There seems to be a wave of messages coming, some from those that call themselves Christians, that are asking believers to be quiet about their belief. That goes against the teachings of Christ. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). It has been said that it is not the gospel that confuses the world, but the Christian way of living. Okay. But that is because we haven’t been faithful to what Jesus called us to do. The answer isn’t to go sit down and be quiet. The answer is to obey Jesus and preach the gospel and make disciples.

We teach someone that we call Jesus Christ, but we don’t teach the gospel of the coming kingdom of God. We teach going to heaven and avoiding hell; two concepts that are not in the gospel. The gospel is the coming of the kingdom of God to the earth; Jesus was and is an example of the coming kingdom. “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). We are not to go sit down in some pew and wait and we are not to teach others to do so. We are to live life in such a way as to invite the kingdom of God (kingdom of heaven) to the earth as it is in heaven. “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20b-21). Let the kingdom of God out.

When the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke His followers for praising Him, “He answered and said to them, ‘I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out’” (Luke 19:40). It is note worthy that the Pharisees are the ones that called for the disciples to be rebuked. I don’t want to see people tortured into confessing a savior; extorted by threats of punishment. That is not God’s way. It never was God’s way. Bad things have been done in God’s name. Jesus was killed by those preparing to celebrate God’s feast days. That doesn’t change what Jesus did for the world. Young Christians are destroyed by those preparing to worship every Sunday morning. The evil done in God’s name doesn’t change who God is and what He has done and is doing. Don’t be quiet. Live the love that Jesus taught and then teach.

Our relationship with God is faith in His grace. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith has been described as fidelity to one’s promises, like a faithful husband to his bride. It has also has been described as a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. The first is God’s faith and the second is the faith or a young Christian. As Christians we claim to be working towards a life that is Christ-like. That is a walk in faith from the belief in something for which there is no proof to fidelity to one’s promises. Another idea of faith is that it is without question. That idea of faith is used to trap would be Christians in man’s doctrines without questioning.

To the church at Ephesus it was written, “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars” (Revelation 2:2). They did not accept teachings from those claiming to be of God without questioning. It was also written, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4). It is disheartening to discover false leadership among the believers. The world is filled with those that have lost their love because of false ministers and ministries. Our faith has to be in God and not men or mankind. If we have faith in a man and a relationship with a man, the man will make mistakes and let us down. That is way too much to put on any man. God wants us to put it on Him. Don’t sit down and be quiet; have faith in God and proclaim the coming of His kingdom to earth as in heaven.

© 2007, Tim D. Coulter Sr.