Friday, October 27, 2006

FFT

There is no instance of an Apostle being driven abroad under the compulsion of a bald command. Each one went as a lover to his betrothed on his appointed errand. It was all instinctive and natural. They were equally controlled by the common vision, but they had severally personal visions which drew them whither they were needed. In the first days of Christianity, there is an absence of the calculating spirit. Most of the Apostles died outside of Palestine, though human logic would have forbidden them to leave the country until it had been Christianized. The calculating instinct is death to faith, and had the Apostles allowed it to control their motives and actions, they would have said: “The need in Jerusalem is so profound, our responsibilities to people of our own blood so obvious, that we must live up to the principle that charity begins at home. After we have won the people of Jerusalem, of Judea and of the Holy Land in general, then it will be time enough to go abroad; but our problems, political, moral and religious, are so unsolved here in this one spot that it is manifestly absurd to bend our shoulder to a new load.”
-Charles Brent

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think I've said before that I didn't want to do missions abroad because Canada is hemorrhaging and losing its Christianity. But what you've quoted is very true. There are other places which need and perhaps even deserve Christ more, in the sense that they haven't trampled on the pearls thrown them like we have. Though, of course, all people need the hope of Christ equally.

Perhaps Canada could use more evangelists from countries who have a greater dose of reality than we do. It's kinda hard to see what God has done for the affluent white apologist, compared to what He's done for the down-trodden and persecuted one. But that's probably the calculating way to look at it too. :p

Anonymous said...

uhh, folks, do we hear what's going on? "calculation"... are you deliberating with the Almighty about who needs repentance, transformation and reconciliation MORE? c'mon... listen to Him. let Him choose the itinerary; you won't regret it.

Anonymous said...

In response to -q-

If asking the question "Who needs repentance, transformation, and reconciliation more?" the answer is obviously, nobody. Everyone needs Christ 100%. None more or less.

You're right that we should always let God choose the plan. If God calls you, you should follow. I admit though I have focused on Canada's need for more apologists and evangelists, but it needs more of them like North America needs more food. It has enough, and what it has it often wastes/misuses.