My wife and I recently joined a marriage discipleship group called Love and Respect.
This weekend(and next) the group is going to the theater to view a new film called "Fireproof". Its a movie about a firefighter who, while at work, always considers others' lives before his. When he's at home he's all about himself and is losing his marriage.
If you're married this would be a great date night movie.
That's not what I wanted to write about though (the movie and/or marriage). You see, the photo above is a snapshot from a dramatic scene in the film. In this scene the fireman has to act swiftly and "Snatch" a young girl, unconscious to her surroundings, out of a burning building. It's the classic fireman rescue scene where the victims are either trapped, asleep, unconscious, or often times willingly defying the fireman's help because of their attachement to possessions. This brought to mind a verse not commonly taught or practiced in modern evangelism.
Jude 1:21-23
21Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)--[which will bring you] unto life eternal. 22And refute [so as to] convict some who dispute with you, and on some who waver and doubt have mercy. 23[Strive to] save others, by snatching [them] out of [the] fire; take pity [but] with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh and polluted by their sensuality.
21Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)--[which will bring you] unto life eternal. 22And refute [so as to] convict some who dispute with you, and on some who waver and doubt have mercy. 23[Strive to] save others, by snatching [them] out of [the] fire; take pity [but] with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh and polluted by their sensuality.
Imagine a firefighter headed to a call of a burning building. He pulls up to the site but doesnt get out of the truck for 5 minutes because he's listening to a radio transmission on his headset, of a meeting back at the station. Out of a 5th story window, flames lick at a mother’s clothing. She's crying out in terror and ultimately falls to her death, still clutching an infant in her arms. Her Husband also hold's two terrified children as the massive flames engulfed him.
This firefighter just allowed 5 people to die.
What do you think would be fitting punishment for such a crime—probation? Two years in jail?
Twenty years? Life? Death? What sentence would you give the negligent firefighter? Please make a judgment.
What do you think would be fitting punishment for such a crime—probation? Two years in jail?
Twenty years? Life? Death? What sentence would you give the negligent firefighter? Please make a judgment.
Ok now imagine he's on trial and at the trial, the defense pleaded, “no contest,” but added
that the defendant had gone to great personal sacrifice to be a good employee and not miss the meeting, and he hoped that the judge would take that into account when passing sentence.
Do you enjoy worshiping God? Most people in the Church would say they do. Every Sunday all acr oss the country, auditoriums are filled with hand-raising, God-loving Christians singing their praises t o God. That’s understandable, because when the Holy Spirit dwells within us, it’s not hard to worship our Creator. May I ask you a personal question? When was the last time you shared your faith with an unsaved person? When did you last go out of your way to witness to a stranger? It's noted that only two percent of American churchgoers share their faith with others.That is tragic. If the love of God dwells in us, how can we not be horrified by the fate of the lost? Many professing Christians today are so locked into their religious cliques that they seem to give little or no thought to the fact that all who die in their sins will be cast into the lake offire (Revelation 21:8).
that the defendant had gone to great personal sacrifice to be a good employee and not miss the meeting, and he hoped that the judge would take that into account when passing sentence.
Do you enjoy worshiping God? Most people in the Church would say they do. Every Sunday all acr oss the country, auditoriums are filled with hand-raising, God-loving Christians singing their praises t o God. That’s understandable, because when the Holy Spirit dwells within us, it’s not hard to worship our Creator. May I ask you a personal question? When was the last time you shared your faith with an unsaved person? When did you last go out of your way to witness to a stranger? It's noted that only two percent of American churchgoers share their faith with others.That is tragic. If the love of God dwells in us, how can we not be horrified by the fate of the lost? Many professing Christians today are so locked into their religious cliques that they seem to give little or no thought to the fact that all who die in their sins will be cast into the lake offire (Revelation 21:8).
Did you know that if you allow another human being to die when it’s within your ability to save him, you are guilty of something called, “depraved indifference?” They are applicable words. “Depraved” means that it’ s as low as you can get, and “indifference”
means that y ou couldn’t care less . Think now of the terrible neglect of that firefighter. What sentence did you give him? Did you throw him in jail for two years? Did you think that
such a hard-hearted human being (someone who could be only concerned with himself) should be given the death sentence? Then judge yourself by the same standard, because if you are not concerned for the lost, then you are that firefighter. If you are not seeking to save them with fear, “snatching them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the
flesh” you are guilty of the serious crime of “depraved indifference.”
means that y ou couldn’t care less . Think now of the terrible neglect of that firefighter. What sentence did you give him? Did you throw him in jail for two years? Did you think that
such a hard-hearted human being (someone who could be only concerned with himself) should be given the death sentence? Then judge yourself by the same standard, because if you are not concerned for the lost, then you are that firefighter. If you are not seeking to save them with fear, “snatching them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the
flesh” you are guilty of the serious crime of “depraved indifference.”
