Everybody has something they are trying to prove about the Gospel

Everybody has something they are trying to prove about the Gospel. You can see it with many people in many places and walks of life, and maybe especially online. So what about me? I write a lot of stuff online, and I'm preaching the Gospel, and I talk to a lot of people about theses things in person as well. Am I trying to prove anything? Well, I'm not really 'trying' to prove anything, but it certainly is my aim to see to it that something is proven in every aspect of my life, with everyone I encounter. That something is ONE thing, and it goes as follows: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:1,2). I do my level best to yield my body, soul, and spirit to Jesus at the beginning of every day, and he thereby proves himself in me and through me to everyone I'm around. So it's not so much me trying to prove anything, but rather giving myself to Jesus anew every day, and letting him do the proving. The apostle Paul said it more perfectly in this manner: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). This Gospel is alive and powerful, and quite literal and real. Jesus suffered a gruesome beating and death to provide a living, powerful, literal redemption from sin, and healing for our bodies. Whatever sins we are NOT redeemed from, and whatever afflictions we are NOT healed of, or getting others healed of; constitutes a waste of the suffering and death of God's only begotten Son.

Maybe that's a hard saying, but that's just the way it is, and nobody is spared from the reality of that truth. The scriptures are clear about the kind of Gospel that Jesus died and rose to establish, and about what proves that Gospel as well: "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all" (Acts 4:31,33). The Gospel that Jesus purchased with the cost of his life is one of divine power, divine love, divine holiness, and divine unity. And the scriptures bare witness to all of these proofs throughout the new testament writings: "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power" (I Cor. 4:20). As for the love: "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5). Then there's the holiness: "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (I Jn. 3:3). And let's not forget that blessed unity among believers: "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 15:5,6). So these are the things that should be present in the life of each and every soul who professes to be a follower of Jesus Christ, because these are the things that he is all about. And all of these things are contained in his Spirit, because the scripture tells us plainly, "Now the Lord is that Spirit" (II Cor. 3:17).

If we are truly "offering our bodies as a living sacrifice [to God]," these are the things that will constitute our lives, because again I say these are the things that Jesus is about. If we are fulfilling our calling as the apostle Paul did, then it is no longer us 'trying' to do or prove anything; but rather it is Christ who lives in and through us, and he is his own proof. So the difference between someone who is 'trying' to prove something about the Gospel, and someone who IS proving the Gospel, is that the one is straining to do the proving himself, whereas the other is a yielded vessel to Christ, who does his own proving. It is actually an effortless thing to do as the apostle said, to "prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." The truth is that no one on earth can prove the Gospel of Christ by their own efforts. Only Christ himself can prove his own Gospel, because he in fact IS the Gospel! So again I say that it comes down to getting ourselves out of the way, and yielding ourselves to God so that he can have HIS way in our lives. With each passing day I see the absoluteness of something that I was very blessed to be taught, and to learn to do very early in my time in Christ: "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14). You may hear the second verse of that passage, but you will rarely hear the first verse. But they are together for a very good reason, and that reason is that God's Spirit is always leading us to deny ourselves so that we can allow the Spirit to have free course in our lives by means of sin not being present in us. And that sounds a whole lot like something that Jesus said: "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mat. 16:24). Yes indeed my friend, Jesus Christ is the star of his own show, and unless he's doing the proving, all of our efforts to prove his Gospel are in vain. Amen.