If you are like-minded, come alongside and we’ll travel together. If you’re of another mind, please get out of the way. For it is written: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3, KJV)”

Grant Swart

God placed in my path the accompanying short article, which I found in a magazine at an overnight lodge on my regular travels around South Africa. In the article, the author, Pastor Paul Walker of the Elm Avenue Baptist Church in Colorado, describes the very personal grief he experienced due to the loss of a beloved grandchild.

What sets the article apart from most others of this nature, is the statement it also makes regarding the positive effect which such pain and hurt can, and more importantly should have, on the truly saved. The short piece is a moving and powerful testimony to the strength and focus which is provided to us through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. It illustrates so clearly, the great work of sanctification which is done in the believer by our loving Teacher and Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

From the final paragraphs of the article, the following words cannot but tearfully bring a softening of the heart and a hardening of one’s resolve to follow Christ Jesus, no matter how high the mountains, deep the ravines or cold the windswept plains which are placed in the Christian’s lonely walk in this life:

“I will no longer fret about hurting feelings. Whether or not this hurts some is of no great consequence. I must obey my God, not “the tyranny of the urgent”…  If you are like-minded, come alongside and we’ll travel together. If you’re of another mind, please get out of the way. For it is written: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3, KJV)”

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

 

 

Five Solas: Warrior’s Code For Christ

Recently we suffered the loss of our first grandson (second grandchild), Isaac, after 8 days here on earth. Any who have lost a child truly understand the depth of this grief.

This has also been a time of renewal in my own life. In times like these as God winnows away the chaff, the Master makes clear what He regards as important. My temporal happiness is not of great importance to Him, but holiness is. As a result, I’m letting all of you know that I’ve been working on a list of what is important to me and, I believe, to my God.

It’s a very short list. The list of the unimportant is growing longer very quickly. I find that my short list reflects the list of the great Reformers.

1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone). Translation: Don’t bore me with the latest Church Growth/Self-help/Goal setting manual. Not interested, won’t read it. Only clear Biblical doctrine is important to my faith.

2. Solus Christus (Christ alone). Translation: Salvation is in Christ alone, the Christ of Scripture. No social gospel, no works based “servant evangelism”, just the genuine Jesus of the Bible, period.

3. Sola fide (Faith alone). Translation: I’m not interested in methodologies, only the one given by Christ, “go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”

4. Sola gratia (Grace alone). Translation: Salvation is only by His grace, not new-age meditation, not purpose-driven works, not numbers based strategies. Just God’s grace.

5. Soli Deo gloria (For God’s glory alone) Translation: Don’t bother me with politics, church or secular. If you want to wield authority, if you want to “build the kingdom”, if you want to play church, if you want to discuss modern culture, I’m simply not interested because God’s Word is timeless and unaffected by all these things. He will establish His kingdom and it is not of this earth. And all things exist solely for His glory.

From now on, all that matters to me is in the preceding list. My decisions will be based on whether any issue is compatible with these. I will no longer waste time worrying about numbers, whatever is being counted, whether money, members, success, or whatever.

I will no longer fret about hurting feelings. Whether or not this hurts some is of no great consequence. I must obey my God, not “the tyranny of the urgent”. I have heard a higher call and I must follow Christ Jesus, our Great Shepherd.

If you are like-minded, come alongside and we’ll travel together. If you’re of another mind, please get out of the way. For it is written: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3, KJV)

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

Paul Walker

(With thanks to Paul Walker)


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