How Willing Are You to Proclaim the Lord to Be Your God?

In Paul's second letter to Timothy the apostle explains to the young pastor how to proclaim the testimony of the Lord through his life. Paul makes it clear that it is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. The focus of the Gospel is the cross and those who follow after Christ must die to sin and self. To follow after Christ one must completely abandon all and take up their cross and follow Christ. When one studies the life of the Apostle Peter in the New Testament this becomes clear. Peter is willing to follow Christ and is among the most zealous of His followers but when he is faced with self denial, suffering, and the reality of the cross he shows his love for the world and his carnal nature. This can be seen in his two attempts to stop Jesus from going to the cross. If one desires to follow after Christ they cannot compromise in any way. All must beware of turning back from following Christ on account of the things of this world, comfort, or blessing. The call of Christ is a call to salvation through grace and holiness that He works in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. In order for this to take place one must be born again. The Pharisees in the New Testament were a tragedy because they refused to repent when they heard John the Baptist and Christ call them to repentance. They were in love with this world and as a result they were not willing to consecrate their lives to God through Christ. One who truly resolves to follow Christ must be willing to die to self and surrender all to Christ. This example is seen in the life of the Apostle Paul, he has truly given his life entirely to God and in this letter to Timothy he exhorts all to do the same.

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