Christ Is Preached

Raphael, St Paul Preaching in Athens

Yesterday I spoke of arguing over earthly things.  I'm still in that frame of mind.  I read on another site:  Do not battle over things that have no spoil.  Which reminded me of K. P. Yohannan's “Revolution In World Mission”  where he gives a view of some churches that were more focused in correcting another church's doctrine than in reaching lost souls.

Paul faced similar battles, as he wrote:

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. [Philippians 1:15-18 KJV]

I find it difficult to rejoice when I read of a certain church's divisive protests, though the Supreme Court of the United States has upheld their right to do so.  True, they preach a Christ of strife and contention.  As does another man given the title of Christian who speak against a Christian couple's doctrine, calling their beliefs poison.  He states the subject matter was not addressed by Jesus, leaving us to believe he does not accept the remainder of the New Testament as scripture.

How can we rejoice as we hear the envy, strife, contention and insincerity of those preaching in Christ's name? 

We can when we know the foundations of our own faith.  We can when we know to what service God has called us.  I am not called to defend God.  He is more than capable of doing that Himself.  I am not called to change anyone's mind or suggest that their life is less important than my own.  I do have a couple of things I believe God has asked that I do.

First is to teach a junior high girl's Sunday School class and share God's word with them.  I believe this to be a tremendous responsibility, with the job description well defined:

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [Matthew 5:19 KJV]

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. [Matthew 18:3-6 KJV]

Second is to share openly what I think of when I study God's word.  Nothing more, but nothing less, either.  I can only pray Paul could have written of me and other places:

For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. [1 Thessalonians 1:8 KJV]

What's He called you to do?