FOR THIS GOOD NEWS I AM EVERYTHING BUT ASHAMED
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from the Afrikaans Version: Vir hierdie goeie nuus is ek allesbehalwe skaam
Translator: Lynda Botha
The other day my daughter and I talked about things that people around us do and she then mentioned something which I realized with a shock are actually true.
Except when you sit in church on Sundays, you rarely encounter true Christians in your life.
If you, who are now reading this, agree full heartedly, I believe you will also agree with the following.
A person may now ask why this is so, when we have a country where between 70 and 80% of the people professes to be Christians.
Well, according to what I have observed, there are three main reasons:
The first reason is that I do not think that we have between 70 and 80% of the population, who can be called Christians anymore.
The second reason in my opinion is that in some denominations, their dogma is; once saved, always saved.
Some will say, "I was baptized as a baby and I have my church. Therefore, I do not need anything more because I am a Christian who are on my way to heaven” and then they would live their lives the same way as all the other people around them in the world.
Others will say: "I repented and was baptised. I am a Christian and I have my church, I do not need anything more. I am a Christian on my way to heaven."
The third reason, I think is that most Christians, with a little encouragement, will confess that they are Christians. What I mean with a little encouragement is for example only when you first talk to them about Jesus or His Gospel, but otherwise they prefer to maintain a low, very low profile as a passive Christian.
But then – there is this group of people – and that is the reason why you will still encounter a true Christian here and there in your daily life. Because they are people who really take our Lord’s Word to heart and know for sure:
GAL 2:20 “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Therefore, they are yearning to use that glorious power in them.
What power?
ACTS 1: 8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Have you noticed what you have just read?
It is not written:
ACTS 1: 8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you (might) be My witnesses,”
It is also not written:
ACTS 1: 8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you (when you feel like it) be My witnesses,”
It is written:
ACTS 1: 8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses,”
You and I "will" be a witness, simply because you don’t have and don’t want another choice. Your love for Jesus will force you.
So for those of you who fall into this fourth group, it will be no problem when you read:
2 TIM 4: 2 “Preach the Word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favourable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.”
On the contrary, it will be a wonderful assignment that you will endeavour to live according to, if you get the opportunity to do so.
Think about this strange phenomenon of so many Christians:
For example, they would have no problem whatsoever to tell anyone what rugby team they support even if they might be one of your oldest friends, but you don’t even know whether they are professed Christians or not.
You will know soon after you meet friends what they love or what their hobbies are, but you may never know if they are true followers of Jesus Christ unless you make a point of finding that out specifically.
They will tell you with enthusiasm, even without your encouragement, how their children excel. To tell the truth, most people talk especially easily about the great positive things in their lives but remain silent "as the grave" of the greatest wonders in their lives whereby Jesus Christ died on the cross for their sins which will guarantee them to spend eternal life with Him in Heaven.
Not only do they easily remain silent about the greatest miracle of their lives, but even worse for me; They do so in disobedience to Jesus who executed this miracle for them and they disobey the task He gave them, (that are repeated numerous times in His Word) – which are to testify this miracle to the world.
How wonderful it would be, (starting with ourselves), if all Christians’ lives and words could serve as a jubilant testimony for our Lord Jesus, so that we can exuberantly rejoice with my great hero Paul:
ROM 1:16-17
16 “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes – the Jew first and also the Gentile.” (you and me)
17 “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
May this take shape in our lives, that we unashamedly, through our lives and words, preach the wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world as He command us to do:
MAT 28:18-20
18 “Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in Heaven and on Earth.”
19 “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
20 “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Wow!
What a wonderful task to receive from our Saviour – knowing that He, who gave you this task, did everything to make it possible for you and everyone who you are going to share this Good News with, to live for all eternity in Heaven so that they will not die a terrible death in Hell – just to never actually die.
Then, how wonderful – When we do this, to remember in great glorious joy, how our God and our Saviour will view us regarding this matter:
MAT 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”
15 “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”
16 “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
Yes, we are the light of this world, like a good flashlight in the hands of our Lord. Also in the same chapter in verse 13, we read that we are the salt of the earth in the hands of our Lord:
MAT 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.”
There is real danger, despite what’s being preached in many denominations, by living my religion passively, I – who am the salt – can be so defeated and trampled that I cannot be made into salt again:
MAT 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.”
Maybe you are reading this and think that you are almost completely defeated or are already defeated.
Then I can now tell you with great certainty, you are not yet at the latter point. Otherwise our Lord would not have let this letter reach you and are telling you through this letter:
ISA 42:3 “He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.”
Yes, he invites you now full of love by saying to you – and read your name whenever you see the word in brackets:
ISAIAH 1: 18-19
18 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though (your) sins are like scarlet, I will make (them) as white as snow. Though (they) are red like crimson, I will make (them) as white as wool.”
19 “If (you) will only obey Me, (you) will have plenty to eat.”
All you have to do with honest sincerity in your heart is to say to our Lord just where you are right now:
"Lord, I confess that I am sinful and are increasingly moving further away from you. Lord, please take my hand I want to follow you unashamedly. "
Then become involved in your church. If you do not have a church, start looking for a church that accepts the Bible as the true Word of our Lord and repent.
Contact the shepherd of that congregation after your first service attendance, which hopefully will be this Sunday and asked him for further guidance.
If you do not know of such a congregation in your area, please contact me and I will see if I can help.
Greetings,
Sakkie