ANOTHER FAILURE OF THE CHURCH

Yesterday, I wrote concerning the failure of the Church to provide mentoring, counseling, and teaching for new believers. However, I must admit that part of the problem with the third part of the Great Commission being almost totally ignored in comparison to the Church's focus on the proclaiming of the Gospel and the baptizing of those accepting Jesus, has to do with the 'watered down message" passing for the Gospel today. We have become so concerned with emphasizing Jesus as Savior, and that salvation is by grace through faith and not by works, that we have failed to convey the fact that Jesus is to be our Lord, that becoming a Christian carries with it a life surrendered to Christ.

Salvation involves repentance, the turning from sin, and results in a response, motivated by gratitude, and based upon the awesomeness of a God who would take on a human form, just to die for our sin (Phil 2:5-8; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:21). We often forget that God's plan, from the time He chose to create man, was that man would be like Him (Gen. 1:26-27). That has not changed. The Apostle Paul wrote that it was predestined by God that we should be "conformed to the image of His Son" (Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:49; 2 Cor. 3:18). Paul pleaded with believers to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1). The Apostle John wrote that we who believe in Jesus will be like Him when, at last, we see Him in all His glory (1 Jn. 3:2).

Salvation is the result of one placing his faith in Jesus Christ. But it is of extreme importance that those trusting in Jesus recognize who He is.

He is the Creator (Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1-2).

He is God (Jn. 1:1, 14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8).

And, He is to be our Lord. Paul wrote: "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. 10:9).

Those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, understand that they are surrendering to His Lordship. They understand that they need to learn about His will for their lives. They hunger for His Word, to know what pleases Him, and what offends Him. After all, He is Lord!