This year I turned 50 and according to my mother’s formula, I’ve physically become
an antique. However, I’m beginning to think that maybe I’m a “spiritual” antique in
the eyes of some. You know, when people don’t take you seriously anymore
because they think you are OLD-fashioned in your thinking and your convictions
are from the OLD school.
Being labeled a “spiritual” antique should not surprise us since we know from the
Scriptures “for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables”
(2 Tim. 4:3-4).
In other words, if you believe in the sufficiency of the Word of God (and the
emptiness of psychology) for a life of godliness, the Biblical role of men and
women instead of following the “modern” way of the university sociologists, laying
up treasures in heaven instead of on earth as Mat. 6:19-21 commands, raising
your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord instead of leaving them
unrestrained, being committed to the local church, modest dress and appearance
for both men and women, etc., you will find out very quickly that many people (even
in the assemblies) are not able to endure such sound doctrine. Because they
have turned aside to fables (“modern” thinking), they label basic fundamental
beliefs and those who believe in them as coming from the “antique shop,” that is,
from the OLD school.
However, an area where some really believe that your convictions are “antiquated”
is if you hold to the non-negotiable position that people everywhere need to hear
the gospel in order to be saved. To say it from the opposite viewpoint, in our
current “modern generation” with all of its “progressive thinking” there are more
and more people who are no longer gripped by a burning conviction that men
everywhere are lost without Christ.
This was illustrated quite vividly during a recent meeting in North America when a
young man approached me during the fellowship time afterwards. I had just
finished giving a message concerning the importance of faith in the work of world
missions.
“Mr. Sturm, may I ask you a question about something you said?” he asked.
“Certainly,” was my reply.
“During your message you mentioned that people without knowledge of the Savior
are lost and need to hear the gospel in order to be saved. Do you really believe
that?”
My answer was, “Yes, young man, I do.”
He retorted with, “What Scripture can you use to support your position?” I quoted
what William MacDonald calls the “heartbeat of Christian missions,” that is,
Romans 10:14-15, hoping this would be sufficient to satisfy his curiosity:
Unfortunately it didn’t satisfy him since his rebuttal was something like this: “I find
it hard to believe that an all-loving God would condemn to Hell someone who was
in complete ignorance of the gospel and never had the opportunity to hear it,
especially if that person had responded to the witness of creation and believed
there was a Creator. Don’t you think God would look favorably upon that person
and accept him into Heaven? You cited one verse, but can you cite others to
support your position?”
At this point, I quickly woke up to the fact that this young man was dead serious
with his questioning. After lifting up a quick prayer to the Lord, I answered, “Friend,
the Bible has many verses I could cite. For example, ‘He that hath the Son hath life;
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life’ (1 John 5:12). A person living in
total ignorance of the gospel obviously does not have the Son, and hence does not
have life. Likewise, a person who might have responded to creation light (although
Romans 1 says that is uncommon), rejects evolutionary thought that he came
from a monkey, believes there is a Creator, and attempts to live righteously, but
knows nothing of the Savior, that person is still without the Son and hence without
life.”
Continuing, I added, “However, let us go deeper and simply ask ourselves this: if
God could forgive, cleanse, and make fit for heaven a person through some other
means besides faith in Christ (e.g. through God’s compassion and mercy), then
Christ surely died needlessly. If there was another way (besides the sending of
His beloved Son to be crucified for our sins), it would have been much simpler for
God to leave every soul in ignorance of the gospel and then save us through His
mercy the moment a soul responded somehow to the witness of creation.
However, the frank reality is that He spared not His Son. Why? Because there WAS
no other way, and there IS no other way. People NEED to believe in Christ in order
to be saved.”
Having reached an impasse, my young inquirer thanked me for my time and
simply stated, “I’m not convinced. But I will think about what you said.”
Whether he thought about the issue anymore that night I do not know. Maybe he
simply thought that I was pretty “old fashioned” in my thinking--an antique. But I do
know that I have thought about it many, many times and I can’t escape this
question: why do we find a young person in the assemblies who does not have a
conviction that people without Christ are lost? Excuse me, but to me, this old
antique, this is simply Bible 101 in the school of Christ.
What is the answer? Maybe the elders of his assembly are not convinced
themselves and, hence, are not lifting up the missionary calling as the most
desirable way to consume one’s life. Maybe academically people believe in the
utter lostness of mankind, but practically another message is transmitted.
