Before Everything Else

My family and I were once again privileged to proclaim the gospel in public, this time at the place where we frequented but really weren't able to preach to the people. The bibles being free helped bring the tracts which contained the gospel to the passers-by. We stayed till it got dark before proceeding to buy our needs, our audience being the vendors who were selling there. The rides weren't coming in as much and people spent a while waiting for jeeps and buses. This gave us ample time to present the cross to those who waited for their rides in front of us.

There were odd people who stood where they weren't supposed to stand, and listened. Quite a few raised eyebrows, some visibly reacted, but most pretended not to hear. I can't imagine how many of these entertain divine notions of God's existence yet their hearts are devoid of any real affection for him? Such was I. Practical atheists in the heart. Those who deny God's existence are fools, but an even bigger fool is he who fails to render to God the honor and subjection which are His due. But these natural men will not admit it, nor care even the slightest for it. They will go to extreme extents to deny atheism with their mouths while there is so much of it in their lives.

A.W. Pink said, "People do not like to regard themselves as practical atheists. They entertain a much better opinion of themselves than that. They pride themselves on possessing far too much intelligence to harbor so degrading an idea that there is no God. Instead they are persuaded that creation clearly evidences a Creator. But no matter what their intellectual beliefs may be, the fact remains that they are secret atheists." 

Whenever I look at people and how they give no ear to what they hear, this is such terrible judgement. To stand there and give a general call for people to come to God is frustrating, IF we do not understand how God with one gospel both calls his elect to his Son and grants them repentance, at the same time testifying against the ungodly and their ungodly deeds and ungodly speeches that they have committed against him. (Jude 14-15)

It is enough comfort for me that my Lord requires of me no more than faithfulness in declaring his truths (this same faithfulness that comes only from God), and not that it rests upon me that I should convince people to save them. I only proclaim, but it is Christ who saves. The cross of Christ, stained with his blood, justifies us. And though sin is ever present in our bodies, Christ hath taken away the guilt. Such great news! One that merits throwing my life away for!