Am I saying that if we don’t evangelize, we’re not saved? Of course not. But if we would expect a firefighter to make saving lives a priority, are we honest enough to judge ourselves by the same standard? Are we doing all we can to rescue the lost, or are we sitting passively in the pews while people perish?
How many friends, family members, church members, and co workers do you have who are trapped by sin in their lives? These people may even be unaware (or unconscious) of their guilt, or so comfortable and happy with their lifestyle that they gladly rebel against God's Moral standards. THINK OF THEIR FATE IF THEY DIE WITHOUT CHRIST!!! Forget about what they'll think of you if you share your faith with them. Who cares if they get offended and their pride is hurt?! They are terminally ill and you have the cure! To worry about these (and other) things.. would be to not grab that woman in the 5th story window by her shirt because it's 100% Silk.
I know that what I am saying is hard to say without sounding harsh and judgmental, but I can’t think of any other way to say it. Please, don’t be offended. Stay with me. My purpose is not to offend, but to get your attention and present things as they really are, and they are not good. The story of the firefighter was fictitious, but what is happening in the contemporary Church is real. Think of it; only 2 percent doing what we are commanded to do. Worship is the highest calling of every Christian, and we can see in the book of Revelation that the Church will one day be consumed in worship before the throne of the Almighty. We are going to worship God for eternity. But when we look back at the book of Acts, we don’t find the Church consumed with worship. Instead, we find it was obsessed with reaching the lost, to the point that they willingly gave their lives to preach the gospel.
So, please, reevaluate your priorities, take off the earphones, unlock the doors, become equipped, and demonstrate the depth of your love for God by rescuing those who are about to perish.
5 comments:
I think about the process of becoming a firefighter. The process is tedious and rigourous. One must first apply, then go through a battery (various types) of assessments, background checks, exams, etc. Upon completion, IF CHOSEN, they are then enrolled into "Fire Acadamy", where they are taught the fundamentals of firefighting, as well as all the many things that relate to this profession or calling. It is here where the student learns and sharpens character traits such as discipline, integrity, honor, humility, selflessness, respect for authority (submission), conflict resolution, etc. After a while, the student then begins to learn about both the physical, chemical, and gaseous properties/elements of fire. At some point, the students are also learning about the physical, chemical, and gaseous properties of all the different elements that fire can react to or with. This is a very important step in the process of becoming a firefighter. One final point about the process of becoming a firefighter is that they understand that their jobs definitely involve putting out fires and rescuing folks from burning buildings, but is not limited to these more "heroic" tasks. Think about the classic civic duties that we often see portrayed in childrens books or stories where the firefighter helps the "little old lady" retrieve her cat. What about the "less-hyped" responsibility of a firefighter to deliver or rescue folks from carbon monoxide exposure?
With this foundation established, the analogy is very similar to the the life of a Christian. At some point, we decided (by God's grace) to accept the call by Jesus to "Follow me". We are then equiped with the Holy Spirit, in addition to the gifts that He instilled into our DNA, to continue following Jesus. We are also constantly being assessed and tested, but I think there are far too many unaccredited "Fire Academies" (churches) and "unqualified firefighters" (Immature Christians/Babe's in the faith) that are not teaching or being taught properly. Unlike the analogy given, I don't know of too many times where a real firefighter has pulled up to the scene of a fire and stayed in the truck, and this perhaps due to a few reasons: (PLEASE READ TIL THE END, DON'T START TRIPPIN ON ME)
*The firefighter would not be commishioned unless he or she knew the mission with clarity, and had been properly trained and equipped.
*Because firefighters work in squads, a person could not get away with being consumed with the radio transmissions, or anything else for that matter such as fear, because after so long, his or her teammates would encourage, challenge, and/or support them to get out of that truck.
HOWEVER, there are alot of Christians that are just like the analogy given, where they are stuck in the "truck" (holy huddles, church, in the pews, etc.) tuned in to the radio transmission (enjoying the church service or program, getting a good word from the favorite preacher, attending all the classes and studies that the church has to offer,etc.)
So my judgement call on the firefighter who sat in his truck at the expense of 5 lives is as follows:
1. discipline his whole squad, not by death or imprisonment, but perhaps by probation and re-evaluation, which could possibly lead to the individual being discharged.
2. investigate the "Fire Acadamy" attended by the individual to ensure that they are not just haphazardly passing out uniforms, badges, and equipment. to the contrary, the academy should have direction and order regarding protocol, the use of the uniform, badge, and other equipment.
