What Can Happen Because Of You?

 

     In God's kingdom (the church) good things can happen because of you or bad things can happen because of you. An example of the good is that of a husband being won to the Lord by his godly wife. (1 Peter 3:1-6) Diotrephes is an ex­ample of what can happen because of an evil person. (3 John 9-11) What can happen because of you?

 

      Because of you others may chose God: Naomi's influence was so strong that Ruth chose her God. (Ruth 1:16-18) Your influence can cause others to choose God. Your influence can cause someone who believes in Jesus to be stronger in the Lord.

 

      Because of you the faith of some might be overthrown: "But shun profane and idle babbling, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some." (2 Timothy 2:16-18) It will be sad indeed for some to stand in judgment having possessed saving faith themselves and yet be guilty of over-throwing the faith of others.

 

      Because of you others might be discouraged: The spies, except Joshua and Caleb, discouraged the people from going into Canaan and conquering it. "But the men who had gone up with him said, We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we. And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descen­dants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13:31-33) Our words or our actions may be a discourage­ment to others.

 

      Because of you others can be refreshed: "For we have great joy and con­solation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother." (Philemon 7.) In a world that beats people down what a blessing it is to be refreshed by brethren who truly love and care.

 

      To be saved you must hear the gospel of Christ (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus as the Son of the living God (Mark 16:16), repent of the sins in your life (Acts 2:38), confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized for remission of sins. (Acts 2:38)  As a Christian you should recognize the good things that can happen in God’s work because of you. The life of a Christian is a blessed life. The Christian life is also a blessing to others. What will happen because of you? Will it be good or evil?

 

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 551, Greenville, Alabama 36037 USA

 

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