Zealous of Good Works
By
Shelby G. Floyd
The New Testament church created a stir wherever it went. We must admit that all of us need to be stirred up out of our lethargy and indifference toward sin and wickedness. It is also true that leaders of the church should motivate, stir, and encourage the members on to greater usefulness in the kingdom. But it is neither reasonable nor right to blame our own laziness and lack of zeal on other people.
Each Christian has the personal responsibility to stir up himself to a greater zeal and enthusiasm toward saving the lost and in building up the local church:
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:13-14).
This means that it will be impossible to stir up others, (either in or out of the church) until we first are stirred up ourselves.
First and foremost, we must stir up
ourselves concerning the lost. When Paul saw that the city of
We must stir up ourselves concerning the purity of our worship to God. Jesus was eaten up with zeal when he saw all the Jews profaning his father’s house. (John 2:17; Matthew 21:12-13).
We must stir up ourselves concerning our gifts both natural and acquired. Paul commanded Timothy to stir up the gift that was in him by the laying on of Paul’s hands. (2 Timothy 1:6).
Also we must stir up ourselves in our
minds by remembering the word of God as we have been admonished by the
apostle Peter. (2 Peter 1:13; 3:1). Copyright
© 2008