Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
How does the Good Shepherd seeking and finding His lost sheep translate into practical day-by-day living? If the Savior gives us a good faith-relationship with Himself, shouldn't it be fair for us now to "maintain" that "relationship" by Bible study, prayer, and witnessing? If the Lord gives you a new car, isn't it fair that you "maintain" it by changing the oil, renewing the brake pads, paying the insurance, etc., etc.?
Yes, of course, only fair. But a lot of cars get dilapidated by not being "maintained," the new car thrill wears off; and also lots of people lose their "relationship with the Lord" by neglect and forgetfulness. So we have "revival" campaigns at various intervals. And of course, all that is good.
It sounds like such reasonable good sense that millions know no other way to be Christians. But when you think it through, isn't this the essence of the "by faith plus by works" idea? We're afraid of any Good News that's better than that lest making the Good News too good might lull us to sleep and we'll forget to keep the law. The "faith plus works" idea becomes immensely popular because it seems to be the only way people can stay "faithful." (The Old Covenant is loath to give way to the New Covenant.)
If the Good Shepherd has risked His own life to save the lost sheep, doesn't it make common sense that He require the sheep now to walk its way home? Yes, of course, that's only fair; but that's not what the parable says: "When He has found it, He lays it on His shoulders, rejoicing" (Luke 15:5). Paul says in Philippians: "I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus" (1:6, Good News Bible). What does that mean? Lazy, do-nothing religion?
No; it means that through the Holy Spirit the Good Shepherd who initiated this good "relationship" now seeks to maintain it. His love is not only a finding love, it's also a keeping love. The Holy Spirit is a Person who keeps convicting us of "sin, ... of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:7-11). Be careful: don't drown His voice. That's where our problem starts.
Even Jesus when he was with us in the flesh needed His Father to wake Him up "morning by morning ... to hear as the learned." (Does the Father love you less? It seems fair and good sense to say No, He loves His Son more; but the amazing truth is He loves us just as much!) But Jesus did not resist His Father's awakening calls--as we do so often: "I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away" (Isa. 50:4, 5).
Mr. Laodicea, you can't save yourself even 1 percent. But you can let Christ save you, you can "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," you can "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly," etc. (Phil. 2:5; Col. 3:16). You can stop resisting Him.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: December 12, 2003.
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