God Gives the Increase

     You will never save anyone in your entire life. No matter how much you preach, or how many times you volunteer to teach your Sunday school class, or how many words you type into your tiny little blog, no one will ever find salvation because of you.

     That's more than just negative fatalism, it's the truth. We do not have the power within ourselves to save souls. That is the specific territory of God alone. Now God may use our words or actions to lead someone to Himself, but that's God using us, not we ourselves saving anyone.

“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed,

as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”

(1 Corinthians 3:5-6)

     Now some might take that and use it to support their own laziness. Why bother with any of it if God is just going to save whom He will anyway? The answer (at least part of it) is that we have been commanded to. It is written all over the Bible that we are to go and tell people of the good news of God. He has ordained that preaching and teaching and the spread of the Word be the vehicle for the salvation of mankind. So if nothing else, know that you've been told to!

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

"teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo,

I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.”

(Matthew 28:19-20)

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?

And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

(Romans 10:14)

     Admittedly that alone is a pretty uninspiring reason to do something. It's like parent's who can't motivate their children and rely on “Because I said so!” Of course God, having all proper right and authority, should be obeyed and is thoroughly in the right to simply tell us what to do. Even still, He provides other reasons. Think about this; the God who is infinitely powerful and in need of no assistance from anything has made a place in His work for you. You have the opportunity to come along side the creator of all things and work -with- Him. What an honor!

Finally we also have the promise of a reward. God has rewards ready for our service, crowns of honor for lives given to Him. We can look forward to these gifts at the end of days and strive to earn them in the time that we have here on earth.

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance;

for you serve the Lord Christ.”

(Colossians 3:23-24)

"For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels,

and then He will reward each according to his works.”

(Matthew 16:27)

"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me,

to give to every one according to his work.”

(Revelation 22:12)

     For me personally I take this as a great comfort and it is why I can write these posts and not be scared stiff of dooming someone to Hell. I know that whatever I say or whatever I do, I am not responsible for anyone's position in Hell. Just as no one will be in heaven by my efforts so also no one will be in Hell because of them. God will not lose any who are His own. That doesn't mean I or anyone else can be lax in our teaching, or not bother to make sure we teach the truth. It does mean however, that we need not be paralyzed into inaction by the fear of getting it wrong.

     So get out there! Find someone who knows less than you do and teach them what you know. Find people and tell them the good news! We are not invaders destroying innocent belief, we are the cured giving away the cure! Sure we'll stumble and fall down on occasion, but then we just repent and correct our statements and move on. We are none of us perfect, but we serve a God who is and what He has ordained will most surely come to pass.

“Then Job answered the LORD and said:

"I know that You can do everything,

And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”

(Job 42:1-2)