The Call of the Christian

God is looking for those few who will follow Him in holiness, principle and sound doctrine regardless of the compromise and complacency that surrounds them. The world around us is sinking further from God, while at the same time the world has entered the church. The prosperity gospel, pop psychology, much of the growth movement, holy laughter and questionable Christian entertainment are a few examples. Nonetheless, “ the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV).

The apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy provides a solution. Four times he tells Timothy, “But you” (2 Timothy 2:1; 3:10,14; 4:5), be different. For instance, 2 Timothy 3:13 warns that, “Evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and … known the Holy Scriptures.”

2 Timothy 3 also warns that, “Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.“ However, Paul tells Timothy, “But you have” been different (verse 5).

The message Jesus had for Timothy is the same for each and every one of us. But you,follow Him, take up your cross daily, put your hand to the plowshare and chose this day the higher call of a truly committed Christian. ¹

1 In the foreseeable future the teachings in the monthly devotional will be loosely adopted from the writings of K. P. Yohannan and deal with Christian character.