WANTED: Faithful Men
There is an incredible famine of faithfulness in these days. Many churches could
take Proverbs 20:6 as their theme verse "Most men will proclaim every man
his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?" Thank God that the
Apostle Paul found one in Timothy. To that young preacher Paul issued the
following command from the Holy Ghost: "And the things that thou hast heard
of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall
be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2).
Every God-called, Spirit-led pastor desires to commit the truth to
"faithful men." But, the sad fact is that there are few that qualify
for the training! Many that profess Christ are unfaithful men unfaithful to the
Word, the work, the war, the worship of God, and some are even unfaithful to
their wives. Here's a challenge, sir BE A FAITHFUL MAN!
A faithful man is one who has first been REGENERATED. He has been born again of
the Holy Spirit. What about youwas there a time when the Holy Ghost of God
REPROVED you of your sinfulness, REBUKED you of your
ungodliness, and you RESPONDED by REPENTING and RECEIVING the Lord Jesus Christ
as your Lord and Saviour? Only the saved man can qualify for this holy
designation of "faithful men.
He is also one who RECEIVES the Word of God. Too many are REJECTING, REWRITING,
REARRANGING, RECONSTRUCTING, and REINVENTING the Word of God. But,
"faithful men" will not go that route! The faithful man doesn't get
mad at the truth-telling preacher either. Like the Berean Christians of Acts
17:10,11 he RECEIVES the Word of God as it is preached, RESEARCHES the message
with the Scriptures, and then REACHES a conclusion about what God's man has
declared.
The faithful man allows his pastor to "commit" the truth to him! He is
humble and takes time to be taught the Word and treasures it in his heart. He is
not "carried about by every wind of doctrine" because he RETAINS the
truth. In other words, he sticks with, stands for, and strives about the truth.
That last part of 2 Timothy 2:2 is where it really gets good. When a man is
REGENERATED, RECEIVES the Word of God, and RETAINS it, he is at the place where
he can be used of God to REPEAT it to others. He is "able to teach others
also." The work of God goes forward mightily as men develop into
"faithful men." Sinners are sought, the seed is sown, souls are saved,
and saints are settled as faithful men continue the wonderful process of
preaching the Word of God in the power of the Holy Ghost.
Sir, don't allow the famine of faithfulness to famish your family and assembly.
Before God Almighty, and for His glory and honour, commit by His grace to be a
faithful man from this day forward.
Pastor Bobby Mitchell,
Mid-Coast Baptist Church,
Brunswick, Maine
bobbymjr@suscom-maine.net
www.midcoastbaptistchurch.com