My Life’s Spiritual Honor and Duty
By Oswald Chambers My Utmost For His Highest July 15
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians… —Romans 1:14
Paul was overwhelmed with the sense of his indebtedness to Jesus Christ, and he spent his life to express it. The greatest inspiration in Paul’s life was his view of Jesus Christ as his spiritual creditor. Do I feel that same sense of indebtednesss to Christ regarding every unsaved soul? As a saint, my life’s spiritual honor and duty is to fulfill my debt to Christ in relation to these lost souls. Every tiny bit of my life that has value I owe to the redemption of Jesus Christ. Am I doing anything to enable Him to bring His redemption into evident reality in the lives of others? I will only be able to do this as the Spirit of God works into me this sense of indebtedness.
I am not a superior person among other people— I am a bondservant of the Lord Jesus. Paul said, “…you are not your own…you were bought at a price…” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Paul sold himself to Jesus Christ and he said, in effect, “I am a debtor to everyone on the face of the earth because of the gospel of Jesus; I am free only that I may be an absolute bondservant of His.” That is the characteristic of a Christian’s life once this level of spiritual honor and duty becomes real.
BOTTOM LINE:
Quit praying about yourself and spend your life for the sake of others as the bondservant of Jesus. That is the true meaning of being broken bread and poured-out wine in real life.
FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:
Yesterday morning this word “barbarian” really struck my consciousness anew! Remember from your high school world history classes Middle Age historians’ accounts of the barbarians (middle-ages terrorists, not merely middle-aged men or late maturing boys!) who were then threatening, indeed, as now, are seen by perhaps certain vocal Christian pontificators as challenging and shaking the very moorings and the foundations of our western civilization?
A closer examination of my grandfather’s Thompson Chain Reference Bible refers me to I Cor 14:11 (unknown tongues?) and that to Col 3:11 and that in turn, to chain #341, also including Acts 28:4 “and when the ‘barbarians’ saw the venomous beast (snake) hang on his hand, they said amongst themselves, no doubt this man is a murderer, though he (Paul) hath escaped the sea…”
Perhaps the word barbarian is better interpreted today as our “in the image of God brothers” yet outside the “fold” as indeed was Saul (later, becoming our beloved Apostle Paul) prior to his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, who was “yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” … And don’t forget in our current cultural passivity, that Saul was prior the encounter, the kingpin in the leadership of the organized church.
I think our task to be salt and light today and beyond, is similar to the way the 20 construction workers from the Libya Coptic Church evidently witnessed back in February of 2015, to the 21st victim, named Matthew Ayariga, of black African descent from Ghana, or perhaps Chad, who stated at some opportune moment in their transport to that beach, “I am a Christian and I am like them,” joining the 20 martyrs that fateful day. Search greekcitytimes.com for more interesting details.
This all reminds me of an account(s) somewhere in Martyrs Mirror, where during public on the town square mass burnings of dozens of Christians, such as our forefathers in Europe, that spectators in the crowds were so compelled by the previous witness of Jesus empowering the daily living of these persecuted and tortured men and women, even teens; that the “called” spectators voluntarily joined those confined in the flames sacrificing their lives, joining their new brothers in Christ, that very day in eternity. Consider, as is declared in Hebrews 11:25 speaking of Moses and all martyrs, “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season…
Restated from Utmost above, Paul sold himself to Jesus Christ and he said in effect, “I am a debtor to everyone on the face of the earth because of the gospel Jesus; I am only free that I may be an absolute bondservant of His.”
In regard to this word barbarian, I prefer to dwell on interpreting our current fragmented global planet and its God ordained domestic villages from the mysteries and majesty of Almighty God and the admonitions I read in such passages as Col 3:10-17 (actually, one should include the first nine verses as well!
10.) And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11.) Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12.) Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13.) Forebearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14.) And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15.) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16.) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17.) And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.