The average believer when asked about his efforts to share the gospel may offer up several “reasons” why it is not feasible for him or her to tell others about their need for salvation. These reasons often seem spiritual in nature and are sometimes even accompanied by verses of scripture for support. However, the real truth is that believers who do not witness fail to do so because they are ashamed. Those believers who refuse to witness will be offended by this statement, but the apostle Paul confirms its validity. The reason Paul was “ready to preach the gospel” to those who were at Rome was because he was “not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.” Why was he not ashamed? Because he knew that it was “the power of God unto salvation.” Those who do not witness may offer excuses, but in reality they fail to believe in the power of God.
In order to be saved, a person must place his faith solely upon Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for the means of salvation. Paul defined this central body of truth as the gospel of the grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Acts 20:24). Though believers may tell what the Lord has done in their lives since being saved, the most important truth when witnessing involves Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection from the dead. This truth, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, became the theme of the early church. A careful study of the evangelistic messages of the early church testifies to this fact. Just as this doctrine historically served as the central truth when dealing with the lost, it should continue to be so today.
Sometimes the most difficult and significant tasks involve the simplest truths. For instance, every Christian should quickly learn that vengeance belongs unto the Lord. God confirms as much throughout scripture (Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalm 94:1; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30). This should be understandable as only the Lord has all the necessary information to execute just vengeance 100 percent of the time. When man attempts to execute vengeance, he often does so out of an improper motive or without key information of the evil that appears to have been done. Furthermore, when a believer takes vengeance into his own hands, he robs the Lord of His right and responsibility to exact vengeance at the right time and in the right manner.
Following a shipwreck, Paul, and those with him, escaped to an island called Melita. The Bible describes the natives as a barbarous people who were not completely void of truth. They demonstrated kindness toward those who had escaped the sea by kindling a fire for them. Paul helped the natives by gathering a bundle of sticks to cast upon the fire. As he cast the sticks on the fire, a viper came out of the heat and fastened on Paul’s hand. Immediately, the barbarians assumed Paul to be a murderer who was being recompensed for his wickedness. Even though these people did not know the Lord, they had some of His laws written in their consciences..
A simplistic view of vengeance involves the retribution of an evil deed. The first (Genesis 4:15) and last (Jude 7) mention of the word vengeance substantiates this definition. The Bible uses words like recompence (Deuteronomy 32:35), reward (Deuteronomy 32:41), punishments (Psalm 149:7), avenge (Jeremiah 46:10), revenge (Ezekiel 25:15), and repay (Romans 12:19) as descriptive words for vengeance. With this in mind, it is clear that vengeance is the just punishment as a consequence upon those who violate the laws of God. It is not the dispensing of wrath without cause but is specific punishment exacted for specific crimes committed.
Unity only comes from and through the Lord Jesus Christ, but once it comes, the saints of God must endeavour to keep that unity. One of the reasons why people find unity so elusive is because it requires sacrifice from all those who would enjoy its benefits. Only saints who exercise “lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering” will experience unity. No two believers who are using the minds that God gave them will believe every minute detail alike, yet they can enjoy sweet unity and fellowship in the Lord. Obviously, there are times and reasons for believers to divide, but there are also times for believers to forbear “one another in love” and endeavour to keep the unity. This unity works by love and can only be bonded through peace.
Romans 3:4 says, “let God be true, but every man a liar.” Perhaps this truth serves as the foundational reason why God warned believers not to place their trust in man. Though the primary reason, it is not the only reason. In Psalm 146:3 the Lord warns, “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.” The real needs of mankind cannot be satisfied by man, even the best of men. Those who put their trust in man do so in disobedience to the Lord which results in their own personal harm. Psalm 118:8-9 twice stresses that “It is better to trust in the LORD.” An improper trust in man is, in many ways, a departure from the Lord (Jeremiah 17:5).
What does the Bible mean when it says to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness”? Does this mean that believers should never speak to those who do not know Christ as Saviour? The key involves understanding Bible terminology. The word fellowship is a two part compound word. A simple Bible study of the root word fellow indicates that it involves two people working as one (John 11:16; 3 John 8); therefore fellowship involves two people being closely associated. The command for believers to avoid close association with unbelievers is further confirmed when the Bible says believers and unbelievers should not be “unequally yoked together” (2 Corinthians 6:14). When two people are yoked together, they are united in work; but the saved should never unite with the lost in such matters. More importantly, believers must never yoke up with unbelievers in God’s work (Ezra 4:3).
Separation is scriptural under a variety of different scenarios. Most commonly, believers understand that they are to separate from unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). This does not imply that believers should not witness to the lost but that there should be no “fellowship” between the two. The Bible also indicates that there are times in which one believer should separate from another believer. Most often, this happens because of the propagation of false doctrine (Romans 16:17-18; 2 Thessalonians 3:6) or immoral practices (1 Corinthians 5:11). However, there may also be instances when believers separate for the purpose of furthering the work of God (Galatians 2:6-9).
Too many people have assumed that believers may freely rebuke in their own authority, but there exists no scriptural basis for this. The LORD gave us an excellent example when He said, “The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan.” When rebuking the Devil, the LORD emphasized the importance of authority. No believer should ever rebuke except according to the God-given authority of scripture. In Zechariah 3:2, the LORD was His own authority, but believers do not have any such authority in themselves apart from the Lord and His word. Paul spoke expressly about this when he charged Titus to “speak, exhort, and rebuke with all authority” (Titus 2:15). It is not sufficient to flippantly invoke the Lord’s name; one must base any rebuke upon the scripture. Henceforth, it is the Lord that rebukes, never the believer.
