The Great Commission

Jen and I recently met and fellowshipped with Pastor Gil Anger from Australia. Brother Gil travels around the world approx. 10 months of the year equipping the 21st century Christian church to understand and fulfill the Great Commission as succinctly stated in the Gospel of Matthew 28:19-20. Gil's websites are here: http://site.gilandjoyanger.com/; http://www.reachingbeyondborders.org/.

One of the many words of encouragement from Gil that has stuck with me is the following. When I ask God to reveal his will for me, consider that I have already been called to "Go" in Matthew 28:19. My question to God then changes from "Should I go?" to "How far should I go?" In short: all Christians are called to reproduce after their kind, i.e., to make disciples, whether in my local community or in a distant land.

Another convicting truth shared by Brother Gil is what Jesus will ask me when I enter heaven. I believe Jesus will first joyfully welcome me into heaven, praise God! But a little while later Jesus will ask me, "Where are they?" "Who Jesus?" I will respond. "Your disciples that I commanded you to make in Matthew 28:19-20." I pray that God gives me some to bring with me. I also pray that I take the call seriously.

Assurance of Perseverance

This morning I read the following verse in Isaiah chapter 14: "For the LORD of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it?" (verse 27a, NASB) I like the translation of the English Standard Version: "For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it?" Then my mind turned to the topic of the assurance of perseverance. Some believe that it's possible to lose your authentic salvation, meaning that some genuine Christians may not persevere to the end. One of the many reasons I don't believe that is the application of Isaiah 14:27a to Romans 8:30, which promises that "these [genuine believers] whom He justified, He also glorified." In my 6:10am translation: no one, not even myself, can annul the purpose and plan of God that He will send to heaven each and every genuine believer. Thank God.

Encouragement or caution, or both?

Proverbs 22:6 (NASB) says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it." What does this verse mean?

My NASB translation says that the literal translation of "in the way he should go" is "according to his way." This is perhaps why the Darby Translation (DBY) says, "Train up the child according to the tenor of his way . . . ", or why the Young's Literal Translation (YNG) says, "Give instruction to a youth about his way . . ." A second clue to the meaning of Proverbs 22:6 may be found in a few verses later in the same chapter: "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him." (22:15, NASB)

Conclusions? Proverbs 22:6 may be saying more about the need for a parent to be thoroughly aware of his/her child’s personality and about the significant influence s/he can have over his/her child. The NLT's translation of 22:6 may be misleading: "Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it." Of course as a parent I am to continue instructing my son in the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Ephesians 6:4), but in the knowledge and encouragement that it is only the Lord who can draw my son to Himself (John 6:44). I pray to that end.