“Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:12) Good people, honest people, caring, loving, giving people, those people?
How does one glorify the Lord God in the day of their visitation because of the good works that someone has done if those people are not telling them that the reason for their good works is because of Jesus Christ? Stop and think about that.
A day arrives in Sally’s life where there seems to be no hope, no one to turn to, she is beyond despondent. A friend of hers, Alice, stops by the house, and with the utmost of love and compassion, with a true heart she lifts Sally out of that place of utter despair, and Sally begins to see a glimmer of hope for tomorrow. Is she going to go find all those she holds dear and lift up the name of Jesus, or the name of Alice?
No one is going to glorify God in the day of their visitation if someone doesn’t tell them about Him, of the true hope that He offers, of the eternal love that He has for those who call Him Lord and Savior.
I believe that most born-again believers are kindhearted, that they love the Lord Jesus, but I also believe that most of them have never, or rarely, ever brought His name up in those times such as Sally went through, much less in general conversations. Sally will tell everyone how compassionate Alice was, how she seemed to understand everything that she was going through, she offered her shoulder to cry on and her ears to listen, she was so kind, loving and caring. And next Sunday morning in church Alice may even bring up the topic of Sally, perhaps someone in the crowd will say they should pray for her, but all Sally knows is that Alice is a good person.
Jesus Christ is not sitting on the throne of many people’s lives that call Him Lord and King, they are, and although they may be nice, polite and kind people, they may even be saved, they are useless to the kingdom. “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” (Prov. 11:30) Sally will not glorify God in the day of her visitation, she doesn’t know Him, and in part, that is the fault of Alice. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) That means you.
You are to be studying the Word of God to show yourself approved, to be able to give an account of your faith to all that ask you of the reason for your faith in Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 3:15) When was the last time someone asked you to do that, to give an account of your faith? Many will not bring up His name to those they speak with because they don’t want to have to try to give that account, they couldn’t if they wanted to, for they have not diligently studied His Word, because He is not precious to them. If they do not bring up anything of a Spiritual nature, they won’t have to give an account.
We like to call them weaker brothers and sisters in Christ, even if they stay weak for decades. I offer the possibility that they are “good” people, but they are not saved people.
Ask yourself this, are we all to be as Jeremiah was in 20:9, “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” I meet a lot of people who say they are Christians who have no desire to speak of Christ, much less initiate a conversation around Him. Maybe I’m just a little too adamant, and so in that people see me as contentious. This is a work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the born-again believer, and we will be judged by our works. (Romans 2:6) Now, should I call you a brother or sister in Christ, or should I call you Alice?
