Stop Trying to Save People!

  

VERSE OF THE DAY:

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

-2 Timothy 1:5

Timothy was the spiritual padowan of Paul the Apostle; and if Timothy applied all of the teachings of Paul that we read about in the Bible, he was a hardcore Christian.

Timothy was like a son to Paul. 4 times in his two letters, Paul calls Timothy his son in the faith. Fathers have a tendency to be proud of their sons, but look what the first thing is that Paul mentions about his spiritual son in his second letter. Paul says that he calls to remembrance Timothy’s unfeigned faith. He doesn’t say anything about Timothy’s compassion or servant’s heart; Paul begins by remembering his unfeigned faith. 

What is Paul most proud of in his son, Timothy? He’s proud of Timothy’s real faith. Timothy, keeping it real. It is evident that Paul hasn’t seen Timothy in a while, otherwise why would he need to call to his remembrance something so predominant in Timothy’s character? Of all the things to remember, he remembers Timothy’s old-fashioned, unfeigned, straight-up faith.

Then, recognizing his real faith, Paul turns to encourage him with these well known verses.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

-2 Timothy 1:7

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

-2 Timothy 1:12 

What does it mean to feign something? Well, a feint in battle is a feigned stroke: meaning a faked stroke. The purpose of feigning is to get the opponent to believe you are actually striking when you are not. The foe will direct his attention to your feigned stroke leaving him ungaurded against a real blow.

The moment of a feint is a crucial time in single combat. It obscures your true intentions to feign. So, to have an unfeigned faith is to have a faith that others can recognise. Real faith draws people to it. You can feel comfortable knowing that a person is genuine, there are no gimics to get you into a Christianity club, just real faith in Christ.

So, it’s down to this: stop trying to save people! 

Be real! Real faith is the light of Christ. Simplified: we lift Christ up and he draws men unto himself. It’s not your job to try and save the world, so stop it. Jesus never told us to get people saved. 

The great commission of God is to go and preach, not to go and save. Stop trying to save people, let God save them. Just be real. Not to say you shouldn’t witness, because God cannot work through you unless you are where you need to be. He can’t speak through you to a person you are not with, witnessing to them.

By all means, witness. Go and tell. But, you don’t have to save them, only tell them of the light and the love of Christ. 

A real you will lead more people to the cross than you will ever do trying to save them yourself. There isn’t any pressure to save souls when we realize that it is God’s responsibility to do so. You have one job. Lift Him up, and show real faith to a dying world.

As always, thanks for reading. 

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—the anonymous novelist