About a year ago I had a great conversation with a friend of
mine as we were driving a truck full of sound equipment for the Boston Youth
Conference (now the ‘One Name Boston Conference’). This friend is now studying
at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The conversation revolved around our
frustration with our inability to spread the gospel, particularly where we
worked at the time. My friend had experienced counseling settings in which he
was restricted to only secular advice. And both of us agreed: true help could
only come with Biblical advice and God’ grace. It was frustrating that his job
shunned the gospel.
At the same time, I had just finished working with the Peace Corps headquarters in D.C. where I was pressured to volunteer and go overseas with them. I love the Peace Corps and I think they are doing a lot of good work, but giving help to a perishing individual without sharing the gospel is pretty much useless. That is the equivalent of patting someone on the back who is unknowingly on their way into an oncoming train. Just because they may be culturally offended, according to the Peace Corps, does not create an excuse to allow people never to hear the Word of God. That’s partly why I didn’t go anywhere with them. This is even applicable to some missionaries who will go to countries for a short time and give a helping hand without sharing the gospel. We need to realize that we are only easing their trip to hell while on earth without bringing them to God. In other words, simply making people comfortable before they enter into eternal destruction and judgment is not help.
The reality of eternity must grip our souls.
Some of my youth group kids hate when I respond with Biblical advice or answer them with verses that challenge them. However, when asked for my lowly opinion on a situation, I respond that my opinion is worthless in comparison to the Bible. I was in a conference in PA recently and the pastor said that people often do not want what God has to say. They want easy personal opinions. However, we must speak the Word of God, and share that above all of our opinions. The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joint and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart, says the writer of Hebrews in chapter 4 verse 12. Therefore, why would we ever NOT use the word of God when attempting to council, give advice, encourage, admonish, rebuke or help.
This is part of the reason I'm going to seminary. I want to be trained to serve and I want to learn and study the Bible as best as I can. I have nothing else to give to people outside of the Bible. It is supreme, inerrant and all-encompassing. It is the Word of the Living God himself. We must continually seek God's will through his Word, and do our best to live a life consistent with the scriptures. I cannot give any of 'my own' advice anymore. The best advice comes from God, and the Gospel is my answer for every problem, not because it is something I have, but because it is ALL I have.
For further studies: Listen to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler's sermon "The Power of the Articulated Gospel" from the Together for the Gospel Conference 2012
At the same time, I had just finished working with the Peace Corps headquarters in D.C. where I was pressured to volunteer and go overseas with them. I love the Peace Corps and I think they are doing a lot of good work, but giving help to a perishing individual without sharing the gospel is pretty much useless. That is the equivalent of patting someone on the back who is unknowingly on their way into an oncoming train. Just because they may be culturally offended, according to the Peace Corps, does not create an excuse to allow people never to hear the Word of God. That’s partly why I didn’t go anywhere with them. This is even applicable to some missionaries who will go to countries for a short time and give a helping hand without sharing the gospel. We need to realize that we are only easing their trip to hell while on earth without bringing them to God. In other words, simply making people comfortable before they enter into eternal destruction and judgment is not help.
The reality of eternity must grip our souls.
Some of my youth group kids hate when I respond with Biblical advice or answer them with verses that challenge them. However, when asked for my lowly opinion on a situation, I respond that my opinion is worthless in comparison to the Bible. I was in a conference in PA recently and the pastor said that people often do not want what God has to say. They want easy personal opinions. However, we must speak the Word of God, and share that above all of our opinions. The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joint and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart, says the writer of Hebrews in chapter 4 verse 12. Therefore, why would we ever NOT use the word of God when attempting to council, give advice, encourage, admonish, rebuke or help.
This is part of the reason I'm going to seminary. I want to be trained to serve and I want to learn and study the Bible as best as I can. I have nothing else to give to people outside of the Bible. It is supreme, inerrant and all-encompassing. It is the Word of the Living God himself. We must continually seek God's will through his Word, and do our best to live a life consistent with the scriptures. I cannot give any of 'my own' advice anymore. The best advice comes from God, and the Gospel is my answer for every problem, not because it is something I have, but because it is ALL I have.
For further studies: Listen to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler's sermon "The Power of the Articulated Gospel" from the Together for the Gospel Conference 2012
Love this.
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