Nothing But the Truth

Reading a recent article by Ann Coulter, I was disturbed by an attitude to missions I’ve seen over and over the past several years.

She wrote about Dr. Kent Bradley’s struggle with Ebola and his effort to “do good” in Liberia. She went on to talk about other missionaries’ efforts to do good in other countries while completely missing the whole truth about missions and what mission efforts and evangelism – both local and abroad – should be about.

Is this what we are called to do?

Do good; meet medical needs, feed the hungry, and cloth the naked?

These are all very important deeds. Jesus talked about this in Matthew 25 when He said:

“…for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in.”

But if we only do good, we’ve missed the mark by a long shot. If we administer medical care, feed, clothe, visit the widows and orphans and yet fail to share the truth, we’ve allowed these precious souls to go to hell healed, full, clothed and comforted.

This is an element we simply must not ignore: the truth and nothing but the truth.

What is that truth?

It is that all are sinners destined for hell; that all are destitute and broken without a Savior; that sin separates us from a holy God who is so holy that He cannot allow sin to abide in His presence even for a second, but He – being full of mercy and grace – chose to send His only Son to be tortured and kill by the hands of the very sinners He came to save.

His blood – His pure blood undefiled by sin – was spilled out on the ground that day to make us pure so that we can now stand in the presence of God justified. Justified – that beautiful word that literally means: just as if I’ve never sinned.

Have you ever heard such a lovely word?

This truth must be weaved into every fiber of every good deed we do because good deeds void of this truth – this spoken truth – lack meaning and purpose. Because at the end of our lives we must all face eternity.

Eternity is based not on the good we’ve done. No, that is simply impossible. The scripture says that our good deeds are filthy and defiled; defiled by our own selfish ambitions and impure motives. Scripture goes on to say that there is none that are good…no not one.

Eternity is based solely on whether or not our name is written in the book of life. And this can only happen when we have admitted that we are helplessly and hopelessly lost, that the debt of our sin is far greater than we could ever pay, and that without a Savior we have no hope in this world or in that which is to come. By that admittance, the blood of Jesus freely washes our lives of our sin, pays the debt we owe, and we become friends of God.

This is not a fable, it is not an allegory, it is not an illustration or a parable.

It is the truth….and nothing but the truth!

About Rosilind

Rosilind is an American girl married to a Bosnian guy who lives in a small village just outside of Zagreb. They have two crazy boys 3 and under who are as opposite as boys can be. When Rosilind isn't writing, she is dreaming up recipes and searching for ways to organize her home better. You can find her at A Little R & R where she writes about missions, marriage and family, toddler activities, and her recipes. You will also find her onFacebook, Twitter and Pinterest. 

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