OceanSide church of Christ

 Previous Return to Articles Next 

AS CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT

Victor M. Eskew

 

            Most of us are familiar with the commitment that is made when a man and a woman are joined together in holy matrimony.  It is a commitment solely to our mate.  It is a commitment that lasts for a lifetime.  It is a commitment that was made in the presence of many human witnesses.  It was a commitment that was also heard by the ear of God.  It is a serious commitment.  It involves forsaking all others and keeping self true and loyal to one’s mate until death.

            As Christians, we made a similar commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.  When we obeyed the gospel, we were added by the Lord to His church (Acts 2:47; 20:28).  The church is the beautiful bride of Christ (Eph. 5:32).  To the Jewish Christians, Paul wrote:  “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God” (Rom. 7:4).  To the Gentiles Christians, he penned these words:  “For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy:  for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ” (II Cor. 11:2).  As the church, we are married to the Christ.  Thus, we have committed ourselves to Him fully and completely.

            Our commitment to Him involves a number of things.  First, we should be committed to His will.  His will is found in the pages of the New Testament.  Jesus shed His blood and sealed the New Covenant with it (Matt. 26:28).  Every child of God should be fully committed to carrying out Jesus’ will for their lives.  Thus, we read and study the New Testament.  We make application of it in our lives.  We refrain from the “thou shalt not’s.”  We eagerly engage in the things that are authorized for us to do.  We should be able to say exactly what Jesus said while on earth.  “…My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34).

            Second, our commitment should be to His worship.  In the Revelation, the twelve elders and the four beasts and the innumerable company of angels encircle God’s throne in praise, “saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Rev. 5:12).  They key words are:  “worthy is the Lamb.”  Our Lord has a worth that cannot be figured by man.  His priceless value should cause us, His disciples, to bow before His presence in praise and adoration.  Forsaking the assembly should never be part of the Christian’s life.  He longs to worship.  He is glad when he hears the words:  “Let us go up the house of the Lord.”  It is a privilege for Him to be able to prostrate himself in the presence of the one who loved him, redeemed him, and will ultimately carry him home.

            Third, our commitment should be to His work.  The Lord has placed us in the body of Christ just where He wants us (I Cor. 12:18).  He knows our intellectual abilities.  He knows our talents.  He is aware of our personality.  He knows our financial situation.  He understands our limitations.  Thus, He has put us in the place where we can do the most good for His cause.  Paul expressed these sentiments in these words:  “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Eph. 4:16).  Look closely at the words “the whole body,” “every joint,” and “every part.”  Every member of the body has a role to play in the edifying, or, building up, of the body.  Not one member is unnecessary (I Cor. 12:22).  Each of us should be laboring and toiling to accomplish the work which the body is designed to do on this earth.

            Fourth, our commitment should be to His warfare.  Christianity stands in opposition to the world and to all man-made religions.  These elements are aided by the forces of the Satan himself.  Our responsibility is to oppose them.  Paul wrote to Timothy, saying:  “Fight the good fight of faith” (I Tim. 6:12).  Earlier in the epistle, he exhorted this young evangelist to war a good warfare (I Tim. 1:18).  Dear Christian, we have been exhorted to put on the whole armor of God in order stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:10-19).  As Christians, we are to march forward in courage wielding the sword of the Spirit and overcoming the evil one and his allies.

            Sadly, however, commitment sometimes wanes.  When this happens, we are not as energetic and consistent in our commitment to the will, worship, work, and warfare of Jesus Christ.  We are much like a man or woman who ceases to invest himself/herself fully in the marriage relationship.  At other times, our commitment dies.  When this happens, we completely forsake the Christ and His church.  We do not obey His will.  We do not worship at His throne.  We do not work in His vineyard.  We flee from the field of battle. When this happens, we are like a man or woman who completely forsakes the marriage relationship.

            Dear readers, we commit ourselves to many things in our lives.  We commit ourselves to schooling.  We commit ourselves to contracts.  We commit ourselves to jobs and careers.  We commit ourselves to sports teams.  We commit ourselves to clubs.  We commit ourselves to our friends.  We commit ourselves to marriage.  We commit ourselves to our children.  We commit ourselves social events.  When we do, we take our commitments seriously.  We are people of our word.  Our word is our bond.  We will do exactly what we have committed to do.  Nothing keeps us from fulfilling our commitments. 

            The same should be true of our commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ.  In fact, this should be the highest of all of our commitments.  It is a commitment to the Son of God.  We committed to do His will.  Thus, we should obey Him.  We committed to worship him.  Thus, we should bow in His presence.  We committed to work for Him.  Thus, we should labor diligently on His behalf.  We committed to His army.  Thus, we should be good soldiers in His army.  Paul was a committed Christian (Phil. 3:7-14).  He fulfilled his commitment, too.  At the close of his life, he penned these words:  “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (II Tim. 4:7).  Dear reader, will you be able to say the same when you come to the end of life’s way?