Dead Men Walking
Thank you for listening to GodNAmerica’s weekday podcast. My name is Perry Greene, I am your host. You may find us at GodNAmerica.com for more information and resources.
At a recent midweek prayer meeting the Pastor asked us to pray for persecuted believers. He mentioned some preachers in India. They are undergoing life and death scenarios that we in America can barely comprehend.
These men graduate from their preacher training schools with an eye on going into the most dangerous areas of India with the gospel. Before they go, their families will have a funeral service for them since there is a strong possibility that they will not return. The next day they mount their bicycles and head out to fulfill their calling. For all practical purposes these men have “died” to their families but are alive to Christ.
This reminds me of what Paul said in in Galatians 2:20 (ESV):
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
He gives us another key reminder in Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV):
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
What did you notice in these passages? Did you notice our “deaths”? Did you notice that Christ is our life? That rules out everything else. Money is not our life. Neither is success or leisure or status and so on.
Would you say we’ve had it pretty easy? Would you say that American Christians have been pampered? Our first amendment gives us the right to practice our religion. American churches often take it a step further. Instead of teaching about counting the cost of discipleship many of our churches lower the standards. Instead of helping immature Christians grow up in Christ, most church leaders prefer pacifying their juvenile outbursts. After all, we have to have “peace at any price” in our churches.
It seems that too often we prefer the “milk of the word” and are unable to eat the meat. Peter tells us the purpose of the milk is to help us grow. Notice his words in 1 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV):
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The writer of Hebrews reprimanded his readers because they stopped growing and were unable to “eat the meat” of scripture. He said in Hebrews 5:12-14 (ESV):
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
According to Rabbi Hillel of long ago, scripture is given by God on four levels. There is the simple level where we can read what is said and understand the event. Then it starts getting deeper. There is an allusion or cross-reference level where the text we are reading ties directly to another passage. Then there is the lesson and application level. Last, there is the mystery level.
God meant for us to use His word for more than a book describing historic events. He meant for us to learn to tie it all together and apply it in our lives. That is getting into the meat. Really, what good is studying the Bible if we do not intend to use it to grow and change?
John Wanamaker was born on July 11, 1838 and died on December 12, 1922. He was obviously not of our Founding generations, but he was a leader in America both in business and religion. He was a U.S. Postmaster General, 1889-93; a financier; and founder of one of the first American department stores. He had served as secretary of the Philadelphia YMCA, 1857- 61. On one occasion he stated:
I cannot too greatly emphasize the importance and value of Bible study-more important than ever before in these days of uncertainties, when men and women are apt to decide questions from the standpoint of expediency rather than of the eternal principles laid down by God, Himself.
Studying the Bible cannot be overstated. It helps us connect with God and gain some of His wisdom in our decision-making. Jesus tells us the connection of His word and our freedom in John 8:31-32 (ESV):
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
I have heard that when an inmate on death row is walking to his execution, the other prisoners will say, “Dead man walking!” He is taking his last steps before he departs this world. Essentially, this is us. We are imprisoned and condemned to death is this world. When we die to this world and die to ourselves, we are free to walk fully with Christ. His word shows us the way. The question is, “Are we all in or just dabbling?”
Keep the Light of Your Walk with Christ Burning!
