Expect the Expected
Most have likely heard the phrase, “Expect the unexpected”, but I am asking you to Expect the Expected. You may think, “That makes no sense”, but please let me explain.
When a lost person sees a child of God, or one whom claims as such, they most often expect that person to be different. Some often expect one to be perfect, without sin. Usually this leaves the unregenerate with a bad taste in their mouth concerning Christianity and hence the throwing around the name, “Hypocrite”. Is it self-righteousness or misunderstanding, it may vary, but although they may admit that they are not without error, they find it easy when a saved person stumbles to say, “I expected more from you.” Although most seem ready to pounce upon the regenerate who sins, especially openly, there does remain those which are more familiar with the closet Christian (which neither act or speak as a Christian) whom they very much expect to be no different than themselves.
On the opposite end, I feel that we as Christians may all too often expect the unexpected from the lost unregenerate person. We know that they are lost without Christ, and we will gladly tell them (surely because of love and not pride). We may even use the “trump” card, “You’re going to hell!” That just doesn’t scare many people these days.
If we read our Bibles we will see what it says about a lost person. They are “dead in trespasses and sins” [Ephesians 2:1], blinded by “the god of this world” [2 Corinthians 4:4]; do not understand or seek after God [Romans 3:11]; can not receive or know the things of the Spirit of God [1 Corinthians 2:14]; and many other obstacles do hinder them from the Truth.
If this be the case, and surely there be no one which doubts the Word of God, then why as Christians do we expect the unexpected from the lost world? Why do we expect them to embrace Christianity and cast down “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like” [Galatians 5:19-21]?
Have we all but gone mad to expect that which does move within us, indeed by the Holy Spirit, also dwells within the dead spirits of lost people? Are we all drunk with pride and high-mindedness that we can honestly claim salvation by grace through faith, yet place a yoke upon the wicked which command them to convert themselves without the Spirit of God? Is there any authority in the cry, “Obey thou God, whilst thou hate Him!”?
Dear friend, I ask that we as Christians Expect the Expected. Expect that which is born of the Spirit to act as the Spirit, and that which is born of flesh to act as the flesh. Pray and seek godly wisdom. Live in obedience to the Word of God and allow Him which is able to work through you to give desire to the wicked to come, and then my dear friend, it is then at that moment that God touches them and one can expect the unexpected – the wicked embracing that which they once hated.
When a lost person sees a child of God, or one whom claims as such, they most often expect that person to be different. Some often expect one to be perfect, without sin. Usually this leaves the unregenerate with a bad taste in their mouth concerning Christianity and hence the throwing around the name, “Hypocrite”. Is it self-righteousness or misunderstanding, it may vary, but although they may admit that they are not without error, they find it easy when a saved person stumbles to say, “I expected more from you.” Although most seem ready to pounce upon the regenerate who sins, especially openly, there does remain those which are more familiar with the closet Christian (which neither act or speak as a Christian) whom they very much expect to be no different than themselves.
On the opposite end, I feel that we as Christians may all too often expect the unexpected from the lost unregenerate person. We know that they are lost without Christ, and we will gladly tell them (surely because of love and not pride). We may even use the “trump” card, “You’re going to hell!” That just doesn’t scare many people these days.
If we read our Bibles we will see what it says about a lost person. They are “dead in trespasses and sins” [Ephesians 2:1], blinded by “the god of this world” [2 Corinthians 4:4]; do not understand or seek after God [Romans 3:11]; can not receive or know the things of the Spirit of God [1 Corinthians 2:14]; and many other obstacles do hinder them from the Truth.
If this be the case, and surely there be no one which doubts the Word of God, then why as Christians do we expect the unexpected from the lost world? Why do we expect them to embrace Christianity and cast down “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like” [Galatians 5:19-21]?
Have we all but gone mad to expect that which does move within us, indeed by the Holy Spirit, also dwells within the dead spirits of lost people? Are we all drunk with pride and high-mindedness that we can honestly claim salvation by grace through faith, yet place a yoke upon the wicked which command them to convert themselves without the Spirit of God? Is there any authority in the cry, “Obey thou God, whilst thou hate Him!”?
Dear friend, I ask that we as Christians Expect the Expected. Expect that which is born of the Spirit to act as the Spirit, and that which is born of flesh to act as the flesh. Pray and seek godly wisdom. Live in obedience to the Word of God and allow Him which is able to work through you to give desire to the wicked to come, and then my dear friend, it is then at that moment that God touches them and one can expect the unexpected – the wicked embracing that which they once hated.
1 comment:
Good post tim
I like the thought about expecting that which is born of Spirit to act like it!
Bobby
Post a Comment