By Joshua Fritz Why Christians should look to the Lord Jesus, and simultaneously look out to speak of Christ to the lost by how they live and speak.
Do we engage heavily in politics, or in evangelism of souls? Should social media be a place of a political echo chamber? Or a harvest field to bring the lost to Jesus Christ? What should be the focus?
Everyone is posting a notable (yet funny) meme of Sen. Bernie Sanders during the inauguration of President Joe Biden. With his mittens and his face covered by a mask, in the cold winter day, everyone can sympathize with the senator, even though many disagree with his politics.
Smoke and mirrors. Sleep and slumber. Wake up. Were you distracted like I was? Sure, by the time this post hits I have done my share of Bernie Sanders memes. But not for long, and onto the next fad. We are in a spiritual war in this country. We are warring against Satan and his demonic forces, the principalities, and powers in the high places. (See Ephesians 6).
The mission field with the inclusion of politics can be tricky and can be like a slow churning cesspool, difficult to navigate and stain the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Not the gospel itself, the proclamation part). There are politicians that embrace the truth of the gospel but cower in the face of opposition and tremble and shake at being bold. Mostly are “in name only” and use Christianity as a crutch to further their political career. Gone are the days of seeking out the providence of God and committing our trust to Him. We seek out our own desires and ambitions and not God’s glory. While our nation’s motto is ‘In God we Trust”, our government’s actions and OURS as a nation, are far from that.
This takes me back to my divorce proceedings, several years back. I am in courtroom with government officials, a bailiff, a clerk, a judge. Lawyers are present, witnesses in the gallery are present. In large block letters behind the judge’s bench are the national motto: “In God we Trust”. As I am there to defend my marriage as a defendant, all I see are people going after their first god- the almighty dollar, and then their second, their job. As I knew I was facing losses of earthly magnitude, I was gaining eternal truths along the way. Divorce is painful, even as it thrown on you without you wanting it. I learned something that day. Look up. Sure, the national motto was on the wall behind the judge. But the motto means nothing if you do not believe in God yourself. Look up Christian. You call yourself a follower of Christ? Look up. Stop looking to fallible men and women to solve your earthly problems whether political, social, racial, financial, marital, or everyday issues. STOP.
The moment I looked up at that phrase on the wall. I knew I would be losing everything but gaining far more. You gain by losing. I know that makes no sense, but when you have a spiritual lens to what we have in Jesus Christ, we are rich children. We belong to the King of all Kings. Jesus Christ. He intercedes for His own. Perpetually. Every loss is a gain divine.
Look at this passage in Philippians where Paul describes his losses as gains in chapter 3:1-11:
“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law; a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
We are not the Apostle Paul. We are not looking to suffer for the gospel’s advancement. But maybe we should. For a long time in the United States, Christians have been lulled to sleep with the American dream, and packing it in. We view suffering as having to wait more than 10 minutes in a drive thru at a fast-food restaurant. We have a problem. Pride. We as Christians should renounce our pride and renounce the false god of self-reliance. Paul says we worship by the Spirit, and we glory in Christ Jesus. How? No confidence is to be put in the flesh. Jesus said the same- to deny ourselves. Self-denial.
Matthew 16:24
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up His cross and follow Me.”
By truly being disciples of Jesus Christ, we will/should lose interest in the collection and chasing of tangible “things” and remove the focus off self. It must be and after the glory of God by helping someone on to Christ. It may be a text or a group text that jumpstarts that witness. It may be a question from some fellow co-worker at your place of employment, that person in the grocery aisle. There are people all around us. Indeed, your very own children are your mission field as well.
The best indicator by working toward this simple goal is to thank the Lord Himself daily for your salvation and remain grateful for God’s grace. Another is to be in a constant state of repentance and trusting in Christ. Doing these things themselves do not achieve salvation (because it is by Christ we are redeemed, not our self-effort). But doing them allows us to remain humble. These are the battles won in the mind and heart of laying hold of the Scriptures, and never letting go of convictions brought about by the study of God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit moving in us to resist satanic advances and fleshly pursuits are unsaved bodies have.
Another crucial indicator to lose reliance on self, is to be a help to the body of Christ. Be that local church member. Attend the fellowship, be available. Engage with your fellow believers in the local church body. Prayer, opening of the Scriptures, the public reading and study and singing songs of praise to our Savior is the BOOST we all need every week, as much times as your church meets. What could be done in addition to that, is to branch out and FIND MORE believers in the body. Being an encouragement to another body of believers in the Lord is ALWAYS A GOOD THING. This is LOVING the fellow brother/sister in Christ.
As I write all of this, these are personal to me in that I must work towards glorifying God. We are not meant to be idle, but willing servants of Jesus Christ, leading the lost to Him. He sent us out to work for Him. He died for us; we owe Him everything.
Look up, look in, look out.
For the glory of Jesus Christ,
Joshua Fritz
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The Godcast with Josh Fritz is a podcast created to sharing Jesus Christ with the lost, exposing false teaching, encouraging the saints, and fortifying them with the truth of Scripture, resulting in the glory of God. If you feel spurred on to give to this ministry please feel free to at https://www.thegodcastwithjoshfritz.com Click on support, or click the Patreon icon, or go to anchor.fm/joshua-fritz and click “support”. But ultimately here at the Godcast, I desire you give to your local church first. I am not after money; I am after the glory of God.