Being a Living Example for the Lord - Isaiah 59-61 and II Thessalonians 3
God's strategy for bringing this world to Himself has always been to provide examples of what living in right relationship with Him means. Job was an example. Abraham was an example. The entire nation of Israel was supposed to be an example to the other nations of the world. When they failed to obey His commands and to keep their part of the covenant, God had to punish them. They were being negative examples, instead of positive examples. Isaiah 59 is a great description of the condition of the culture, when people are living apart from God. As believers, we must confess our sins and seek to live godly lives, so the world around us will see the contrast. Jesus was the ultimate example, and He used Isaiah 61 to express His mission in this world. We should have the same mission as Jesus. We should be here to show God to people by what we say and what we do. That is God's plan for bringing salvation to this world. Anyone who rejects being an example is rejecting the basic nature and mission of God.
Paul was very practical when he spoke to the believers at Thessalonica at the end of his second letter. He gave them advice about those who were not working, because they thought Jesus was coming back soon. He told them that if they did not work, they should not eat. Then, he pointed out how he had worked when he was with them. He did not do this because it was required. He could have asked them to support him. However, he wanted to be an example of how a person could work hard and be a witness at the same time. He wanted them to see how to live a godly life in the real world. That is what our world needs today, and the responsibility falls to us. We must be examples of living for the Lord, or we are nothing. If Christianity does not work in our daily lives, why would we want others to know Christ? If Christianity does work in daily life, why would we not want to tell others and be an example of how it works?
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 62-64 and I Timothy 1.
Paul was very practical when he spoke to the believers at Thessalonica at the end of his second letter. He gave them advice about those who were not working, because they thought Jesus was coming back soon. He told them that if they did not work, they should not eat. Then, he pointed out how he had worked when he was with them. He did not do this because it was required. He could have asked them to support him. However, he wanted to be an example of how a person could work hard and be a witness at the same time. He wanted them to see how to live a godly life in the real world. That is what our world needs today, and the responsibility falls to us. We must be examples of living for the Lord, or we are nothing. If Christianity does not work in our daily lives, why would we want others to know Christ? If Christianity does work in daily life, why would we not want to tell others and be an example of how it works?
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 62-64 and I Timothy 1.