The age-old question, “Am I my brother’s keeper,” (Genesis 4:9) is answered with a powerful “yes” by the Apostle Paul.
In Romans 1:14, Paul reveals a paradigm that is amazing- “I am under
obligation to both Jews (the churched) and to Gentiles (the un-churched);
I am indebted to the world!” Certainly part of that obligation was due to his unique vision and call from Christ, something that other believers have not experienced.
Christ has not appeared to me personally and told me to go reach the lost.
Yet, in another sense, He has done precisely that for all believers through His commandments (Matthew 28:18-20).
Do I feel indebted to my neighbor? Do I feel anything toward my neighbor?
One thing I love about Paul is his heart motivations. Remember, we are not just studying the Bible, but a man. Paul reveals more of his reasoning out the gospel in relation to seekers in 1 Corinthians 9:16-19. I think his gospel logic goes this way: “the world is perishing and I have found the cure (or rather, the Cure found me). I have an obligation to tell people they can be cured too. I can either do this against my will, in which I would only be doing the minimum that I am indebted to do anyway, or I can do this with all my heart- actually regarding myself as a slave to lost people in order to live out the gospel and save some of them!”
Think about the radical description of Jesus and Paul in relationship to lost people. Jesus was “the friend of sinners,” and Paul was their “slave.”
We have been given gifts, abilities, talents, and opportunities. We can approach lost people from the perspective of duty, treat them as “projects,” (or NOT approach lost people at all like much of Christendom) or…we can love them like Christ loved them, like Paul loved them, and eagerly lay down our lives with all our hearts for them.
How do I look at the lost? How do I feel about them? And how do they feel about me? How many lost people would call me their “friend?” Am I my brother’s keeper?
2 Comments:
Theodore Roosevelt made a speach back in 1910 in Paris and his words ring true today to all of us that call ourselves christian. This is part of that speach.
It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
Now Roosevelt knew what is was like to fail and to achieve and to do it greatly in both cases. Paul met the same struggles with the triumphs in showing his brother whether they be educated or uneducated the wonderful life in Jesus Christ, but he also saw the defeat of those souls being mislead. The one thing for sure is that he did not stop persevering in the high calling of Jesus Christ. He ran that race, not always up front, but he ran the race. Do we match at any level that detemination to bring the gospel to the people around us? Our brother? We, just like Paul, have been called/chosen by the God of all things to tell our brother about HIM!! When we gave our life to Christ is was not just us yeilding but God calling. Do you know that call? That call when God pointed his finger at you and said, "I want you". God, who has everything and made everything comes to you and wants you???? HOLY COW!!! Oh yes, you have been called and whether or not you accept that call is up to you. God, allow all that read this to hear you call. Amen.
By
Christian Marks, at 9:44 PM
This is very inspiring; and thanks for the Roosevelt quote; I am gonnna use that!
By
John Hever, at 9:47 AM
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