Commitment & Dedication

Rev. Daniel M. True

In a recent article I mentioned the fact that many years ago I made a “quality decision”. That is, I decided to serve the Lord in whatever capacity I could; for whatever he would have me do. That was a decision, a commitment that I earnestly made. Then I had to dedicate myself to my commitment.

Sounds simple enough, huh?  W E L L  - not always easy to do! As with marriage or a mortgage payment or any contract that you enter into, it isn’t always comfortable or easy to “stick it out”. Marriages fail, houses and cars are repossessed because one finds that for one reason or another he just can’t continue in the agreement. We have seen many of these situations in the past 40-50 years.  Before World War II, you rarely saw “multiple divorces/marriages”. People generally worked out their difficulties rather than walking away from them.

Mind you, it was not always easy; it required hard work. ALL the situations that face every marriage today were present in those days, ready to break up marriages and families. But most people “knuckled down” and worked through those difficulties.

I would like to shift back to one’s spiritual walk, especially with attention given to those who are “called” (or think they are) to the ministry. Decisions of that nature, like many others, are usually begun though “emotional” or “good feelings”, and that’s okay, for starters. But, as in a marriage, you can’t base your Christian walk on emotion. Sure, we get “goose bumps” when we hear an incredibly moving “Billy Graham”- level sermon or musical score. But, like the first kiss, those things are supposed to set you thinking regarding  what will come next! Nothing can be sustained on initial feelings.

I know many people who, acting on a spiritual awakening, decided to “go into the ministry”. Whether they went to seminary or chose other ways to prepare for the ministry, a lot of them “dropped out” when they realized that there was a great deal of work to it; that much is required. Jesus Himself didn’t begin His ministry until He was 30 years old!

After one does finally reach the point when (he) is ready to take his place in the ministry world, there is still much hard work ahead to get established.  This is also true whether you are going to be a doctor, an attorney or a barber.

Next comes the commitment factor. The dictionary defines that as: “The act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action.” The key words there are binding yourself. In the case of ministry, one must commit to the Word of God (the Bible) as the final, uncompromising authority in all questionable situations. However, there are those who tend to “adjust” the Word of God for “political purposes or social correctness”.

In recent months we all have heard various ministers, especially those from mega-churches and who are in the public spotlight, make statements contrary to God’s Word or taking positions of “looking the other way” regarding some of the social ills that are being highly emphasized and accepted in this day and time.  Two such ministers just happen to be in Texas and another in California and are looked up to by millions as “spiritual leaders”. Yet they have taken positions of either disregarding, accepting or condoning those things that God says are sin!

One is a young white man who inherited the church that his late father built up over many years of service. In a recent TV interview he stated that he does not criticize or “adjudge” errant lifestyles – he just loves the people, and does not preach messages that would reflect negatively on those lifestyles or offend anyone involved in them.

Another is an older black minister who has established and developed a mega-church. He has looked the other way regarding disparaging comments and curses against America by another minister who has been the pastor of his political leader and friend.

Yet another has written a major book that promotes life in Christ that has moved a lot of people worldwide. However, the same person tends to look away or “tolerate” when his “friends in high places” are involved in un-Godly practices.

Yes, we DO love all of God’s children, but we cannot condone the things they may be doing that are categorized as sin! That is known as compromise. Regardless of “political correctness”, the man (or woman) of God needs to keep instructions from God at the forefront of our “mission”.

I have lost a number of “close” personal friends over these same issues. It is too easy for them to look the other way when members of their own families are openly involved (have come out of the closet) in some of these issues, and for that reason they tend to avoid contact with me because they know my (Bible) stance: NO exceptions; NO compromise!!

By not addressing and/or helping to correct societal ills, we would be serving to assure that those people who are involved will be going to Hell!

I am not a “fire & brimstone” preacher but I am aware of the inevitability of non-repentant sin.

The perennial question still remains: “can one who professes to be a Christian, even a minister, yet condones or is (himself) actively involved in un-Godly practices, actually be a Christian?”  Remember the words (the warning) of Jesus: “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!‘ (Matt. 7: 22,23 NKJV).

He will be the Judge, not me. But, to be “safe”, I am going to continue promoting the uncompromised Word of God!