Too often young people from Christian homes are being taught the importance of
the Great Career instead of that we are here to live for Christ and fulfill the Great
Commission. Instead of being soldiers for Christ who live sacrificially and endure
hardships for the cause of the gospel, too often young people are encouraged to
chase after a college degree, a professional position, job security, pleasures, and
the laying up of earthly treasures. More times than we would like to admit, the
warning of 1 Tim 6:10 is not heeded and the love of money subtly takes
precedence. In other words, our young people are often trained for the world and
not for the cause of Christ, to seek after a life of ease and comfort instead of “go ye
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
Perhaps it is as William MacDonald puts it: “We have become basically worldly in
our outlook, and we are raising a generation of young folk who will give their finest
talents to a corporation but not to Christ. We train them to do for money what they
will not do for the Master.”
Therefore, it is no mystery why more and more young people are not gripped by
the burning conviction that men everywhere are lost without Christ, let alone why
we see fewer and fewer giving themselves over for missionary work. To be
consumed by such a conviction would dramatically alter one’s lifestyle, priorities,
ambitions, and direction. For many this is too uncomfortable. Thus, the lost perish
in droves because no one comes to tell them about Christ.
Some might consider the opinion of A. B. Simpson to be from the “antique shop.”
However, his thoughts on this matter are worth noting:
Still another “antique,” Charles Spurgeon, when asked if he thought the heathen
who had never heard the gospel would be saved, replied, “It is more of a question
with me whether we, who have had the gospel and fail to give it to those who have it
not, can be saved.”
Have you ever purchased furniture? Of course--we all have. My mother said
although antique furniture was more expensive, it was much better quality and a
better long-term investment. But alas, we often take the easy and quick road. How
often are we tempted by the newspaper ads that go something like this: “A
complete living room set for only $500”? Unfortunately, after we get it home and
use it for a few months we find that cheap pressed-board stuff really wasn’t worth
the trouble.
It is the same way in the Christian life. Divine guidance is to believe what God has
said about the lost and live your life fulfilling the Great Commission. If you do so,
your service will be with quality and endurance and will be greatly rewarded.
However, if you choose the easy way, the path of the majority, you’ll find that your
service for the Lord becomes like one of those modern glued sawdust pieces of
furniture with a thin layer of cheap veneer. It is all beautiful in the beginning, but it
won’t last in the light of eternity. It is wood, hay and stubble (1 Cor. 3:12).
Maybe this is the first time you have really understood in the depths of your soul
that we, who have Christ, have a great responsibility toward the lost. They will
never be saved unless one GOES to them (Mat. 28:19-20). There is no room for a
compromise position.
What is your choice? Perhaps God is speaking to your heart today. If so, may you
respond like another “antique” of old did:
“He conquered my unbelief.” Isn’t unbelief always the problem of man? Oftentimes
unbelief doesn’t believe that tried and tested paths of discipleship are the best, but
rather that they are old-fashioned. I recall the words of the Lord through the
prophet Jeremiah: “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask
for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for
your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jer. 6:16).
God called upon His people to ask for the old paths (the “antique” road of sound
doctrine and practice), to walk in them, and promised that therein they would find
rest for their souls. However, their problem was unbelief for they said, “We will not
walk therein.” Maybe to them the “old paths” were too old-fashioned, too hard, or
too unpopular. But whatever the reason, due to their unbelief they chose an inferior
path, the way of a fable (2 Tim. 4:3-4).
As we consider the claims of the Great Commission, may we allow Him to
conquer our unbelief.
an antique. However, I’m beginning to think that maybe I’m a “spiritual” antique in
the eyes of some. You know, when people don’t take you seriously anymore
because they think you are OLD-fashioned in your thinking and your convictions
are from the OLD school.
Being labeled a “spiritual” antique should not surprise us since we know from the
Scriptures “for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables”
(2 Tim. 4:3-4).
In other words, if you believe in the sufficiency of the Word of God (and the
emptiness of psychology) for a life of godliness, the Biblical role of men and
women instead of following the “modern” way of the university sociologists, laying
up treasures in heaven instead of on earth as Mat. 6:19-21 commands, raising
your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord instead of leaving them
unrestrained, being committed to the local church, modest dress and appearance
for both men and women, etc., you will find out very quickly that many people (even
in the assemblies) are not able to endure such sound doctrine. Because they
have turned aside to fables (“modern” thinking), they label basic fundamental
beliefs and those who believe in them as coming from the “antique shop,” that is,
from the OLD school.
However, an area where some really believe that your convictions are “antiquated”
is if you hold to the non-negotiable position that people everywhere need to hear
the gospel in order to be saved. To say it from the opposite viewpoint, in our
current “modern generation” with all of its “progressive thinking” there are more
and more people who are no longer gripped by a burning conviction that men
everywhere are lost without Christ.
