Our work and God's work

"Aren't we just teaching people to perform, when we teach them spiritual disciplines and how to disciple others?"

The young man asking me this question grew up in the church in the US. Many of these bodies of believers, though well intentioned, are places to sit and observe, but not participate. Consequently, when confronted with the actions necessary to fulfill the command to "Make disciples", he is seeing a paradigm unfamiliar to him.

Unfamiliar, and uncomfortable. A pretty good definition of following the person of Jesus, and participating in His work of finding, recruiting, and bringing to maturity a generation of followers who both learn and reproduce the spiritual life.

When we ask the question "Aren't we just teaching performance?" I am convinced that we are looking through the wrong lens.  The sin of the garden was the fallacy that we can be the directors and rulers of our own lives. In disciple making, this tendency causes me to seek my own wisdom and search my own heart for answers to complex spiritual problems. When what i need to do is seek the commands and examples of Christ. 

We honestly have no ability to ensure or control a balanced outcome in a believers life. We do have the ability to be obedient in their lives, by following the command to…

Proclaim the good news
Proclaim repentance
Baptise
Teach them to obey all the things He taught
Submit to His rule and reign.

It's God's work to  bring a balance between being and doing in a person's life. 
We are commanded to impart truth and practices clearly laid out in the Gospel's.


Let us not fail at our work; knowing that He has promised He will never fail in His...

Comments

Anonymous said…
http://deoppressoliber.wordpress.com/2013/11/02/more-harm-than-good/

I think this would relate to what you are writing. Also, remember short-term commitment to witnessing does no good unless the long-term commitment remains. Most Christians as the world does seeks what I call the "moment" of attention. What it needs to remember is God is in each person's heart and life for a lifetime and salvation are for those whom the 10 commandments are understood on a backyards slant....of meaning, No lying, no cheating, and the rest usually falls into place in the long-term moment :). Enjoyed your post.
January 4, 2014 at 2:52 AM
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