Colossians 1:23 “If so be that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister.”
Continuing in the faith is not always about upholding right doctrine, though that is essential. It is more than that. It is living in the context of faith. Faith in the promises of the Lord. It is in knowing He will never fail nor forsake you as you live in His promises. It is about knowing that the gospel indeed is the truth in word and fulfilment; not just in word only.
I am reminded of an actual case where a new Christian put his faith into action, despite all the theological opposition toward his “simple faith” in the hope of the gospel.
This new Christian contacted a renowned missionary society here in Australia. He told the society director that he believed he had a missionary call to go to Mongolia and was wondering if the society had any missionaries in Mongolia who he and his wife could join. The society director told him they did not and then asked him if he had any missionary training. The new Christian said no. The society director then told him they couldn’t send him there unless he had four years training in their college.
The new Christian told the society director that he believed God’s call on his life was urgent and that he could not wait around for four years studying in their college. The society director then asked him what he and his wife did; hoping he might be employable in Mongolia. The new Christian told him he was a qualified deep sea diver and his wife was an opera singer. The society director said he couldn’t see any possible way that a deep sea diver would find employment in Mongolia as Mongolia is land-locked between Siberia and China. So the director encouraged him once again to go to college. The new Christian said no and left it at that.
Three months later the society director received a letter from the new Christian with a postal address in Mongolia. The director wondered who could be writing to him from Mongolia. The new Christian explained in his letter that just a few days after talking with the society director he saw an advertisement in the employment section of their local newspaper. The advert read, “Deep sea divers wanted in Mongolia to dive in several deep lakes”. He applied and was employed. So now his wife and he were living in Mongolia and teaching the gospel to a few people in their home. Could the society therefore send some tracts in the Mongolian language to help teach the local people!
Being grounded and steadfast in the gospel is more than knowing the truth and upholding it principles. It is knowing and applying the truth in faith; mustard seed faith at that!
So often it is easy to be doctrinally dead right but dead as far as living by faith is concerned. People want to see and know the living Jesus who keeps His promises through faithful servants who willingly go where He goes and do what He does.
