Christian Living

Worthy of the Gospel

by Thomas Kirkpatrick
10/25/21
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“But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:20-21)

There is so much disturbing news in the world today that what took little time to consume now takes a more substantial portion of the time. If one was to look at the commentary involved, their attention could be taken for most of the morning. In recent months I became captured by this and realized it to be a waste of time from my purposes of the day. We are indeed commanded to be aware of the world around us. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray. “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) We are to be aware of what is happening.

We are also to pray. Pray the evil does not come upon us, yes, pray for the leaders that the evil forces do not distract them, also yes, pray that we do not fall into temptation, absolutely yes, and we are also to pray for our enemies. Our enemies do not always come with a sword, come with the cursing of the tongue, or place traps in our path, and they always come in opposition to the mission we have and desire to complete.

Too often, I, and others, when we meet opposition or face an attack, develop the get even attitude. When they get one over on me, I often tell people in a joking manner that payback will come when they least expect. I thought about that this morning on the stoop, as judgment often happens when we are not prepared to receive it. That point in mind may be why I always got even with an offender immediately for quick satisfaction. It is a twist of The Golden Rule to do unto others as they have done to you. Payback comes from the foolishness of worldly wisdom and, most times does not give satisfaction.

The foolishness of payback lets our emotions control thoughts and actions reflective of what people have said or what they have done to us. When we enact payback, we have made judgments against someone who is no less or more a sinner than we are. Therefore, the judgments we make could come back as harsh to us. At this point in my life, I would rather hedge my victory over the possibility of a more significant loss. Doing the payback makes one no better than the opposition, as we sink to the evil one’s level. Evil always wins when we conduct our living and act for ourselves. As Christian followers, we must place Christ as the dominant reality in life and not others’ evilness.

Acting in goodness always overcomes the evil that surrounds us in life. We do not know the purposes of God through our actions and words for His sake. They could change a heart, or it could remain hardened to His truth. That is not for us to judge as it is God who changes a heart. An excellent reason to pray for our adversary’s spiritual condition. By patience and slowness to anger, we can do more good than creating a more significant hurt. That goodness today or in the future is more powerful than returning our evil as a repayment. “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)

On the highway of life, people are always blowing their horns at me. It is not that I drive too slowly, but I drive with greater wisdom, as I drive my vehicle and not the influence of another driver. When I was a truck driver, I used to get even, but I am more considerate of others’ ignorance. I’ve seen enough of what can and often happens when people get stupid beyond the possibilities of destruction. In life, it is not I who enacts a judgment on others their Creator does. Therefore I do not allow their hostility to create hostility in me. “Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.” (Deuteronomy 32:35)

I am the same as my opposition as I am an imperfect person, I make mistakes, and I am just as much a sinner as they are. The difference between us is not the color of my skin, a degree of education, the work I do, or the brilliance of my ignorance. The difference between most people and me is they serve their god, whoever that may be, and I serve the Lord God Almighty through a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. That means that I am forgiven of my sins, and as I am who I am, God sees me through the righteousness of Jesus. Therefore I and my brothers and sisters in the faith are commanded to obey the Words of Jesus. It is our conviction to be Christ-like. “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27-28)

I used to love me, I was all about me, and anything I did was for me. God placed His love in my heart, and now I love my neighbor just as much, if not more, than I used to love me. I loved having a secured soul in eternity, and now I love my neighbor and desire to lead them to secure their soul in eternity. It does not matter how bad they treat me or how good they still have a date at the judgment seat, and today they are living without the hope of Jesus as their Savior. We all have a plan and purpose for our lives, and those who secure it will have an abundant life. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

When we face the hostility of the real enemy, the god of those who oppose, we should let our love triumph over the enemy’s hostility. When we face an opposing force, we have two options, we can return evil for evil and be no better, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8) or submit to the Holy Spirit within us and do the good works of God’s love in us. “And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.” (Isaiah 32:17)

Do not let God’s judgment come and not be prepared to receive it. Those who have rejected the truth of God’s Word will never be prepared, as they believe in nothing, and nothing has no eternal value. They will bow before Jesus without a word of excuse with fear and trembling as the truth has overcome them. No more to reject, deny, or ability to have mercy. It will come as everything has happened, as in God’s eternity, it has passed. Those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior are secured in His Kingdom. Those who have not the torment of hopeless punishment have swallowed them up. “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)

Those who have accepted Jesus as the Lord, believed upon His redemptive work on the cross, and acted with faith in their belief in Him will have a very different eternity. Their labors in His ministry, faithfulness in His Word, and suffering in perseverance for His sake will receive a greater blessing than their sacrifice in the eternal inheritance. “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9)

At the end of time, God will justify all in the history of humanity. Both the reward of righteousness and the punishment of wickedness settled and sealed. We all must be mindful of God’s ever presence in His creation. For the wicked, they have already been judged by their rejection of the truth. The righteous only have rewards to gain if they remain faithful and live worthy of the gospel they profess. “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.” (Philippians 1:27-28)

Thomas N Kirkpatrick

First Baptist Church of Durant, July 2, 2020