We really do not have much of a choice, if the Word of God is not specifically clear on a particular subject, we are to move forward in faith, after much prayer and trust not only in the Lord for direction, but in our own interpretation of what we believe should be done.
“Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.” (Matt. 17:4)
Now, how in the world did those three men know that was who was there talking to the Lord that day? In my mind, there is no way they could have.
“And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.” (1st Kings 17:16)
But what about after Elijah left? What happened to that poor widow with only two mites? Why did those men called by our Savior just immediately leave off what they were doing, without one single question?
That and numerous verses throughout the Scriptures offer the answer to the opening sentence in this short letter. If it is not perfectly clear to us what are we supposed to do next, if there is nothing in the Scriptures that is specific to the deed we are contemplating, the path we think we should move forward on, and really, in all truthfulness, there is no direct answer given to us by the Holy Spirit, then what we are to do is move forward in faith.
And that my friends is one of the main reasons sometimes that very little is accomplished for the glory of God by those who are hid in Christ.
“And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)
Fear is the deterrent, but sadly, much of the time, it is not the fear that we may dishonor the Lord of Glory if we move forward without any clear direction, but a fear that we may fail, no differently than what the Lord said about that person that didn’t count the cost, didn’t plan everything out sufficiently to finish that tower.
People would make fun of him. That is why many will not move forward.
For many years, and in many ways, I have stopped being overly concerned with what people think about me, for the most part, I could not care less. Unless in some way I am dishonoring my Savior.
If I do not see the path perfectly clearly, that matters very little to me, I am to keep moving forward on it, in faith. If I am not quite sure what to say next to someone in a conversation, no matter what the topic is, I do not stand there dumbstruck, I speak my mind, and I try to always do so in truth. If I am not sure, no matter what it is, and after much prayer I do not have an answer, I do not sit down and twiddle my thumbs, I move forward in faith.
And that my friends, all that, is what I believe Romans 14:12 is talking about, what it means.
“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
That account will be of course in part how well we obeyed the prompting, if you will, of the Holy Spirit when we heard Him clearly and the path was easily seen.
It will be how well, and with what heart attitude, we obeyed the Word of God as to what one who is hid in Christ is to be as, how we are to behave ourselves and represent Him who has called us to Himself in this wicked world.
But it will also be for those things when the path was not so clear, when the Scriptures did not address directly what we were considering doing for the glory of God.
That account will be for the initiative to move forward in faith when the path before us is not clear, trusting that He will direct our steps.
