{"id":302802,"date":"2013-08-23T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-08-23T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/rely-on-the-power-of-the-gospel\/"},"modified":"2013-08-23T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2013-08-23T15:00:00","slug":"rely-on-the-power-of-the-gospel","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/rely-on-the-power-of-the-gospel\/","title":{"rendered":"Rely on the Power of the Gospel"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Duane Litfin reminds us that our primary mission as Christians is to preach the gospel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2013-08-23.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"28.02M","filesize_raw":"29377266","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2821],"tags":[4427],"podcast_series":[7968],"cwp_profile":[9314],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-302802","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reaching-out","tag-sharing-the-gospel","podcast_series-word-versus-deed","cwp_profile-duane-litfin","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/302802\/rely-on-the-power-of-the-gospel","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/302802\/rely-on-the-power-of-the-gospel","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"Qlg3HCpcHs\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/rely-on-the-power-of-the-gospel\/\">Rely on the Power of the Gospel<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/rely-on-the-power-of-the-gospel\/embed\/#?secret=Qlg3HCpcHs\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;Rely on the Power of the Gospel&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"Qlg3HCpcHs\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Duane Litfin reminds us that our primary mission as Christians is to preach the gospel.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2013-08-23.pdf","transcript_content":"<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Dr. Duane Litfin says, \u201cIf we\u2019re committed to our faith being demonstrated by our actions, then, our actions are going to include talking about our faith.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> Here\u2019s a general exhortation: \u201cLove your neighbor.\u201d Okay, what does that mean? Well, it could mean anything; but it could certainly come down to meaning, \u201cDo you love them enough to share the Gospel with them, even though you feel it\u2019s risky?\u201d If I love my neighbor, I\u2019m going to venture\u2014I\u2019m going to risk myself and stand there, with the Lord Jesus, in order to share the Gospel with this person. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Friday, August 23<sup>rd<\/sup>. Our host is the President of FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, Dennis Rainey, and I\u2019m Bob Lepine. Dr. Duane Litfin joins us today to talk about how we strike a balance between saying too much and doing too little or not saying enough about what we believe. We\u2019ll talk about that today. Stay tuned. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. Thanks for joining us. I have a friend of mine, who\u2014he, and his wife, and family live\u2014I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m still supposed to say that they live in a large Asian country or if it\u2019s okay to say China\u2014[Laughter] but that\u2019s where they live; okay? Well, you know, it\u2019s just hard to know anymore. I won\u2019t tell who my friend is so that should keep it all on the down-low; okay? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, he lives in China\u2014he and his wife\u2014and they are involved in ministry to orphans in China\u2014cast-out kids\u2014kids who are left on doorsteps. They bring them in and care for them. I was talking with him about what they do. He said, \u201cIt is astounding, to the natives, who live in the village we live in, that we would care for these kids. They don\u2019t understand why we would care for these kids.\u201d He said, \u201cThat opens the door for a Gospel conversation.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHe went on to say that\u2014he said, \u201cWhat we have to be involved with is both the proclamation and the demonstration of the Gospel.\u201d He said: \u201cThe train we\u2019re riding on has two rails\u2014two tracks. You take away either of the tracks, and the train goes off in the ditch.\u201d I thought, \u201cThat\u2019s an interesting observation.\u201d Ties into what we are talking about this week. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> It does. We\u2019re talking with the author of <em>Word versus Deed<\/em>, Dr. Duane Litfin. Duane, welcome back. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Duane:<\/strong> Thank you. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> You\u2019re a former pastor, professor, and theologian. You\u2019ve written this book because you\u2019re passionate about what you believe should be the Church\u2019s primary mission\u2014it\u2019s the Great Commission. Why don\u2019t you comment on that? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> Yes. The primary mission\u2014the centerpiece of what the Church is about\u2014is this business of preaching the Gospel. Charles Malik, the famous ambassador from Lebanon, who was a believer\u2014he used to talk about the two tasks. The second task is the intellectual task of the Church. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, the first task of the Church is evangelism\u2014preaching the Gospel\u2014sharing who Christ is and what He has done\u2014what God is, and has done, and is doing, and will do in and through the person of the Lord Jesus. That\u2019s the primary task of the Church\u2014is to carry that message. The great privilege, of all of us, is to carry that word to a needy world\u2014who desperately needs that word. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHaving said that\u2014that does not exhaust the calling of the Church. We have all sorts of other things the Lord calls His people to\u2014and not least, are the issue of our deeds of compassion, and deeds of justice, and standing up for the oppressed. This, also, is a part of what the Bible calls us to. