Refiner's Fire
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Posted: April 3, 2021
Author: Jessica Mudger Colossians 1:28-29, BSB “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” |
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Do you know that when you choose to wear the name “Christian,” you are a walking representative of Jesus to the world?
When I was young, I was a terrible driver. Terrible. I was actually in two accidents before my eighteenth birthday. Yes, I was at fault in both accidents. Yes, I did in fact have my driver’s license suspended by the county court as a result of my recklessness. I did not like it at the time, but as a responsible adult (and much safer driver these days) I completely agree with the decision to revoke my license temporarily. There is no way I should have been labeled a safe driver. I was not. The part that makes me cringe the most is that I had window stickers on my car representing the Christian universities I attended. I would drive around horribly and in the name of Christ. My friends from high school still joke about my driving today and are hesitant to let me drive them anywhere, even twenty years later. My driving record is now spotless, by the way.
I think we have a similar problem in the American church: we have many people functioning at an incredible level of irresponsibility, who would best benefit the Kingdom by peeling the Christian sticker off of their life. The stakes have never been higher. There is an entire world of people headed for eternity in the fire of hell who need to know Jesus, and everywhere they look is another person misrepresenting Him. There is not enough time in a day to remedy the damage done by someone who claims to be a Christian and lives as if God doesn’t exist.
Colossians 3:17 (NIV) says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” May we be a group of people who bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus wherever there are people to influence. The way we work, play, love, and persevere in times of difficulty speaks louder than our words ever could. I am certainly not saying we have to act like someone we are not. It isn’t helpful to anyone to act like we are perfect. On the contrary, we can show just how desperately we need His leading in our lives to do anything at all. Then, when He does give us success, may we be humble enough to give Him all the glory. When we go through tough times, we can share the reason for the hope we have to get through it because of Christ.
The apostle Paul took his role as a representative of Christ very seriously, and trained others to do the same. In Colossians 1:28-29 (BSB) he said, “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” As mature followers of Jesus, we must decide to love our younger brothers and sisters in the Lord enough to “admonish and teach them with all wisdom.” We have to be bold enough to speak the truth in love. Choosing to stay quiet when we see a friend who is a professing believer continuing to walk around in sinful ways isn’t doing anything to benefit the Kingdom of God. Our momentary discomfort in the confrontation may very well be what leads not only their salvation, but also the people they influence. I pray God gives us the confidence, boldness, wisdom, and grace required to live a life worthy of His Name.
When I was young, I was a terrible driver. Terrible. I was actually in two accidents before my eighteenth birthday. Yes, I was at fault in both accidents. Yes, I did in fact have my driver’s license suspended by the county court as a result of my recklessness. I did not like it at the time, but as a responsible adult (and much safer driver these days) I completely agree with the decision to revoke my license temporarily. There is no way I should have been labeled a safe driver. I was not. The part that makes me cringe the most is that I had window stickers on my car representing the Christian universities I attended. I would drive around horribly and in the name of Christ. My friends from high school still joke about my driving today and are hesitant to let me drive them anywhere, even twenty years later. My driving record is now spotless, by the way.
I think we have a similar problem in the American church: we have many people functioning at an incredible level of irresponsibility, who would best benefit the Kingdom by peeling the Christian sticker off of their life. The stakes have never been higher. There is an entire world of people headed for eternity in the fire of hell who need to know Jesus, and everywhere they look is another person misrepresenting Him. There is not enough time in a day to remedy the damage done by someone who claims to be a Christian and lives as if God doesn’t exist.
Colossians 3:17 (NIV) says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” May we be a group of people who bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus wherever there are people to influence. The way we work, play, love, and persevere in times of difficulty speaks louder than our words ever could. I am certainly not saying we have to act like someone we are not. It isn’t helpful to anyone to act like we are perfect. On the contrary, we can show just how desperately we need His leading in our lives to do anything at all. Then, when He does give us success, may we be humble enough to give Him all the glory. When we go through tough times, we can share the reason for the hope we have to get through it because of Christ.
The apostle Paul took his role as a representative of Christ very seriously, and trained others to do the same. In Colossians 1:28-29 (BSB) he said, “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.” As mature followers of Jesus, we must decide to love our younger brothers and sisters in the Lord enough to “admonish and teach them with all wisdom.” We have to be bold enough to speak the truth in love. Choosing to stay quiet when we see a friend who is a professing believer continuing to walk around in sinful ways isn’t doing anything to benefit the Kingdom of God. Our momentary discomfort in the confrontation may very well be what leads not only their salvation, but also the people they influence. I pray God gives us the confidence, boldness, wisdom, and grace required to live a life worthy of His Name.
