go into all the world and teach the gospel to every creature

    Before Jesus ascended back into Heaven, He told His disciples to "go into all the world and teach the gospel to every creature" (Matt 28:19-20). Why? Because every person is accountable to the gospel. They were to "teach," then "baptize," and then teach the baptized to "observe all things whatsoever He had taught them."  Then Jesus gave the disciples the promise, "Lo, I am with you always even until the end of the age."

    How many times have you heard someone say, "I'd like to be a Christian but I know I would never be able to sustain the high standards of Christianity, so what's the use in even trying."  As long as such a person has this  "I"  problem, he is right. What we need to understand though, is what Jesus said in His Great Commission, "I am with you always!" Christ has not, and does not, ask us to "go it ALONE." God's measureless grace and omnipotent power embraces and sustains all who follow Jesus with an obedient faith (2Cor. 9:8; cf. Matt. 19:26).  Paul writes, "The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for His Heavenly Kingdom..." (2Tim. 4:18). According to 1Peter 1:5, this is accomplished "through faith."

    "Through faith" are two words that don't seem to register in the minds of many. We want God to "keep us" in His Grace, but we are ignoring the essential prerequisite that governs God's "keeping power."  It is "through faith," and "faith comes by hearing the word" (Rom. 10:17).  In other words, you and I have a personal responsibility to God called "FAITH."  No faith - - no power.  No power -- no grace.  No grace, no salvation, because it is "by grace that you are saved, THOURGH FAITH (Eph. 2:8).

    In order to be saved, each of us has a responsibility to learn, believe, and obey the Scriptures. We must "hold fast to the word, else our belief is vain" (1Cor 15:1-2). That is, salvation is conditioned upon holding fast to the Word.  Jude, vs. 21 says, "Keep  yourselves in the love of God."  2nd John vs. 6 says, "This is the love of God that we keep His commandments."   Paul gives us the same warning in Phil. 2:12 when he wrote, "Save yourselves..."  The very first gospel sermon contained the admonition, "Save yourselves" (Ax 2:40).  God has done His part, now we must do ours. Our "part" is learning and obeying His word.  Paul told Timothy that if he would continue in sound doctrine, he would "save himself," as well as others who would listent to him (1Tim. 4:15-16).

    The point is, God has the power (Psalm 62:11);  He has the desire to save you (2Pet. 3:9);  however, we have an obligation to fulfill in order for Him to do that, and that obligation is to abide in, and remain faithful to Jesus Christ; and we can only be faithful by obeying His Word because faith comes by hearing the Word. Jesus made it unmistakably clear when He said, "If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love" (John 15:10).  In other words, if we are not keeping His commands, we are not abiding in His love.  If we die without abiding in His love, it will not have mattered that we ever lived in the first place!

    Not only "can" you live the Christian life, you MUST. the world will eventually be burned up in a fervent heat (2Pet. 3:10). If you are a worldly person, you'll burn with it in a place "where the fire is never quenched."

                                                            Stay Hungry - - Toby Miller

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