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>I was struck by your intro about the two tracks. I think I really would want to call that into question, actually. I think both tracks are biblical. Whether in every case both tracks have to be present is another question; and it\u2019s a question worth asking. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> We\u2019re talking about proclamation and demonstration? I hear you questioning whether demonstration is essential. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> Well, I would, actually, cut it both ways. I think there are times when demonstration, or our deeds, are all we have. That\u2019s all\u2014that\u2019s the only thing we can do. We do not have the opportunity to share the Gospel. Does that mean that I don\u2019t try to feed the hungry in that situation or drill that well for that African village that desperately needs clean water? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOr there are other times when all I have is the opportunity to give a verbal witness. I\u2019m sitting on an airplane, next to someone; and I have an opportunity to share the Gospel. This is not a setting in which I can engage in serious deeds, but it is a case where I can give a verbal witness. <br><br>The Church, as a whole, is called to both tracks; but I think in any given case, it may be that we are called\u2014we have the opportunity or a call to one, or the other, or some sort of a balance. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> I think the challenge is\u2014if the Gospel witness in any community, in any environment, in any setting\u2014is exclusively one or the other\u2014if that\u2019s all people are hearing or seeing that is Gospel-witness, they are not seeing a full-orbed presentation of the work of Christ; are they? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> No, I think the Church is called to a balance between these two things. That\u2019s certainly the case. Having said that\u2014even where that imbalance takes place because of our shortcomings, and blind spots, and inadequacies, as human beings, who are believers\u2014and so, we aren\u2019t striking the balance\u2014if the Gospel is being preached according to the witness of Scripture, it still has its own power. Let\u2019s face it. The Gospel is powerful, in spite of us. Even at our best, the Gospel is powerful, in spite of us. We are such fallible vehicles. At our best or, maybe, at our less-than-best, the Gospel is still powerful. That\u2019s the witness of the Scriptures. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIf I would love to see anything come out of this, it\u2019s people coming away with more of a confidence\u2014not that that excuses us from reaching for that true, biblical balance between word and deed\u2014but we still need to build our confidence in the power of the Gospel, which is, as Paul says, \u201cThe power of God unto salvation.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> You and Sharon have raised three children. How did you do this with your kids when you were raising them\u2014in terms of wanting to equip them to be able to both proclaim and also demonstrate as they interacted with their peers, all the way up in and through adolescence into adulthood? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> That\u2019s a really good question. I\u2019m not sure I want to hold ourselves up as some sort of a model there. Our kids have grown up, and are serving the Lord, and have done very well\u2014very strong and balanced, as Christians. They all have a heart for the very kind of balance we\u2019re talking about here; but if I were to ask them\u2014maybe, I\u2019ll go home and ask them, \u201cTo what extent is this balance, that all three of you demonstrate, would you attribute that to having learned it from Mom and Dad?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> If a family is listening and they are thinking: \u201cOkay, we\u2019re trying to present a balance to our kids. We go to church and we hear the Gospel proclaimed at our church. We support some relief organizations.\u201d Have they gotten there? Is that sufficient for the model; do you think? Or do we need to be doing the charity and the kindness ourselves? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> Well, I think there\u2019s probably a\u2014it\u2019s probably a false choice. I\u2019m not sure that we have to choose. It\u2019s a different way of giving of ourselves. It\u2019s one thing to give our money to some charitable organization. That\u2019s one way we give away of ourselves\u2014of what is our own. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut another way is to give our time, to give our attention, to give our prayers, our thoughts, our cares, and our concern that this situation is genuinely a weight upon our shoulders that we carry with these people, who have these needs. Maybe, it calls us to go there and be there. Maybe, radically, so\u2014pick up, and move, and go to a third world situation, or something less than that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIt\u2019s going to vary from place to place and situation. In my situation, and the way I was raised, and the way I probably raised our kids, I think they would have been better at articulating the verbal witness, and the need for that, than they would have the non-verbal\u2014the deed. But what I see, in our kids, is a desire to get their children into\u2014out on the frontlines, in terms of the deeds, without, in any way, sacrificing the verbal witness. I really would want to encourage that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think that\u2019s\u2014take the kids to the local homeless shelter, to the soup kitchen\u2014or take them to needy situations, around the world\u2014or get them involved\u2014have them praying for this orphan in Guatemala\u2014or just the kinds of things where you can give\u2014but you\u2019re not just giving money. You\u2019re providing a goat for this family, in some place in a village\u2014some place where that goat can, actually, be a source of milk and so on for that whole family. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThere are just\u2014wonderful ways of getting our families involved in these things, on the side of the deeds. It\u2019s equally true\u2014getting them involved at the level of verbal witness. That\u2019s closer\u2014probably closer to home, at school, among their friends. You know, outreaches in their church and so on. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> I would not hold us up as being the perfect model either, Duane\u2014kind of like you had that disclaimer. Yet, when they were teenagers, we tried to have an outreach at the high school. It was an evangelistic outreach, trying to reach their peers. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI\u2019m now watching, like you are\u2014watching my children get involved with the orphan. In fact, even as we speak, right now, one of our children and their kids are in South America\u2014in a country\u2014living in an orphanage. They are going to be there for two months. It was a deliberate step to get out of the comparison \/ rat race of our culture, and the busyness, and go take a step back and evaluate, \u201cHow can we give our kids\u201d\u2014and this is what they are saying\u2014\u201ca heart for the world\u2014\u201d and again, \u201c\u2014not just meeting their physical needs but, also, their spiritual needs, as well?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI like the way you put it in your book. We\u2019re never going to have perfect balance. I mean, only the Church is called to balance and keep the proper tension between deeds and our words; but as families\u2014raising the next generation\u2014we need to make sure we\u2019re training our kids to understand the Great Commission is not an option. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Duane:<\/strong> That is so true. The Great Commission and the Great Commandment, both are incumbent upon us. To love our neighbor and to preach the Gospel\u2014this is the balance we\u2019re actually after. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI really commend your family for that kind of thing\u2014I think getting out there, and having our kids in that kind of a setting, and breaking free from the insulation that we often work at providing for ourselves from the truly needy. If we have the resources to do it, we can build all sorts of\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> \u2014boundaries that insulate us from the real needs of the world. Christians just have no business doing that! We need to go <em>to<\/em> those needs, taking Christ with us into that situation, rather than pulling back from them simply because we can. Sometimes, it requires a fairly radical\u2014just like you said\u2014to actually go there\u2014be there for an extended period of time\u2014it\u2019s costly. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut look at the model the Lord puts up in the Samaritan\u2014who not only cared for this man that his Jewish brothers walked by him\u2014but here\u2019s this outsider, this out-cast, who stops and invests in this man, who had been beaten and robbed. But he also takes him to the inn and says, \u201cI will cover his costs.\u201d Now, there is costliness to stepping out and serving Christ with our deeds to the needy of the world. We probably\u2014as much as we need to also be about the verbal witness, we probably need to be putting ourselves on the line for this sort of thing a lot more than we do. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Bob:<\/strong> You mentioned the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which comes up in Matthew 22, right after Jesus has been asked, \u201cWhich is the greatest commandment?\u201d He says, \u201cYou love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.\u201d Then, He says: \u201cThe second is like unto it. You love your neighbor as yourself.\u201d Somebody says, \u201cWho\u2019s my neighbor?\u201d And He tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThere are people who have read that passage and said, \u201cThis is what I\u2019m commanded to do: Love God and love my neighbor. I don\u2019t see a lot about preaching the Gospel in there.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> Well, if you only had that single passage of Scripture, then, it might be a legitimate response. The fact of the matter\u2014the Bible has\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> I knew that was the way Duane was going to answer your question! [Laughter] \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> The truth is the Scriptures give us a much fuller and richer picture of what it is Christ is calling His Church to be and do than simply latching onto one passage and saying, \u201cThis is it!\u201d Well, it\u2019s not it. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> But it\u2019s the greatest. It\u2019s the Greatest Commandment, \u201cLove God and love my neighbor.\u201d If I do that, all of the Law and the Prophets is summed up in that; right? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> Yes, Jesus, actually, makes exactly that statement. But then, you are, inevitably, back, asking the question: \u201cWhat does it mean to love God? What does it mean to love my neighbor?\u201d If you really love your neighbor and their greatest need, according to Jesus, is to come into a right relationship to God\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Exactly. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> \u2014apart from which they are under His sentence of condemnation\u2014there is no more loving thing you can do for your neighbor, who needs to hear the Gospel than to be faithful in sharing the Good News of Christ. So, loving your neighbor is not simply about binding up wounds or feeding the hungry. It\u2019s a larger issue. