Jesus Christ were eyewitnesses of His teachings and miracles He performed. They
thus became uncompromising “ministers of the word.” They were tried, tempted,
persecuted, imprisoned, severely tortured, denied their rights, abused and
afflicted, subjected to hunger, thirst, shame and disgrace. Yet, they stood
firmly and remained uncompromising till death. We must also resolve not to
deviate from the command to preach “the word of God with boldness.”
The
Apostles were not deterred by threats from enemies of the gospel.
apostle doggedly proclaimed “all the counsel of God” everywhere, despite his
predicaments. He said, “For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God:
but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ” (2
Corinthians 2:17). Preachers of the word of God should not circumvent the truth
to please any individual, authority or congregation.
To preach the Word
with boldness and conviction, we should endeavour to spend quality time to
train, consecrate, sacrifice and develop ourselves to be approved unto God. We
should not allow others’ sin to make us fall, but avoid compromise like Daniel,
who “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself.” If we stand firm,
preach with conviction and bring sinners to the Lord, God’s work will grow
numerically and spiritually. And we will receive our great reward on the final
day, if we remain faithful till the end.
Believers grow to maturity
through regular intake of His Word. Some Christians, however, are not growing in
courage, spiritual stamina and levels of maturity, because they fail to commit
themselves to imbibe the Word every day. “For when for the time ye ought to be
teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of
the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong
meat” (Hebrews 5:12). Such Christians are slow and unproductive. When they ought
to be counsellors, leaders, teachers, pastors, evangelists and soul-winners with
good grasp on the Word, they remain babes. But the Lord wants us to be strong,
firm, courageous and bold.
Rather than give excuses for remaining
stagnant because of our situations, “let us go on unto perfection.” We should
grow into maturity to be able to handle the difficulty, confrontation,
temptation, insult and pressure that challenge our Christian conduct and
obedience to the great commission.
Christ never bent the knee to Stan’s
messengers or gave up the commission the Father had given Him because of the
Pharisees and Sadducees. We must emulate Him and, “Let the word of Christ dwell
in (us) richly in all wisdom.” This will make us grow and come to maturity and
perfection. The more we live in the Word and by the Word, the more we become
mature, stable, steadfast and grow with a good foundation in Christ, Who is the
Word personified.
Those who move on to maturity live in Him, through Him,
like Him and for Him. They are saved, sanctified, separated from the world,
submissive, spiritual, saintly, saturated with the Word, steadfast,
single-minded, soul-winning and self-denying.
