“I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.” (Gal. 4:11)
In other words, “I am starting to think that I have wasted my time with you.”
Can we apply Matthew 7:6 to this as well?
“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
Yes, I believe we can, for at times witnessing of the love of the Lord to some people, especially to those who hold a religious view based in works, we feel as if we would be more profitable talking to our dog.
We must know when it is time to stop, when those pearls of the Almighty are to be left in our pocket, when the deception of those you are speaking to is not externally placed upon them, but when it is internal, when the lies are what they believe are the truth, and the truth is not going to set them free.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Eph. 2:8)
This verse is hated by those who will not accept that the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ was in and of itself sufficient for the salvation of their soul, and if they are brainwashed, they are so by their own design, by their own free will. You must come to the realization of this truth; they will not be able to blame Satan or anyone else on their day of accounting at the Great White Throne of Judgment.
When you are contending with them, you are not contending with our adversary but with them.
“And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” (Jude 1:23)
These are difficult truths for some, for many believe that everyone can be saved, all you need to do they believe is offer the truths of the Scriptures to them, take a stand against our adversary and use the words of God to free them from the bondage they are in. And for nearly everyone you meet; it is not going to happen.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:14)
That is what we have been sent to do, to call as many as we meet, but we are also to hear 1st. Cor. 5:13, “But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.”
We are called to hear Matthew 18:17, “And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”
To not allow them into our house, to not even bid them godspeed. We are to shake the dust of our feet off and leave them to their own devices.
I am not going to tell you that the hope you hold out for those you love and care for, those that you have been diligently witnessing to will not come to fruition, but I am saying that you had best prepare yourself for the fact that it may not, that they are not going to repent. And they will not be able to blame anyone but themselves.
You must honestly pray and accept the answer you receive in this matter, “Am I laboring in vain over this person?”
It isn’t Satan that is causing them to believe whatever lies they have chosen to believe, it is pride, it is vanity, it is sin of their own accord, and it may be that the Lord has given them over to a reprobate mind. A terrible truth, I know, but truths, nonetheless.
You have a choice here, you can accept the will of God, or you can blame Him, I see no third option.
That hope that the world says springs eternal does not exist, they may have been called, but they may spend the entirety of their life refusing to heed that call.
“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Eze. 18:4)
Laboring in vain my friends is a waste of the time allotted to each of us who have been born-again, and it is not representative of an ambassador of the Kingdom of our Father in heaven.
Pray earnestly for that person, but if and when you are told those prayers are in vain, listen and stop.
