There are still many who think that giving or laying down your whole life for the Gospel means you should give up everything and head into the missions fields to preach the Gospel and heal the sick.
This is a mindset that doesn’t know identity in Christ and thus, has compartmentalised Christianity.
Our calling is not the missions field. Missions is just part of our assignment, though not everyone’s assignment includes missions. Everyone of us is assigned to the Great Commission. But the expressions are different, depending on what God wants you to do - that’s assignment. Some fulfilled the Great Commission in the business realm; some in the IT industry; some in the education sector, etc.
If everyone is called into missions fields and preaching of the Gospel, then who is going to generate electricity for the country? Who is going to govern the nation? Who is going to cook and provide food in eateries? Who is going to teach in schools? Who is going to clean the premises? Who is going to handle manufacturing and business industries? Who is going to make Singapore a cashless society (:p)? Who is going to work on the MRT Transport? The list just goes on.
If we continue to teach that our church/ministry-related work is more sacred, we will see never-ending issues in the lives of people. It is much more damaging than we think it is. It creates more hypocrisy than ever.
Why is there a men’s ministry or a women’s ministry? Why is there a family life ministry? Why is there a prayer ministry? Because we have compartmentalised the Gospel, resulting in issues that need to be resolved through such ministries. We are trying to solve the problems we ourselves created. The early church and the disciples of Jesus didn’t have such ministries. They just focused on the Gospel and becoming like Christ.
Our true calling is to be conformed into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29), because Christ IN us is the Hope of (glory) the world.
Giving our whole life for the Gospel is to be an accurate representation of Christ, that is, to become love. It’s not even about preaching and healing or even raising the dead. It’s about being Love to everyone around us. That includes missions fields, preaching, healing, etc but it is not just limited to that. It’s also about loving the person who cuts the queue in front of you. It’s about being patient with your child who keeps throwing tantrum. It’s about loving the chef who prepares cold food for you instead of warm. It’s about tidying the house because your wife prefers it. And the list keeps going on.
I have met so many who are passionate to get into the missions fields. They can’t wait to preach. But they drag themselves through life in their workplace and with their family. That is a misrepresentation of the Gospel. It’s twisted. Jesus didn’t come to give you the name of a few countries to go to. Jesus came to give you LIFE and life abundantly. If people around you can’t see that Life in you, they won’t see Jesus. All they see is religion.
Having served in the “so-called sacred” ministry in church, I have found that it is so much easier to preach the Gospel and heal the sick, than to hand wash the family’s socks and take care of my son’s needs day in and day out. Tell me that the former is the Gospel and the latter is not and I will immediately know that you have compartmentalised Christianity.
Reinhard Bonnke, the great evangelist once shared, “I preach to millions of people in a crusade. I feel like a hero. But when I return home, my wife opens the door and says, ‘These are your socks and dirty clothes waiting for you to wash’, and I realise I am back to reality.”
The reality is this... there is no separation in the kingdom. If we think that church or ministry-related work is of higher spirituality or sacredness, we have compartmentalised Christianity. That in itself, is called, religion.
It doesn’t matter how much you preach to the world and how many souls you have saved and healed. Show me that you are becoming true Love and I will respect you wholeheartedly. That is also my personal pursuit. By His Grace, I yearn to become accurate representation of Love.
I have learnt to look beyond testimonies and miracles into the life of a person. I have learnt to look beyond great exploits into the daily life of a person. That is TRUE spirituality. Take a pastor into the business realm and observe how he deals with money, integrity and loving the wicked. Take a businessman into the pastoral realm and observe how he shepherds the flocks and cares for the needy and lowly.
Without the outward position, that’s when a man reveals his heart position. Without the platform, that’s when a man is in his plain form. Plain true form. The clearest revelation always comes from the spouse and his children.
This is what the call of God and laying down of our whole life for the Gospel is - Christ IN us 24/7 loving people all around us. It’s all about becoming Love.
If we miss becoming Love, we miss our calling.
No comments:
Post a Comment