An Urgent Call for Truth

   "God has not called us to stand quietly on the truth but to be loud and clear in proclaiming it."
     - Marie Levy

   I'm repeating some of what I wrote a few weeks ago but I feel such an urgency to do so while the time is right or rather because time is getting shorter.

   We are living in a world that is descending more and more into darkness. This cloud is starting to widen over our own country where once it shown light to the world.

   While some in America are starting to feel the sting of persecution for being a Christian, most sit in their comfortable pews, smile, go about "their" own lives and never think about spreading the word of Christ outside their church. They have no idea what it means to face persecution such as the baker in Colorado or the florist in Washington State who were taken to court for refusing to use their God given gifts for a homosexual wedding.

   How do we not only live out the Christian life but how do we spread the gospel of Christ in truth? Being a Christian, a true disciple is not just being nice, staying out of trouble or having a "picture perfect" family.

   In 2nd Timothy 4: v. 2 Paul charged Timothy (and us) to "Preach the word,...Convince, rebuke, exhort..." Are we really doing this? There are those around and even in our midst who will and are distorting the word of God, forming it into a "fit all" religion that caters to the whims of anyone. You see no change in those who profess to have Jesus. There is only the gospel of Jesus without repentance. This cannot be.

   I have a son who has had a chemical imbalance since he was young. He has struggled for years, sometimes being suicidal. For a number of years I coaxed, pleaded and handled him gently or with what I thought was love. Then one day I realized I wasn't helping him but was closer to losing him instead. I took off the gloves and told him that if he ended his life he would spend eternity in hell, never to escape the torture he was going through. You see, my son had never accepted Christ, had never known the deliverance Christ could offer and I feared for his soul. He told me later that what I'd said to him was enough to keep him from making a fatal mistake. It also gave me more time to pray for him to make that decision for Christ that is still ongoing.

   Do we fear enough for our loved ones or others to tell them the truth? The true Gospel of Christ is not told because we are so perfect but because of the change He has made in our lives. It's a testimony of the power of Christ within us, not to stay the same but to become more of what He intended us to be.

   Christ didn't die on that cross to make us feel good but to save us "from our sins" and give us eternal life. The disciples died delivering this truth to others.

   Presenting "all" of God's truth is not judging if given with our testimony of how He wrought a change in us that is ongoing. We don't stand in front of those we are trying to reach in self-righteousness because we have none.

   We do present the truth with an urgency of love and concern for those who need His salvation. If we allow God's Spirit to lead He will do so with grace in our words without softening the gospel to no effect.

   The disciples didn't hold back. In Acts 2: v.38 Peter says, "Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin..."

   In Acts 4: v. 12, Peter says, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given by which we must be saved." He didn't say, "This is my personal belief" nor did he apologize. That would have weakened the truth.

   We are so scared of offending someone we turn the gospel into our own version of what should be told.

   No, we don't beat someone over the head with it. We present it in the way Jesus meant for it to be heard. We do not change the truth of God's word; we change the "tone" in our voice and attitude from self-righteousness to one that reflects His grace and love.

Deuteronomy 4: v. 2 KJV

2"Ye shall not add unto the word I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it..."