Mere Missions

112 • M ere M issions : M oving F orward to M ultiply

(Rom. 5.8; Matt. 27.46; 2 Cor. 4.4). Oh, how great a love the Father has given us. God’s command and our priority is to flee from the wrath that is to come (Matt. 3.7). It is inevitable. One can run from it for a while, but one cannot hide from it. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1.15). 5. Proof: The Expectation of God The expectation of God is that we work out this salvation decision in fear and trembling knowing that He is at the same time working in us His good pleasure to conform us into the image of His Son in whom He loves (Phil. 2.12-13 w/Rom. 8.29). What is our part in working this out? A. Belief . After Jesus fed the 5,000, the crowd got into boats and went to Capernaum where Jesus and his disciples had gathered. They were seeking Jesus for more bread. He was like a walking bakery to the people. Jesus, knowing their hearts, challenged them to work for food that endures to eternal life which Jesus was willing to give them (John 6.27). In response they asked a logical question to Jesus’s challenge to work, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” (John 6.28). That’s a fair-enough question. Jesus responds with God’s expectation, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” Believing is to work out our salvation. The enemy, the world, and our own sinful passions and desires to rule our lives, demand a constant work on our part to believe that Jesus is God’s one plan for salvation. The demonic forces of the Satanic kingdom will constantly tempt you, like Jesus was tempted, but twisted differently. Instead of, “If you are the Son of God” (Matt. 4.3, 6), he tempts us with, “Is He really the Son of God; the Way, the Truth, and The Life?” This is hard work that requires endurance and discipline. It is to take every thought, half-truth and full lie, captive to the