The Coward and The Conqueror
Life is easy when everything is going your way. When you are not in the heat of testing, it is easy to have faith and confidence that you can stand in the face of whatever might come your way. Words are cheap, so they say. It’s even easy to believe in “The Cause” from the seat of comfort and security. But what if it was the most consequential mission ever conceived? How would you respond?
First comes the call, the challenge. Then the qualifying criterion must be set forth, something that clearly spells out all the demands and requirements. The course has to be laid out, showing the starting qualifications, the objective to be achieved, and what it will take to endure until the very end. As the details are manifested, the candidate can began to evaluate the cost. He/she can weigh all the options, the factors, and each and every possibility. He can determine whether the end result is worth the cost, to see whether he/she is really willing to face the challenge.
Every challenge is accompanied by a reward. According to the clearness that one has, he can judge whether the reward is worth the cost. And according to that understanding, if he is honest, he can tell whether he will be proven a coward or a
conqueror.
Will you face the challenge?
What if it was the Son of God who set the challenge?
What if the goal is making His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven?
What if the call is to love, just as he loved?
What if the cost is everything...yes, even your own life?
The one who only sees the goal becomes the Conqueror.
“He who overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” Rev. 21:7
The one who only sees the obstacles is the coward.
“But fearful and unbelieving...shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Rev. 21:8
First you must hear the call, the challenge…
“…Go thy way and sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven; and come, take up thy cross and follow me.” Mark 10:21
“...whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33
“Be saved from this untoward (perverse) generation. “
Acts 2:40
The one who heard the call (by grace), understood the call (through faith), and walked away, proved to be the coward.
“But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” Mark 10:22
“Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, it was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold we turn to the gentiles.” Acts 13:46
“He who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.”
Matt. 10:28-30
The one who heard the call (by grace), understood the call (through faith), and paid the price, became the conqueror.
“Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions-and in the world to come, eternal life.” Mark 10:28-30
For by grace, through faith one is saved if he is actually saved through the faith that came by grace. To pay the price that he said to pay is not “works”. It is what the faith that came by grace would persuade you to do, lest anyone should boast.
Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22
So what makes the difference between the coward and the conqueror?
“If anyone is willing to do his will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak of myself.” John 7:17