This was illustrated quite vividly during a recent meeting in North America when a
young man approached me during the fellowship time afterwards. I had just
finished giving a message concerning the importance of faith in the work of world
missions.
“Mr. Sturm, may I ask you a question about something you said?” he asked.
“Certainly,” was my reply.
“During your message you mentioned that people without knowledge of the Savior
are lost and need to hear the gospel in order to be saved. Do you really believe
that?”
My answer was, “Yes, young man, I do.”
He retorted with, “What Scripture can you use to support your position?” I quoted
what William MacDonald calls the “heartbeat of Christian missions,” that is,
Romans 10:14-15, hoping this would be sufficient to satisfy his curiosity:
- How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how
shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they
hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of
peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Unfortunately it didn’t satisfy him since his rebuttal was something like this: “I find
it hard to believe that an all-loving God would condemn to Hell someone who was
in complete ignorance of the gospel and never had the opportunity to hear it,
especially if that person had responded to the witness of creation and believed
there was a Creator. Don’t you think God would look favorably upon that person
and accept him into Heaven? You cited one verse, but can you cite others to
support your position?”
At this point, I quickly woke up to the fact that this young man was dead serious
with his questioning. After lifting up a quick prayer to the Lord, I answered, “Friend,
the Bible has many verses I could cite. For example, ‘He that hath the Son hath life;
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life’ (1 John 5:12). A person living in
total ignorance of the gospel obviously does not have the Son, and hence does not
have life. Likewise, a person who might have responded to creation light (although
Romans 1 says that is uncommon), rejects evolutionary thought that he came
from a monkey, believes there is a Creator, and attempts to live righteously, but
knows nothing of the Savior, that person is still without the Son and hence without
life.”
Continuing, I added, “However, let us go deeper and simply ask ourselves this: if
God could forgive, cleanse, and make fit for heaven a person through some other
means besides faith in Christ (e.g. through God’s compassion and mercy), then
Christ surely died needlessly. If there was another way (besides the sending of
His beloved Son to be crucified for our sins), it would have been much simpler for
God to leave every soul in ignorance of the gospel and then save us through His
mercy the moment a soul responded somehow to the witness of creation.
However, the frank reality is that He spared not His Son. Why? Because there WAS
no other way, and there IS no other way. People NEED to believe in Christ in order
to be saved.”
Having reached an impasse, my young inquirer thanked me for my time and
simply stated, “I’m not convinced. But I will think about what you said.”
Whether he thought about the issue anymore that night I do not know. Maybe he
simply thought that I was pretty “old fashioned” in my thinking--an antique. But I do
know that I have thought about it many, many times and I can’t escape this
question: why do we find a young person in the assemblies who does not have a
conviction that people without Christ are lost? Excuse me, but to me, this old
antique, this is simply Bible 101 in the school of Christ.
What is the answer? Maybe the elders of his assembly are not convinced
themselves and, hence, are not lifting up the missionary calling as the most
desirable way to consume one’s life. Maybe academically people believe in the
utter lostness of mankind, but practically another message is transmitted.
Too often young people from Christian homes are being taught the importance of
the Great Career instead of that we are here to live for Christ and fulfill the Great
Commission. Instead of being soldiers for Christ who live sacrificially and endure
hardships for the cause of the gospel, too often young people are encouraged to
chase after a college degree, a professional position, job security, pleasures, and
the laying up of earthly treasures. More times than we would like to admit, the
warning of 1 Tim 6:10 is not heeded and the love of money subtly takes
precedence. In other words, our young people are often trained for the world and
not for the cause of Christ, to seek after a life of ease and comfort instead of “go ye
into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
Perhaps it is as William MacDonald puts it: “We have become basically worldly in
our outlook, and we are raising a generation of young folk who will give their finest
talents to a corporation but not to Christ. We train them to do for money what they
will not do for the Master.”
Therefore, it is no mystery why more and more young people are not gripped by
the burning conviction that men everywhere are lost without Christ, let alone why
we see fewer and fewer giving themselves over for missionary work. To be
consumed by such a conviction would dramatically alter one’s lifestyle, priorities,
ambitions, and direction. For many this is too uncomfortable. Thus, the lost perish
in droves because no one comes to tell them about Christ.
Some might consider the opinion of A. B. Simpson to be from the “antique shop.”
