LIVING A SOLD-OUT LIFE FOR CHRIST
Understanding Christian Commitment and Service
BY The Ven. Stephen Wolemonwu
Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre,
Agbarha-Otor
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”. Philippians 1:21
Success and victory in Christian life, Leadership and pilgrimage is never accidental. Everyone desires to live; in Christ living and dying are intermingled. A man who gives his life to Christ is dead to sin and alive in Christ, and anyone who is alive in Christ has crucified the flesh and the lust thereof.
This topic in Summary is to help the Modern day average Church-man to know the solution to Christian Commitment and service as living for Christ and dying to sin. Furthermore, it is aimed at equipping the church to overcome the menace of nominal Christianity.
Living a sold-out life for Christ brings us to the biblical concept of spiritual death experience. During Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem amidst the celebration and the desire of some elites of Jesus’ day to see him, he diverted the attention of the disciples to something very striking: “verily, verily I say to you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone; but if it die, it brings forth much fruit” (John 12:24); this he said concerning His death and resurrection, and theologically laying foundation for the disciples; that until a man dies through the spiritual process of divine encounter with the Holy Ghost such a person will only abide alone- it further depicts a life without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit; but if a man surrenders his all to Christ and is crucified with Christ; Christ dwells in him through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit which will enable him to bear fruit.
The bearing of fruits are in two ways:
- Having the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22) and
- Being Fruitful in every area of life (Gen 1:26)
To gain deeper insight to the discussion there is need to consider the following words:
‘Commitment’, and ‘Service’.
WHAT IS COMMITMENT? The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity etc
It also means an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action. (Online Dictionary from Oxford). The King James Version of the Bible does not have the word commitment in it but the scriptures contains vast portions that talks about commitment and dedication to God and His purpose. Rather you will get the words like: commit, committed, committest, and committing. In moving forward to grasp the illumination of the word, commitment must be seen in the context of dedication and totally sold out to God.
WHAT IS SERVICE? It is defined as “The action of helping or doing work for someone”. The word ‘service’ appears about 132 times in the bible in about 116 verses. Other words that can help enrich our minds includes; Duty, serve, assistance, help, it could also relate to business, involvement, etc. However, the words servant, service and serve in its various forms occur well over 1,100 times in the new international version.
God does not play with service and heaven rewards it. The Hebrew word for servant in the Old Testament is ebed and it has two key ingredients: action and obedient. God referred to our patriarchs as servants; Gen 26:24-Abraham, Gen32:4-Jacob, Joshua 24:29-Joshua; and others.
Our coming to God must be total, absolute and with a deep sense of resolve. Looking at the topic and the above meaning you will agree with me on the need for everyone coming to God to see himself as a bond servant
WHO IS A SERVANT? This means a person male or female that attends another for the purpose of performing menial offices for him, or who is employed by another for such offices or for other labour and is subject to his command. The word is correlative to master.
Servant may differ from slave, as the servant’s subjection to a master is voluntary, the slave is not. One can say that every slave is a servant but every servant is not a slave. (Cf Eph 6:5;)
When we come to Christ through the new birth experience we are no longer our own but His (1Corinth 6:19) we are bought with a price (1Corinth 6:20) This sounds more like a servant who is owned by a master- maybe a Slave. One can boldly say that every true Child of is God’s Servant as well as His slave. This sounds hard but it is the truth. This slave is a slave with great liberty who shares with the heir the master’s inheritance and estate. (Romans 8:17, Gal 3:29;)
A slave when bought by the master is dead to freedom and his previous identity. He takes up a new identity as owned by his master. Whatever he does from then must be for the interest, command and satisfaction of the owner. When we come to Christ we become new creatures (2Corinth. 5:17). As new creatures in Christ we are supposed to be dead to sin and self Eph 2:1, Rom 6:7-11. And alive through Christ and in Christ (Rom 6:11-13). This can be done through yielding ourselves to God (Gal. 5:16, Eph 4:22-32, Col 3:8-10).
We are therefore raised to live Christ’s life (Col 3:1). When we have given ourselves wholly to God it will be no big deal to work for God and walk in obedient to His will.
God call us to a life of separation. A life fully sold out to God and unreservedly dedicated to his purpose. The problem of today’s Church is that many profess to be Christ’s yet they are not dead. Some who profess to have dead only entered into spiritual coma.
Are you still alive to sin and self, or have you crucified the old man and the evil desires thereof?
THE NEED FOR GOD TO REVIVE US AGAIN
Wilt Thou not thyself revive us again that Thy people may rejoice in Thee.’ – Psalm 85:6.
Psalm 85 was written immediately after the children of Israel returned from exile. This Psalm was a plea to God to revive His people. To stop being angry with them and to prevent them from returning to their folly. This prayer could be said to have received a great answer at Pentecost, fifty days after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:4).
WHAT IS REVIVAL?
Another word for revival is a great spiritual awakening, a bringing back to alive, to make to be active again, to stop being lukewarm, cold and carnal.
SIGNS OF A BELIEVER WHO NEEDS REVIVAL
- When you begin to love and appreciate the things that you once dislike
- You are entertained by the things that once grieved you
- You no longer speak against the ungodly things you once spoke against
- You no longer have zeal and hunger for evangelism
- You lack interest for reading and study of the bible
- You prayer becomes more ceremonial than a communion
- You become more critic to godly messages than contemplate on them
- You have excuses to sin and evil habits
- You lack interest I doing God’s work
THINGS THAT KILLS CHURCH GROWTH AND REVIVAL
- Lack of team work
- Poor teaching. Jesus said “Teaching them to obey all that I have commanded” – Matthew 28:20).
- Immorality and inordinate affection
- Ignorance
- Carelessness and laziness
- Nominal Christianity without spirituality
- Lack of commitment
- Prosperity without the spirit of giving
- Membership without conversion
- Spiritual birth without spiritual growth
- Doing God’s work without love
THE INGREDIENTS BEFORE REVIVAL
- Understanding your spiritual state
- There must be a true hunger for God
- Recognize the Desperate Need for Truth
- Hunger for holiness and righteous living
- Readiness to turn away from sin to righteousness
- Hunger for prayer and God’s glory
- Understanding that man is nothing without Christ
WHEN REVIVAL COMES
- Sinners will be penitent
- There will be an atmosphere of God’s glory
- The joy of the LORD will be the strength of the believers
- Zeal for the things of God
- Lively word, lively worship and sound doctrinal messages
- Believers will no longer be complacent in their sins
THE VESSEL GOD USES FOR REVIVAL
- A vessel that recognizes God’s sovereignty
- A vessel that believes that God’s mercy
- A vessel that hungers and revere God’s glory
- A vessel that is broken
- A vessel that wills for the repentance of sinful man
- A vessel with a positive attitude to godliness
- A vessel with deep affection for God
- A vessel that is ready to take actions even when it requires sacrifice.
- A vessel that believes in change.
Conclusion: God is counting on you today. If you have never come to the Lord, he is calling you to him. If you are already in the Lord, God is calling you today to use you. What is stopping God’s glory in your life? Change our ways, that you may become an agent of change in God’s hand.
