Today in the concluding part of my series on the acronym E.L.E.C.T during this “Election fever” time, I come to yet another two paramount issues of Christian life…
C- Canvassing
Heard of an election in a democracy with no canvassing? Hey Christ’s Party member, when did you last “canvass for your party” (read did evangelism)? Before we go any further, let’s apply the interrogative, “why at all should we canvass for the cause of Christ”? Is to merely increase the Christian population and enjoy the privileges which go along with one being part of a majority community? No not at all! We who have experienced His power (in saving us from sin) and His joy ought not to keep this Good News that He can do likewise in everyone’s lives to ourselves (Acts 4:20)!!! Talk of hitherto poor, unemployed citizens of a nation now made rich by the novel employment governmental schemes acclaiming from rooftops, the wondrous change a new government in power has wrought in their lives…Are we going to fault these folks?
Didn’t somebody say that grace is actually God’s Riches (poured into the lives of poor languishing ones) At Christ’s Expense (2 Cor 8:9)? While Mass evangelism (organizing huge public meetings) may be one way to canvass (sole preserve of the gifted souls from whom the Lord expects a lot — See Luke 12:48) for the cause of Christ, personal evangelism (simply sharing with love what Christ means to you with others after developing a rapport with them — See I Cor 9:22-23) is an universally acclaimed way of sharing the Gospel,= effectively.
I repeat the question…”when did you last canvass for the cause of Christ… Hey our Lord’s”last” Commission (Matt 28:18-20) ought to become our “first” priority…
T- Triumph
Who would win the Presidential Elections? Even while Pollsters are making all predictions, there is no doubt in the “spiritual Election realm”. Now consider this Scripture portion, which applies to every Christian equipped with Christ’s power wrestling with the dark forces “…overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) (the key operative word being overwhelming)
Never depend on your fallible strength to secure a victory over sin, that is a recipe for certain failure (remember an overconfident Peter denying Christ – Matt 26:31-33/69-75) but depend on Christ (Zech 4:6). When it comes to scoring an emphatic victory over sin, the issue is not whether you are trying or not. Rather, the main issue is, are you trying on your own to do the same, or are you also resting in the Savior’s power? When you are prayerfully relying on the power of Christ, mark my words…you will not only secure victory over sin (Stage 1 of Christian life) but you would also be greatly used by the Master in His service thence (Stage 2 of Christian life-Ministry). What about your opponents (Eph 6:10-17), even as you are winning souls for the Lord? Well, take my word they would “lose their deposit” in a crushing defeat … (Romans 16:20)!!!
Prayer: Father, even as we are depending upon Thy power enable us to scale greater heights in our spiritual flight and fight. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Suresh Manoharan
(To access the entire “Of Elect and Select” mini-series, please click here.)