Who "rules" over your life?!

 

Once a year thousands of motorcyclists descend on our island community for a regional gathering called the "Oyster Run" (the event started with a small group meeting over a meal of fresh oysters). I am often drawn to the downtown streets for photo opportunities.

This year I was surprised to see three or four men with large placards, engaged in street ministry. I first heard voices speaking through bullhorns, then I saw the large signs with messages including: "Jesus Christ is Lord. Repent."

Before leaving the event I received a small tract from one of the men. Although my initial reaction was to wonder about the effectiveness of this type of ministry, I was encouraged to read the tract with a message from the late A.W. Pink (1886-1952). Blunt? Perhaps, but then we know the Word cuts like a knife as Spirit battles with flesh. Excerpts of Pink's timeless message follow:

Is Christ your Lord?

"We do not ask, ‘Is Christ your Savior?’ but, ‘Is He, really and truly, your Lord?’ If He is not your Lord, then He is most certainly not your Savior. Those who have not received Christ Jesus as their Lord and yet suppose Him to be their Savior are deluded, and their hope rests on a foundation of sand.

Multitudes are deceived on this vital point, and, therefore, if the reader values his or her soul, we implore you to give a most careful reading to this little tract.

When we ask, ‘Is Christ your Lord?’ we do not inquire, ‘Do you believe in the Godhead of Jesus of Nazareth?’ The demons do that (Matthew 8:28-29) and yet perish notwithstanding!

You may be firmly convinced of the Deity of Christ, and yet be in your sins. You may speak of Him with the utmost reverence, accord Him His divine titles in your prayers – and yet be unsaved. You may abominate those who traduce (malign, slander) His person and deny His divinity, and yet have no spiritual love for Him at all.

When we ask ‘Is Christ your Lord?’ we mean, ‘Does He in very deed occupy the throne of your heart, and does He actually rule over your life? ‘We have turned everyone to his own way’ (Isaiah 53:6) describes the course which we all follow by nature. Before conversion every soul lives to please self. Of old it was written, ‘Every man did that which was right in his own eyes,’ and why? ‘In those days there was no king in Israel’ (Judges 21:25).

Ah! That is the point we desire to make clear to the reader. Until Christ becomes your King (1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 15:3), until you bow to His scepter, until His will becomes the rule of your life, self dominates, and thus Christ is disowned.

When the Holy Spirit begins His work of grace in a soul, He first convicts of sin. He shows me the real and awful nature of sin. He makes me realize that it is a species of insurrection, a defying of God’s authority, a setting of my will against His. He shows me that in going my “own way” (Isaiah 53:6), in pleasing myself, I have been fighting against God. As my eyes are opened to see what a lifelong rebel I have been, how indifferent to God’s honor, how unconcerned about His will, I am filled with anguish and horror, and made to marvel that the thrice Holy One has not long since cast me into hell. Reader, have you ever gone through this experience? If not, there is very grave reason to fear that you are yet spiritually dead!

Conversion, true conversion, saving conversion, is a turning from sin to God in Christ. It is a throwing down of the weapons of my warfare against Him, a ceasing to despise and ignore His authority.

New Testament conversion is described thus: ‘Ye turned to God from idols to serve (to be in subjection to, to obey) the living and true God’ (1 Thessalonians 1:9). An ‘idol’ is any object to which we give what is due alone unto God – the supreme place in our affections, the molding influence of our hearts, the dominating power of our lives.

Conversion is a right-about-face, the heart and will repudiating sin, self and the world. Genuine conversion is always evidenced by, ‘Lord, what wilt Thou have me do?’ (Acts 9:6); it is an unreserved surrendering of ourselves to His holy will.

Have you yielded yourself to Him? (Romans 6:13)"

So, in giving further thought to this ministry I concluded that when a person's ETERNAL fate is in question, it is sometimes necessary to speak in such a way that the unsaved person is prompted to seriously consider what his/her life is about ... and what lies beyond this life.

It is by GRACE we are saved -- let there be no doubt -- but we are called as believers to help others see the need for embracing God's grace, and that invitation is baffling unless one first comes to grips with the sin in his/her life. If we seek His will, I believe the Holy Spirit will guide us as to how we approach each person we talk to about Jesus Christ. As long as the believer seeks the Lord's will he or she will deliver Truth in Love -- and the Holy Spirit will take things from there. Come Lord Jesus, but until then, may countless others surrender to Your will and come into the Father's loving embrace.