Video: "Turn off your IDOL"

CORRECTION: "Taking Captive every thought and making Captive to Christ"

I feel it my responsibility to make some clarifications to the article posted on 11/04/08 regarding 2 Cor 10:4,5 (http://austingospelchurch.blogspot.com/2008/11/regular-dispatch-taking-captive-every.html)

1. Context of a verse is important. It is common among Preacher to say that "a verse without its context is a pretext". Examples of verses that does not need context are in Proverbs, in which, most verses stand alone and has in itself the complete meaning. Unlike proverbs, in 2 Cor 10:1-6 context is important, which I think my article did not address.
2. In 2 Cor 10:1-6, Paul is talking about an area of his ministry or Spiritual warfare - whereby using spiritual weapons(methods) all arguments and every high thing that stand against the knowledge of God is brought to conformity to the teaching of Christ. This he says is not through verbal arguments or debates, but by the power of God.
3. This spiritual warfare according to this verse is not done in himself or for him (though that extension of thought is not completely wrong). Instead this warfare is against Church members who are conceited enough to bring intelligent arguments and high things (pretensions) that stand against the knowledge of God.

My article seems to give an impression that Paul in these verses was talking to each Christian to undertake this warfare in their personal life. Which is not what Paul is taking about in the direct reading of these verses.

On the other hand, this verse can be extended in idea and intend to explain what a Christian can do to bring all pretensions and thought obedient to Christ in his/her own life .

Pardon the confusion, but thanks for the oppertunity to correct

Regular Dispatch: "If your Gospel isn't touching others, it hasn't touched you!"

'Not called!' did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face -- whose mercy you have professed to obey -- and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world. William Booth, Founder of Salvation Army

There is a hidden truth to the gospel we believe in. It is this - that once this profound gospel has transformed us, it wells up desire, which then overflows to others. In a sense this is instinctive and second nature to a regenerate Christian.

For such persons sharing the gospel is no more a command, instead a fire shut up in the bones and kindled in the heart (Jer 20:9) which is only calmed by the outpouring of the Good News to others. They are unable to keep silent. How else do we explain the following quotes -

1. It is the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor. --Martin Luther


2. Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell. -- C.T. Studd


3. I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light-- John Keith Falconer


4. We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first. -- Oswald J. Smith


5. The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become. -- Henry Martyn

On the other hand, there are some who share the Gospel because they recognize Jesus' commandment. For them it is obeying the commandment. There is even another group which believes that not all are commanded to do so or that they are to be endowed with some special powers from above. The people in this group should be reminded that the Gospels records (multiple) instances where Jesus asked the ones He healed and touched to be quite about their experiences. Nevertheless Jesus was unable to shut them up. The blind, the lame and the Leper proclaimed in earnest how Jesus healed them. How much more should we? For He cleansed our leprous heart and healed our lame and crippled life!

Zeal or Passion for the Gospel is what we need. These attributes of the heart cannot be created by external means or by a commandment. Zeal or passion comes by the working of the Holy Spirit which transforms a submissive, repentant heart to make it see the glory, magnitude and the Divine nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is such a person, that willfully surrender everything for that cause (unlike the many modern ministries). Hence the quote by John Keith Falconer.

Just like a person who has passion for music, is to take the risk and time to practice, prepare, correct and execute to be good in their field of interest, so is it with the one who is passionate about gospel. He(she) starts with measured, cautious and calculated steps which in time makes that person fit, fluent and bold. Many fear rejection, failure, disgrace and sometimes even reproach from friends and family. But remember our Lord who was rejected, shamed and nailed to the cross for the same Gospel. Moreover we are not without examples.

As all passionate musicians are not the same, so is it with all who are passionate about sharing the Gospel. They may differ in methods, power, grace, force, and how the Holy Spirit uses each individual. Regardless - the theme and purpose remains the same.

PS: The title to post is a quote by Curry R. Blake