Missions: Faith in Action - Souls Being Saved

So, those people are being saved from the fires of hell by the missionaries ?

 

So, Paul, and missionaries, are Saviors ? How many Saviors do we have ?
Was Paul crucified ? Did Paul rise from the dead ? Is Paul seated at the right hand of God ? Is he coming again to judge the quick and the dead ?
Will we stand before his judgment seat ?
I ask the same questions for missionaries.

 

Gordon, You made the statement that Paul and missionaries saved people. He questioned your statement, perhaps thinking that you did not realize what you stated. Then you question him about statements he never made. Interesting

 

No he did not quote his statement perhaps thinking the brother did not realize what he said. He purposefully misrepresented the Scripture the brother posted.

And then you defended his actions. Interesting.

 

No. I am questioning the adulation, or seeming adulation, of missionaries.
Hey, don't get me wrong.
I take my hats off to people who live home and hearth to go to some far away place and probably die there believing they are doing a service for God, though I no longer subscribe to the idea that God must use men to save more souls because I believe Christ is sufficient and He has not failed.
It's the adulation, or at least that's the way I look at it, that I find objectionable.
There is not one single individual on this board, not one, or out of this board, who can stand up and give a testimony of what he was before and who he is now, and what he looks forward to, without Christ FIRST being the one to live His home and hearth which is far, far superior than any of ours' to do what His Father wanted Him to do - die on behalf of sinners.
There is no missionary, IN ANY FIELD, working with ANY kind of fallen creature, who would be where he is, without CHRIST FIRST being the one who worked where He shouldn't be, where He didn't deserve to be.

That is the primary reason why I do not subscribe to praising missionaries, or preachers. The glory is Christ's and Him alone, and no one shares that with Him.

Secondly, those missionaries, and any missionary, isn't saving a soul out of the fires of hell, or from the wrath of God.

Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our salvation.

He finished salvation and all it entails, from the individual to the results for the individual, in as far as eternity is concerned.

There is not one soul any missionary can "lead" to Christ anymore in the sense of eternally saving that soul. However, I do believe that any "fruit" the missionary has in his field of labor, provided he is a true son of the living God, is saved from a life of sin and degradation here on earth as a result of gospel obedience to gospel instruction.

So, no, I don't see that verse as teaching that Paul is a small Christ, and no matter how much you try to twist and manipulate my questions, I have never so much as intimated that there is such a thing as a small Christ.

You are the one who seems to say so.

 

I agree with Pinoy on the point of adulation. This business of setting men up as gods does not glorify God.

I would think that a man whom God has called to witness in some foreign land should be happy if he were counted worthy to suffer for Christ. In everything that happens, whether men are saved or lost, I would magnify upon the Lord that does the work, not the mere men through whom He works.

But pride is hard to escape. It doth easily beset us. I know of some people on this board that can not post a comment without reminding us that they are missionaries (implied: and what are you?), or, which prestigeous school they went to, or which "hero of the faith" they close to, or kin to.

I'm guilty too. If someone in the church belittled me I would be quick to recite the wounds that I supposedly bare in my body for Christ.

Some will say "isn't that exactly what Paul did?". Paul said he would not boast but in Christ, and that he would mangnify his OFFICE of Apostle, not his own person. Of himself, he said "the chief of sinners".

 

Let me get this straight. Someone on the BB magnifies the office of missionary (Hmm, I wonder who?), and he is wrong for that. But the Apostle Paul magnifies the office of apostle, and he is right for that. How strange!

And someone else rejoices in the fact that he is kin to a hero of the faith (Hmm, I wonder who that could be?), and he is wrong for that. Musn't ever thank God for a godly influence in one's life, I guess.

I thank God with all of my heart that He called me to be a missionary. I am unworthy of the call, let me say that plainly before all. But the office is worthy.

I also thank God with all of my heart for the family I was born into. That is entirely unearned, naturally. But I will continue to honor my grandfather, John R. Rice, because that is what the Bible commands me to do: 1 Tim. 5:17--"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine."

Honor the Lord first. But don't forget His faithful servants. And I ask no honor for myself. I know me better than anyone else, and don't need it, want it or deserve it.

Have I done something to offend you, J. D.? P. M. me and I'll honestly apologize.