This final episode addresses a common reason why many Christians choose not to evangelize: they're not worthy because of sin issues, and they don't want to be hypocrites. Most Christians haven't fully given over to Christ's Lordship, and many struggle with sins "that so easily entangle." (Hebrews 12:1) The way forward is not to take an extended sabbatical from witnessing till substantial victory is realized, for few Christians ever feel sufficiently victorious. The recipe for gaining substantial victory over the flesh is Romans 13:14: "put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ means so regularly identifying with Christ through reading Scripture and prayer that Christ's character and mission become part of the believer. One is then motivated to lay aside the flesh, because it clearly obstructs and hinders the vision Christ has imparted to us, that of being ambassadors. Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ (inhaling) naturally leads to the ministry of reconciliation (exhaling), both of which clarify our purpose and reason for existence. We then see sin for what it truly is, an obstacle to true fulfillment, and we lay it aside. The alternative, being an unemployed Christian, rarely leads to victory over the flesh. "Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint." (Proverbs 29:18) Absent the invigorating power of Christ, inspiring and illuminating His plans for us, we only see the flesh. If we're going nowhere and willfully unemployed, rejecting participation in the Great Commission, we cast off restraint. We indulge the flesh even more, the paltry dividends of the lusts of deceit medicate us temporarily from loss of purpose and meaning. We settle for a substandard Christian life, where victory is always elusive and ministry is made a captive of the law of sin and death.* Clearly this latter alternative is not an option. All of us in varying degrees are called to be ministers of reconciliation, and ironically our battles with sin propel us to identify with Christ more. "Where sin abounds, grace abounds more.." Is it possible God wants to use you as a mighty evangelist, through your struggles with sin?
Responding to Slander
This episode addresses how believers should respond to slander. The ultimate slanderer is the devil, who typically seeks to accuse believers based on their past failures. Just as Nehemiah confessed the sins of his people before being used by God, anyone pursuing ministry should initially come clean before God with prior failures (1 John 1:9) This helps inoculate the believer against possible accusations and slander made by carnal believers, tares, and unbelievers. The ultimate objective behind demonically inspired slander is to cause fear and derail the work of God. Nehemiah continued his work and entrusted the divine project and his reputation to God Himself, even when Sanballat and Tobias supposedly maligned the work among the nations. The lesson for believers is obvious: continue the work God began through you and trust God to vindicate you when opposition arises through slander.
You’re Made Worthy to Serve
This episode mostly addresses the hesitancy of many believers to engage in ministry based on a sense of unworthiness. Of course, none of us are "worthy" in and of ourselves, but we have been made worthy through the imputed righteousness of Christ. Yet even when believers have a proper understanding of the basis of righteousness, if they don't engage in ministry, the sense of unworthiness is more pronounced since sin issues are the primary focus. The answer to this skewed perspective is the half-and-half approach where believers do ministry while they address issues of sin. Interestingly, ministry itself often unlocks the grace of God, the grace to do ministry through our weaknesses.
Salvation, More than an Individual Affair
This episode addresses the hesitancy of many in engaging the rest of the body of Christ concerning personal issues with sin. Many refuse to make themselves accountable to others because of a faulty individualistic view of salvation: salvation is mostly about forgiveness of sins but is not about service to the living God. (Heb. 9:14) A natural bi-product of this incomplete understanding of salvation is a failure to see the collective impact of personal sin on the rest of the Body. For if salvation is singularly about the forgiveness of sins, without embracing a ministry dimension, then personal struggles with sin are minimized since the FAILURE to do ministry, working collectively with other, is not really a concern. People isolate and battle sin individually without aid from the rest of the Body because their basic understanding of salvation is flawed. Sanctification and ministry are collective efforts and mirror the holistic Biblical view of salvation.
Build the Wall and Bring Your Sword
This episode provides a realistic picture of ministry based on Nehemiah 4:16-23. Opposition to the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem necessitated that half defended while the other half worked. This strategy is carried over into the New Testament where believers are called to aggressively seize the kingdom while putting on the whole armor of God (Luke 16:16, Eph. 6:10-17). While all believers are transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13), we are nevertheless all under construction, where the Holy Spirit progressively drives out our remaining sympathies with the evil one. This suggests that a balanced approach to ministry is preserving what God has already done while He directs us to build and expand His kingdom. And the local body of Christ, where "every joint supplies,"
Saved to Serve
This episode reemphasizes the futility of a sin-focused life apart from serving God. Such a misplaced focus explains why many apparently plateau in their Christianity and why most Christians are "unemployed" Christians. While Christians definitely should address issues of sin, the focus of the Christian life is on Christ, abiding in Him, and implementing His instructions. Service to God is the reason God saved us.
Another casualty of sin-obsession: love of neighbor
This episode builds on the last two, in which a misplaced focus on sin distorts the central purpose of salvation, which is to serve the living God. In addition to rehashing the consequences of this misplaced focus, whether one apparently gets the victory over sin or not, this episode addresses how this approach undermines love of neighbor. Being sin-focused and not God-focused gets projected on one's neighbor, potentially leading to a judgmental attitude towards neighbor because the primary lens for the self-absorbed Christian has become victory over sin. A service orientation towards God is much more conducive to love of neighbor.