I have a quote in my mind, or rather the gist of a quote. I probably should not use it since I am not sure I have the correct author nor am I certain of the exact quote.
My memory recalls it as a question asked of one of the old restoration preachers. (I want to say it was J.W. McGarvey.) It seems he was asked what ability he would like to posses in preaching the gospel of Christ. “The ability to persuade men to repentance,” is the quote I remember.
Grover and I had a conversation yesterday. His concern is that many people seem to acknowledge agreement to the lessons they hear from God’s word but then go out and make life decisions based on the prominent thinking of the current culture. His concern was what can we do to make ourselves think more seriously and critically about the true place God has in our lives.
I cannot get our conversation off my mind, but neither do I want to.
Is God truly first in my life? Do I seek His will and His rule first and foremost in everything I do?
The question has to be about me first of all. God has not intended to give any of us the power of persuasion over others to the point that we have the power to bring others to repentance. That has to be a personal choice and decision. Oh, we can preach, teach and nag. We can persuade with “many other words,” but it still comes down to an individual choice.
Not even Jesus persuaded against an individual’s will. He let the rich young ruler walk away.
But I want to go to heaven. Don’t you? So what would our lives look like if we really allowed God to have His way with them? What if we really started seriously considering if we were doing what God wanted or are we making everyday decisions based on the prominent thinking of our current culture?