfillment of God’s hope-filled promise of Genesis 3:15 to personally eradicate sin and evil, and to fix what humanity destroyed, viz. our relationship with our Creator. The reality of the LORD’s promise begins to emerge when God promises Abram (name changes later to Abraham), “...and all the tribes on earth will be blessed through you” in Genesis 12:3. This hope-filled plan of humanity’s reconciliation with God goes well beyond mere genealogical ties - to our living out Abram’s active and vibrant faith! We know this because in 12:1 God said to Abram, “Go…” then in 12:4 we read, “So Abram went, as the LORD had told him…”

Throughout the entire Bible God accomplishes the unlikely, seemingly impossible, miraculous, and supernatural through average, regular, broken, inadequate, tragically under qualified, and unlikely people just like you and me. The difference wasn’t their status, position, net worth, family name, education, title, or nationality, but rather their intimate relationship with God Almighty, i.e. their faith.

Authentic faith isn’t a trophy or medal that sits on a shelf collecting dust -or- that gets broken out at the occasional party for entertainment or to “fit in.” Faith is not a historical moment when you “walked the aisle” or got baptized. Authentic faith is an active, passionate, vibrant, thriving, budding, and maturing relationship with Christ.

Oswald Chambers said, “We want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of retirement. We utilize God for the sake of getting peace and joy, that is, we do not want to realize Jesus Christ, but only our enjoyment of Him… we do not wish to be stirred up, all we want to hear about is spiritual retirement.”

What does your faith look like in reality? Is it akin to some long-forgotten trinket in the dusty/musty recesses of your attic or basement? Is it something that you’ve put on hold while you sort out your finances, relationships, career, education, or health situation? Have you considered the reason why you’re going through struggles, trials, and difficulties is because it’s right where God knew you would be - so that - He could grow you, show you, stretch you, teach you, love you, and sanctify you?

As Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:7, “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” This wasn’t some motivational talk. This was faith being lived out by a man whom Jesus previously told, “‘...when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.”

Religion is always a synthetic act of convenience and personal benefit. Contrastingly, faith is a transcendent gift from God that is terribly inconvenient, yet producing eternal glory.

So what part of the mission of God, i.e. revealing Christ to the whole world, are you actively participating in? How is God fulfilling His mission to bring salvation to the ends of the earth in and through you?

In Romans 1:8 Paul states, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.”

Paul, the former Christian-murdering zealot for Judaism named Saul, had an encounter with the risen Christ and was eternally transformed. Thus he embarked on mission after mission in order to preach, teach, plant, edify, rebuke, and strengthen the Church, i.e. Christ’s Bride - so that, through our unity, our testimony would bless all the nations, peoples, tribes, and families on earth.

Who’ve you been telling about the love of Christ by your faithful service and ministry to the Bride of Christ? What does your testimony say about your faith in Christ?

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com