I'm Not Going to Tell...

I must confess my surprise when a man who claimed to be a Christian and a lover of souls told me those words above. He had accused us here at Evendale of singing songs full of error. The song that he specifically mentioned was “Zion's Call.” I offered to go and get a song book so that he could show me the gross error he so obviously felt was there. If we are singing songs full of error, and we are teaching and admonishing one another as we sing (Colossians 3:16), then the only conclusion that I know how to arrive at is that we are making ourselves false teachers by our singing. For very obvious reasons, that is the last thing that I want to do. Thus, I asked him to show me the error and told him that he would be my friend to do so. I believe his exact words were: “You wouldn't believe me anyway so I'm not going to tell you how you're wrong.”

I must confess that I was momentarily taken aback by that. How can anyone who claims to be actively seeking to imitate Christ refuse an opportunity to correct what they perceive to be false teaching when the correction is actually requested? Now the song “Zion's Call” does not have a thing wrong with it and is actually quite beautiful in the very scriptural message that it teaches and the language that it uses. However, that is not really the point, is it? Suppose that just as Jesus prepared to deliver His wonderful sermon on the mount He paused, looked out over all of the people waiting anxiously for Him to start speaking, and abruptly changed His mind. Suppose that He said to them: “You know what? By far the majority of you are not going to have any lasting memory of what I'm about to say. The scribes and Pharisees are going to undermine most of it and you people really just aren't spiritual enough to be able to contend with them. I have decided not to speak here today. I'm going to take my handful of disciples and go on my way. You wouldn't believe what I have to say to you anyway.” Unthinkable, isn't it?

Yet, Jesus did say that there was a time not to speak and to shake the dust off our feet against someone. However, that time was not to come until after an effort was made to teach them (Matthew 10:12-14).

It is just here that we begin to get into the main point of this article. I will give this man credit for one thing and that is his having the honesty to come right out and say what we would never say, but seem to believe sometimes. Let me be the very first to say that there have been times where I have passed by opportunities to tell someone about Jesus and the gospel because I judged them as the type who would not listen without saying a single word to them. May God forgive me my sin and may they have the opportunity to hear the gospel from someone else before their time runs out!

I am blessed beyond my ability to describe. God has given me so much that I take for granted on a daily basis. May I never take the gospel and what it has done for me for granted! Remember to share what saved you with those that you come in contact with. Since we are not able to judge the hearts of men, every person must be a candidate for the gospel in our book. We can please the Lord with no other attitude.