3. let God's perfect justice reign, which is often times very unclear to anyone but God.
GRACE AND PEACE
please forgive me for the few typos in my post. since this is a blog, i freely typed without tryin to pay much attention to spelling and grammar.
**Also, i want to clarify one of the points i made in my final judgement: the discipline would not involve imprisonment or death unless it seemed fitting (i.e. the firefighter intended in his heart for people to die)
Very thought provoking, and convicting. Well said bro. According to AMG's Encyclopedia of World REligions Cults & the Occult, as of 2006 there were 250 million Christians in the U.S. That means of all those that claim to be Christians here, only 500,000 have ever shared their faith. That's truly pathetic! No wonder our country is falling apart and taking the rest of the world down the toilet with us! Even as I type this I stand guilty as charged along with the other 500K. I can't count how many times I didn't share the Gospel with someone because of fear, or actually sharing and not following up. Guilty, guilty guilty! Christians we need to step up our game. This country, and this world are literally going to hell, and if we don't open our mouth and let them know their blood is on our hands.
Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Ezekiel 3:5-11
5 For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, 6 not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. 8 Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”
10 Moreover He said to me: “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. 11 And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ whether they hear, or whether they refuse.”
Ezekiel 3:17-21
17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
20 “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.”
http://lamblion.com/articles/articles.php
Sea Baits!!
Finally you got one in... been waitin on ya'... seems like you've wanted to "respectfully disagree" since Blog 1.
What do you do with the passage mentioned? Indeed as the verse said "there are some on whom you have mercy... and some you need to snatch of the fire". I've said once and I'll say it a million times over, it's not me speaking if you got a problem with this, take it up with God - it's His Word.
Like your boy Duce said:
"when it comes to the mic some are like Ambassador is heavy handed//, then they come to the light and are like "Oh God is got that heavy standard"
Now... the call to "follow me" is Rabbinic. Rabbi's, to this very day, elect people to follow and learn of them. This however does not save them. In fact Judas at one point got the call - and responded. From this and other events we learn that Jesus called his disciples... but they were not immediately converted. The scriptures tell us in:
Luke 22:31-32 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
So Jesus told Peter, even though he'd "followed Him" for 3 years... that he was unconverted.
All 4 Gospels also very clearly indicate that NONE of the disciples "believed" until Jesus' resurrection and appearance(s) to them. In fact until The Holy Spirit came upon them in Acts chapter 2 - they had not yet been born again.
Our experience is different in at least 3 ways:
1. We are "born from above" immediately upon repentance and faith.
2.We're then equipped and indwelled with The Holy Spirit as comforter, teacher, and to give us power as His witnesses. Not really sure where the written implication of The Holy Spirit being given to us so we might "continue following Jesus" is, but the overall message of that i dont disagree with. (Without The HS we would have no fellowship with Christ and hence could not follow him)
3. Once we're born again... according the Scriptures... there are no more requirements before we are to obey the great commission. All the requirements you gave of the fireman apply - to the fireman... with the believer we're certified instantly.
You see, only in American Christianity do we find the notion that one must study for an extended amount of time before he can preach the gospel... and once he does Dare he not to preach as Jesus, Peter, Stephen, and Paul did (to bring the knowledge of sin and guilt). Oh no - not in 2008. We have to build relationships first. "Lifestyle Evangelism" is the way... where invite others to follow us and see how we live, give them books on their life's Purpose and continue to remind them of how much God loves them and has a plan for their life.
This is sickening. Literally. And this is producig what Jesus said He will vomit from his mouth(3:16-not John.. REVELATION). The church is "christianizing" unbelievers. Instead of confronting sin, admonishing the sinner, and if they dont repent, disciplining as Paul taught in I and II Californians, to Timothy and to Titus, we just gloss over it and "say we love them".
This is not love, its far from. If you love someone you will speak the truth in love -which means out of concern- exposing their depravity and pointing them to "The Way".
((I have a very real example of this to share with you tonight))
Wow! As Cliff said, it is very convicting to me as a follower--not sharing the TRUTH every opportunity I get. We, believers need to step up to our commission to make disciples. As soon as we become one! And why not? Are we doing it out of obligation? Jesus did tell us to. But other than obedience, is there any other reason to do so? How about for the very reason that we've been filled with His Holy Spirit and should operate in the love of the Spirit to not want to see anyone die and perish the same way the Father doesn't. I say, if you are TRULY a reformed person and God's Spirit lives within you, let us repent from selfishness and ask God to change our hearts to love the lost the way He does. Christ died for them too, and they may not know!
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