Obedient to the Faith

Romans 1:6

We looked at Paul’s obedience to the faith last week and how he ultimately obeyed for the purpose of lifting up God’s name. Today we will focus on verse six and how we also  have an identical calling. Verse six says, “among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.”

We are also called to be obedient to the faith. We are also called to be a witness for Him, unashamed of the gospel. We are also called to be holy and blameless. Whether you are a pastor of a church or an athlete, a blue collar worker or a white collar worker, an octogenarian or a child, you are called to be a light, to be a witness, and to be obedient to the faith.

From the pulpit, my pastor likes to say that he cannot reach those working in secular jobs, but we, the congregation, can. He cannot reach my coworkers, but I can. God called Paul to be a missionary to the Gentiles, and, assuming we are walking with Him, He has called us to where we are. I may be the only one who is able to reach those around me at work, and that may be exactly why God has me where I am. It is important to remember that the most important job we have is to glorify God. It is not making the most sales, finding new ways to save the company money, or being the most efficient worker, which are all good things; but glorifying Him is what ought to be most important for us.

This does not mean that you need to go to work and witness nonstop. If you did you would lose your opportunity because you would either be fired or you would lose your relationship with your coworkers. Building trust amongst your coworkers is important for when an opportunity arises for you to witness. By obeying God’s Word in working hard and doing your best for Him, you can find opportunities to witness. Refusing to grumble and complain when everyone else is can open up opportunities. Even just refusing to curse can you set you apart as unique and make someone curious about what makes you different. Being consistently obedient is vital in producing meaningful opportunities to witness.

We also need to be ready for the opportunities when they come. We need to obey the Holy Spirit when He puts it on our hearts to sit down and talk to someone about Him. We need to step up when we see someone is having a tough day and be an encouragement to them. Who knows what a simple word or action will do? Perhaps it will to make them want to know more about the One you serve.

To be honest, this is convicting to me. Too often do I just focus on doing my work and leaving, without a concern for the souls of those around me. I am ashamed to admit that I put myself above my coworkers constantly. Instead of praying for opportunities I silently hope that I will not notice opportunities so that I can get my work done. But we are called to be obedient to the faith. What if Paul refused to be obedient? How many would end up missing out on an eternity with Christ? How many will miss out on salvation if we refuse to be obedient to the faith?

Finally, I want to remind you that we are called with the purpose of glorifying His Name. God is not impressed by someone who prays and fasts with a heart of pride (Luke 18:9-14). He prefers the one with a broken and contrite heart (Luke 18:9-14; Psalm 51:17). God does not know those who testify in His Name with their words (Matthew 7:21-23) , He knows those who humble themselves and obey Him because they desire to please Him, not men. Be genuine, focus on glorifying Him, and naturally you will become a greater witness and a greater Christian because you are decreasing and He is increasing (John 3:30)

Follow Us on Social Media!