BELIEF AND BEHAVIOUR

February 7th, 2008

This week I conducted another funeral. Funerals provoke memories and reflection on the basics of life.

What I believe is the basis of my behaviour. My understanding of the teaching of Jesus is that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Everyone needs a saviour. Because of the deep love God has for each of us, God sent his son Jesus Christ as that saviour. He died to take the punishment for us all, and conquered death by rising again. All who take this on board, confess their sins, however bad, God forgives and makes clean, and gives eternal life which includes life in heaven after this earthly life.

This belief drives my behaviour. If everyone around me is basically doomed without a saviour, then out of love I want to introduce them to that rescue plan in the best way that I can to reap the greatest effect. Jesus himself commissioned his followers to spread this message.My whole life therefore is geared to this end. My time, my money, my energy, my goals are all influenced by this commission, and my desire is to follow God’s strategy.

I am not called to achieve this all by myself. God has ordained that it be teamwork; initially two by two, and then a larger group committed together to form a local church.

God’s plan is then to have various different giftings and strengths, which work together like a human body. But everyone is pulling together with the common aim of communicating the salvation message to those around.

This demands sacrifice. I left a great job as an engineer because I felt God say I should spend more time teaching and training young Christians. I became a school teacher, but then there came a time when I felt God say I should devote my time to equipping others to the mission of spreading the gospel. Both of those times were great challenges, but I had to allow my beliefs to dictate my behaviour.

What do you really believe? It will dictate your behaviour. But it works the other way round too. Your behaviour shows what you really believe.

David Thatcher

Filed under: Thought of the Week