And of some have compassion, making a difference: Jude 1:22

     As a Christian are you making a noticeable difference in the lives of others? This ought to be a question that we constantly ask ourselves as we are engaged in the activities of life. The Apostle Paul compares the Christian life to a vocation or job. In Ephesians 4:1 he writes, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” Vocation literally means to be called to a work or service. Paul instructs Christians to walk worthy of the calling to which they are called by the Lord. This passage teaches that the Lord’s people are called to make a marked difference in the lives of those around them. Jude indicates that there were those in early church history that were making a difference in their cities because of their diligent walk with and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. It should be our desire to imitate this pattern of a worthy walk.

The Family

     Christians are called to make a difference in the lives of their families. It is concerning to see those that have been members of churches for many years, who have children and grandchildren, but no discernible spiritual influence on their lives. True, there are some circumstances that prohibit such spiritual interactions between family members. However, it has been my observation that many children and grandchildren have no spiritual guidance in their lives because of parental neglect. Those that are not exposed to a Biblical example at home and are not required to attend church are left exposed to the many erroneous and wicked teachings of this world. Two essential tools for following Christ are understanding our responsibilities as Christians, and being familiar with the Bible on which our faith is grounded. The widespread lack of these tools is surely one of the major contributors to the moral decline in our country today! The Bible contains numerous examples of parents (and grandparents) taking the primary role in exposing their children to the things of God. Let us explore some of these scriptures.

     Acts 16 provides two clear examples of parents influencing their households. We will review one of the examples involving a woman named Lydia. Verse 14 notes that the Lord had opened the heart of this woman. The result of this divine act of regeneration was attentiveness to the preaching of the Word of God. In verse 15 Luke records the following, “And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, if ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.” Lydia was baptize--and her household. The Bible teaches that those who are regenerated and believe that Jesus is the son of God are the only fit candidates for baptism (Acts 8:37). It is implied that those in her house met this criteria, but we must not overlook the faithfulness of Lydia: to those in her household, she was an example of obedience to the word of God. She was also careful to expose her family to the truth. Her faith had feet and she definitely made a spiritual difference in the lives her family!

     In 2 Timothy 1, Paul makes note of the unfeigned faith of Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Though his father was not a believer, Timothy was blessed with some Godly women who desired to make a difference in his life. Sometimes people will not encourage their children or grandchildren regarding spiritual things because they fear that this will strain their relationship or alienate them from their family. Some also think that we should allow youngsters to develop their own morality and values without our guidance or ‘biases.’ Both of these philosophies are born out of secular humanism and have no place in a Christian’s life. In an effort to not ‘rock the boat’ many of the Lord’s people have by omission led their children into error. If we have adopted this mindset, then we must repent and turn to the Bible for our guidance. It will give us instruction on how to train up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 6). It also tells us how to influence our spouses (Ephesians 5:25) and other members of our household (Acts 16:21-33). When we emulate the Biblical pattern of Christian service then we can make a difference in the lives of those within our households. In the next article we will explore how the church is supposed to make a difference.

Friday, July 21, 2006

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Michael Green, Jr. is pastor of Palm Chapel Primitive Baptist Church (www.palmchapel.org) in Crestview, FL. Palm Chapel meets every Sunday at 10:30am and Wednesday at 6:00pm. Pastor Green can be contacted at (850) 689-3383 or by email at pastor@palmchapel.org. Pastor Green warmly invites you to come and worship at Palm Chapel Primitive Baptist Church

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