However, his thoughts on this matter are worth noting:
- The heathen pass out of wretched existence here, into a darker future
beyond. Do you say you do not believe this--that God is too merciful to let
them be lost, and that there must be some other way of hope of salvation
for them? Beloved, this settled unbelief of God’s Word is probably the
secret of most of our sinful neglect of the heathen world. We are pillowing
our conscience on a lie. God has solemnly told us in His Word that there is
no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be
saved, but the name of Jesus. The tenderest voice that ever spake on earth
declared, “Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God.” If God could have saved men in any easier way, He would never
have given His Son to the horrors of Calvary.
Still another “antique,” Charles Spurgeon, when asked if he thought the heathen
who had never heard the gospel would be saved, replied, “It is more of a question
with me whether we, who have had the gospel and fail to give it to those who have it
not, can be saved.”
Have you ever purchased furniture? Of course--we all have. My mother said
although antique furniture was more expensive, it was much better quality and a
better long-term investment. But alas, we often take the easy and quick road. How
often are we tempted by the newspaper ads that go something like this: “A
complete living room set for only $500”? Unfortunately, after we get it home and
use it for a few months we find that cheap pressed-board stuff really wasn’t worth
the trouble.
It is the same way in the Christian life. Divine guidance is to believe what God has
said about the lost and live your life fulfilling the Great Commission. If you do so,
your service will be with quality and endurance and will be greatly rewarded.
However, if you choose the easy way, the path of the majority, you’ll find that your
service for the Lord becomes like one of those modern glued sawdust pieces of
furniture with a thin layer of cheap veneer. It is all beautiful in the beginning, but it
won’t last in the light of eternity. It is wood, hay and stubble (1 Cor. 3:12).
Maybe this is the first time you have really understood in the depths of your soul
that we, who have Christ, have a great responsibility toward the lost. They will
never be saved unless one GOES to them (Mat. 28:19-20). There is no room for a
compromise position.
What is your choice? Perhaps God is speaking to your heart today. If so, may you
respond like another “antique” of old did:
- Unable to bear the sight of a congregation of a thousand or more Christian
people rejoicing in their own security, while millions were perishing for lack
of knowledge, I wandered out on the sands alone, in great spiritual agony;
and there the Lord conquered my unbelief, and I surrendered myself for
this service. - Hudson Taylor
“He conquered my unbelief.” Isn’t unbelief always the problem of man? Oftentimes
unbelief doesn’t believe that tried and tested paths of discipleship are the best, but
rather that they are old-fashioned. I recall the words of the Lord through the
prophet Jeremiah: “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask
for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for
your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jer. 6:16).
God called upon His people to ask for the old paths (the “antique” road of sound
doctrine and practice), to walk in them, and promised that therein they would find
rest for their souls. However, their problem was unbelief for they said, “We will not
walk therein.” Maybe to them the “old paths” were too old-fashioned, too hard, or
too unpopular. But whatever the reason, due to their unbelief they chose an inferior
path, the way of a fable (2 Tim. 4:3-4).
As we consider the claims of the Great Commission, may we allow Him to
conquer our unbelief.
- We have a blood-bought pardon;
‘Twas purchased at infinite cost;
That pardon left undelivered
Leaves men eternally lost.
- - G. Playfair
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Për të parë skedarë në
formatin PDF, juve ju duhet
programi Adobe Reader. Ju
mund ta shkarkoni atë falas
duke klikuar mbi figurën e
mëposhtme.
formatin PDF, juve ju duhet
programi Adobe Reader. Ju
mund ta shkarkoni atë falas
duke klikuar mbi figurën e
mëposhtme.
ANTIQUES AND THE GREAT COMMISSION
by George Sturm
My mother was an antique collector. As I young boy I
thought that was a pretty boring hobby. After all, what
value did all that “old junk” have? I remember asking her
how she could tell if something were an antique or not.
Whether she was using an exact formula or not I don’t
know, but she said, “When something turns 50 years
old, it is considered an antique.”
A few years later she turned 50. So, to play a joke on her,
I gave her a birthday card and inside was the following:
“Congratulations Mom, you just became an antique!”
Needless to say, I ran for my life that day!
by George Sturm
My mother was an antique collector. As I young boy I
thought that was a pretty boring hobby. After all, what
value did all that “old junk” have? I remember asking her
how she could tell if something were an antique or not.
Whether she was using an exact formula or not I don’t
know, but she said, “When something turns 50 years
old, it is considered an antique.”
A few years later she turned 50. So, to play a joke on her,
I gave her a birthday card and inside was the following:
“Congratulations Mom, you just became an antique!”
Needless to say, I ran for my life that day!
News in English > Articles & Bible Studies > Antiques and the Great Commision
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