“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17.

Yesterday my husband and I were downtown on a shuttle.  As we drove around town I observed the people walking up and down the streets, some were on their phones talking, others had their ear bobs in staring at their phones, while others were purposefully going from point A to point B.   Of course I don’t know any of these people but I wondered their spiritual condition.  Are any of them “spiritually alive unto God through Jesus Christ” (Romans 6:11) or are they unable to worship the Lord?

I use to get upset with people for not recognizing or giving God the glory for their blessings until I realized they cannot…literally.  “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” 1 Cor. 12:3.  Someone who is spiritually dead unto God has their free will and they have either rejected Jesus as their Saviour or have not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   In either case, unless they choose to believe in Jesus and what He did for them on Calvary’s Cross, they will forever remain spiritually dead and will die the second death. “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”  Revelations 20:14. 

While we may think we have our free will, satan can actually overtake our free will but the Lord is a Gentleman and allows us to choose Him.  It is only by the grace of God that satan does not overtake our free will completely as an unbeliever.   The Word of God tells us over and over that God will be our God, wants to be our God and has made a way for Him to be our God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…yet we continue to do it our way instead of God’s Way.  “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” Isaiah 41:13.

This downward spiral the world seems to be taking is sucking the sand out from under the glass churches, I mean houses.  The very ones who have been rubbing shoulders with those who are spiritually dead instead of stepping on their toes are going to have to make a decision.  They have been trying to show the world “their Jesus” without ever mentioning His name so as not to offend.  I have news for the social gospels, while you are out flaunting “your Jesus” to the world, the world can’t tell any difference in you and them so they think they are okey dokey while remaining on their broad path to hell.  If your Jesus doesn’t line up with the Jesus of the Bible, you have another Jesus.  The Word of God says to go out and “…preach deliverance to the captives…” (Luke 4:18).

If the Gospel you are ministering does not lift up the name of Jesus, what He did and Who He is, the spiritually dead remain dead and they cannot proclaim Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.  “…I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto Salvation to every one that believeth..” Romans 1:16.  This Gospel we have been given by Jesus Christ is about Him, not us.  This is not a show we have to put on to the world, it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ we are suppose to declare.  Are you ashamed?  -Donna Clark Warren