|
|
". . . separated to the gospel of God. . . ." -
Romans 1:1
Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of
the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should
be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or
holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is redemption. The need to perceive this is the
most vital need of the Christian worker today. As workers, we have to get used
to the revelation that redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an
effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human
goodness we will go under when testing comes.
Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who
separated me . . .” (Galatians 1:15). Paul was not overly interested in his own
character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we
will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. Christian workers
fail because they place their desire for their own holiness above their desire
to know God. “Don’t ask me to be confronted with the strong reality of
redemption on behalf of the filth of human life surrounding me today; what I
want is anything God can do for me to make me more desirable in my own eyes.” To
talk that way is a sign that the reality of the gospel of God has not begun to
touch me. There is no reckless abandon to God in that. God cannot deliver me
while my interest is merely in my own character. Paul was not conscious of
himself. He was recklessly abandoned, totally surrendered, and separated by God
for one purpose— to proclaim the gospel of God (see Romans 9:3).
Yesterday | Daily Devotional Archives | Next
See Also:
Daily Devotional with Oswald Chambers Archives
Weekly Devotionals | Sermons | Essays | Articles | Bible Study | Library - Home | Baselios Church Home
-------
Malankara World
A service of St. Basil's Syriac Orthodox
Church, Ohio
Copyright © 2009-2020 - ICBS Group. All Rights Reserved.
Disclaimer
Website designed, built, and hosted by
International Cyber Business Services, Inc., Hudson, Ohio
