What if Believing is Seeing?

I know of some believers who seem to have been endowed by God with incredible wisdom. I have seen them in action as people have attacked the Christian faith and they have defended the truth. No wisdom of man seems to be able to stand against their godly wisdom. I really do believe God has given the (universal) church such men in this day and age to help encourage and strengthen all believers. I think God probably raises up men like this in every age for the benefit of His Church (the people, not the building).

However, I have been more recently impressed by our God who is beyond the reasoning of man. Whether defending the truth or attacking it, God is not subject to man’s reasonings. In fact God cannot be understood at all by mankind unless He had revealed something of Himself to us and we are blessed that He has. God revealing Himself to people can be seen in nature, and in the conscience of man. It can also be seen in the Word of God

Rom 1:20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Rom 2:15-16
since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.

Heb 1:1-3 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

The incomprehensible God has made himself known to man. But this does not mean that we can rationalize God or comprehend Him. We certainly are able to at least grasp in part the Great God of all creation but God can never be said to have been comprehended. God’s promise though is that if we are willing to come to Him in faith, accepting His revealed truth, we will see Him.

1 John 3:2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

Perhaps we have it all wrong. Seeing isn’t believing, rather believing is seeing. This doesn’t mean that because we believe– it's made true. Rather believing what is truth even if it is unseen bears greater fruit—seeing that which we cannot humanly comprehend or rationalize.

Eph 1:9-10 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

Heb 11:1-2 1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see .

Not Even Fit for the Manure Pile

November was our churches month long focus on outreach. For the record just so everyone is without doubt—the purpose of outreach is evangelism. No the two terms are not the same. Outreach includes evangelism but is a more broad term that goes beyond evangelism. Lets take a close look at what I mean.

You will not find the word outreach or evangelism in the Bible. You will however find the word evangelist in the Bible. Strictly speaking, evangelism is the proclamation of the gospel (of Jesus Christ). An evangelist is one who proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ. Now when we talk about serving others or building relationships we are not talking about evangelism. Remember evangelism is telling (proclaiming) the gospel. It involves directly communicating the message of the gospel so that the recipients hear and are able to comprehend it. In this sense serving others and building relationships are not evangelism.

However, serving people and relationship building are outreach as long as we are doing them for the purpose of preparing a person for evangelism. In other words, I serve people and build relationships with people so that I can get a foot in the door and gain validity with the person. In a sense I am preparing them and the circumstances for the opportunity to evangelize (proclaim to them the gospel).

So outreach involves evangelism but it also includes those things that we do to prepare people’s hearts and to gain a hearing for the purpose of evangelism. Now some people may think this is a little cold. Do you mean to say that you only serve people and only build relationships with people to evangelize them?

Well let me ask you a question to answer this question. If I know the only truth that would save a persons soul—what it the most loving thing I can do for them? The answer is—tell them the truth. However— is it not true that in many cases in order for a person to take me and the message of the gospel seriously, I must have some credibility with them? The answer is yes. So do you see that if evangelism is the purpose behind building relationships and serving others, it is the highest and most loving motivation we can have. Most of the time I also genuinely enjoy the person and the relationship I am building with them.

We all need reminded that the only reason God keeps us on the earth after we are saved is to be His light and salt. That is your highest purpose Christian. If you fail to be His light or salt then heed Jesus warning in Matt 5:13 “It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” In Luke 14 He tells us that is we are not fulfilling our purpose as light and salt that we are not even fit for the manure pile.

So— outreach is a great term that involves evangelization and whatever we might do to build credibility with those around us for the sake of the message of Jesus Christ.

Let us all continue to pray for boldness and discernment as the enemy has in very subtle ways attacked the truth so that many in our culture don’t even believe there is an absolute truth. We know that the message we heard is the very truth of God and that it alone is the power of God to save men!