Do you want to live in such a way that you will be missed? Then let me encourage you to walk with God, live for Him, and honor Him. Here is what Paul did, and you and I can do the same: present the truth.
Paul boldly preached the Kingdom of God in Ephesus for three years, and therefore, he was innocent of the blood of all men. He had no regrets and no remorse as he faithfully shared the message of Christ. He was
katharos, innocent of their blood. This verse reminds me of
Ezekiel 33:8-9:
"When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul."
There is no power like that of a clean and clear conscience! Can you say that you are innocent of the blood of all? To withhold the truth is more damaging than speaking the truth and being rejected. Let us followers of Jesus and believers of the Bible faithfully live out the Gospel and share Christ with all with whom we have come in contact. It can be done.
I listened to an excerpt of
a speech given by the newly elected Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, and she was very clear on who she was and what she believed. Quoting her does not mean I endorse or believe everything she does, but I do respect and appreciate what she said in this speech:
"Everything that defines us is an enemy. . . . So they attack national identity, they attack religious identity, they attack gender identity, they attack family identity. I can't define myself as Italian, Christian, woman, mother. No. I must be citizen x, gender x, parent 1, parent 2. I must be a number. Because . . . when I no longer have an identity or roots, then I will be the perfect slave at the mercy of financial speculators. Because we do not want to be numbers. We will defend the value of the human being. Every single human being. Because each of us has a unique genetic code that is unrepeatable. And like it or not, that is sacred. We will defend it. We will defend God, country, and family. Those things that disgust people so much. We will do it to defend our freedom. . . . That is our mission. That is why I came here today. Chesterton wrote, more than a century ago, 'Fires will be kindled to testify that two and two make four. Swords will be drawn to prove that leaves are green in summer.'"
She exhibited more courage as a politician than most pastors in the pulpit, especially in our country.
Can I encourage you to live in such a way that you can say with Paul that you are innocent? People may reject Christ, but you did your part and shared Christ and lived for Him, so you are without excuse and not stained with their blood.
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