We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 2 Cor 5:12
I was listening to this preaching by Paul Washer entitled, “Our Ambition is to Please Him.” I got to this part where he said he used to be a body builder prior to conversion, with this beard and earrings, and that he was always seen in camouflage pants. When he got saved, he did away with all these and started walking with a very clean image. One time a spiritual girl from school saw him and was surprised at the radical change. She warned Paul that he should be careful not to fall into legalism.
Below was his response:
“I’d do whatever it requires not to be an offense to men. I’d give away my freedom, every freedom that I might be able to speak the gospel to men and that I might not be an offense to them but the gospel be an offense to them.”
Amen to this! I have likewise felt that people have been thinking I’ve gone to the extremes to the point of legalism. And I agree with what Paul Washer said. My point of view is that we are ambassadors of Christ. We are His representatives therefore we are to live lives beyond reproach so people will believe what we say and be offended not of what we do, but of the Gospel we preach… There are still things I do that may have turned off people and thought unchristian, but God is gracious and He reveals them to me and humbles me unto obedience. I pray that God grants me the ability to go to the extremes of denying myself freedom even what Scripture allows us if this is what it takes for my friends and family to see the supernatural work of God.
Here are other excerpts from Washer’s sermon on “Our Ambition is to Please Him”…
- We persuade men but we are made manifest to God and I hope we are made manifest also to our conscience. Live your life, even denying yourself freedom at times that the Scripture gives us in order that it may be made manifest to other men your good rapport and your true motives.
- Many tele-evangelist live a life that is an offense to men. We need to be careful not to do that. We must live the life and be servants of all men. Do you realize that a great majority of people in the United States is not offended at the Gospel? They would be but they’re not because they’ve never heard it. And many times they’ve never heard it because they stumble over the preacher even before they hear the message, because of his lifestyle. We need to be very, very careful. We need to be careful not to fall into bondage, not to fall into false condemnation, but we need to understand that we are servants and what does it matter what we must give up in order to communicate the Gospel to men.
- There is a sense that we have to prove the integrity of our lives because it is not our reputation that is at stake. It is the Gospel that we preach.
It’s a tough calling to be a disciple but our collective ambition is to do His will, preach His Word, and glorify Him. The world will be watching every move of a believer. Being Christians, we ought to be careful in our every action and appearance so that our ways won’t be the stumbling block to the message we so desire to preach to others.