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Let\u2019s talk about an illustration, you use in the book, that I thought was really helpful. You explain how there is a ladder. At the top of the ladder\u2014it\u2019s the abstract\u2014and the bottom of the ladder is the concrete\u2014and how as we communicate the Gospel, the truth about Jesus Christ, and the real need of the human soul. It\u2019s good that we understand that ladder and how it works. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> Yes. The ladder of abstraction is really something drawn from the field of communication. As we move up the ladder, from the concrete level, we sort of leave out detail. You know, at the bottom of the ladder is: say, \u201cFido\u201d. That\u2019s the category of one\u2014a dog. Then, above that is a broader category, \u201cDog\u201d. Then, above that is a broader category, \u201cMammal.\u201d Then, above that, is a broader category called \u201cLiving thing\u201d, and so on up that ladder. The higher you go\u2014you come to a more abstract term. The lower you go\u2014you go, right now, to the concrete specifics. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br>Well, the Scriptures are all about that ladder\u2014general truths, that have to be lived out in our lives\u2014the Gospel has to be lived out in the concrete details of our lives. We\u2019re moving up and down that ladder. You know, we are told to \u201clove mercy and do kindness.\u201d What does that mean? Give me specifics of what that means. That\u2019s a broad observation\u2014to love mercy and to do kindness to our fellow man\u2014but that has to be fleshed out. What does that actually mean? So, you move down the ladder to the specifics. The Bible is all about moving up and down that ladder. It is theology applied: \u201cThis is what is true of God\u201d\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> That\u2019s the top of the ladder? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> Yes. \u201cGod is holy.\u201d Well, you say, \u201cWhat does it mean, at the bottom of the ladder?\u201d Well, it means, \u201cBecause \u2018I am holy, be ye holy.\u2019\u201d You\u2019re to be holy. What does holiness look like in me? Because He is holy, if I belong to Him, I should be holy. Now, what are the specifics of what that looks like? So\u2014but all of it is\u2014the connection is because He\u2019s holy. It\u2019s about God, and it\u2019s to be worked out in the details of our lives. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Okay, apply that, now, to me witnessing to my next-door neighbor or me sharing Christ with a friend at work. How does that ladder apply in that situation? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> I would use the ladder more in a case of helping us understand what the Bible is teaching us. It teaches us everything from the general profound truths all the way down to the specifics of concrete detail. So, we are to love our neighbor. One of the ways we love our neighbor is, if they have need of the Gospel, is to be willing to put ourselves on the line and to\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u2014engage in conversation? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> \u2014 to engage in conversation and to venture\u2014one of the reasons\u2014when you talk to people about evangelism or personal evangelism, what are the major reservations people have? Well, you get the standard, \u201cI don\u2019t know enough,\u201d \u201cI can\u2019t answer objections\u201d\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> \u201cI don\u2019t want to offend them.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> \u2014\u201cI don\u2019t want to offend them.\u201d But one of the major ones\u2014and it\u2019s one that people may not even be in touch with that well, but it is very true\u2014is, \u201cI\u2019m afraid of being rejected,\u201d\u2014of how they will respond. Venturing\u2014if I love my neighbor, I\u2019m going to venture\u2014I\u2019m going to risk myself or being willing to put myself on the line and stand there, with the Lord Jesus, in order to share the Gospel with this person. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHere\u2019s a general exhortation: \u201cLove your neighbor.\u201d Okay, what does that mean? Well, it can mean anything; but it can certainly come down to meaning, \u201cDo you love them enough to share the Gospel with them, even though you feel it is risky to yourself, and to your ego, and to your\u2026.?\u201d It\u2019s safer to just say, \u201cNo, I\u2019m not going to say anything,\u201d for fear of rejection. To me, that\u2019s a very specific application of what it means to love your neighbor as yourself\u2014put yourself on the line for your neighbor. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> What I want our listeners to really hear is\u2014what Duane\u2019s heart is in writing this book. He wants to put responsibility on our lives to proclaim\u2014yes\u2014and speak the Gospel, in word, to those who need to hear; but also, on all occasions, be living out that Gospel in front of people so there would be no reason not to listen. There would be no reason not to consider your words. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI just appreciate you, Duane\u2014your ministry in my life, as a young seminarian, and now, as a man, on a board with you\u2014Dallas Seminary Board. Appreciate you as a friend, and I really like your work here. It\u2019s stimulated some thoughts in me, just in terms of being more responsible on both points\u2014just proclaiming and remembering people are lost. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI really think, if I err in an area, it\u2019s that I don\u2019t see people as the Scriptures paint them. If they don\u2019t know God\u2014if they aren\u2019t rightly-related to God through Jesus Christ\u2014they are lost. They don\u2019t have a relationship with Him. That has eternal consequences. In fact, just in case there is someone, listening to this broadcast, would you just share the Gospel with them, right now? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> The Good News is always to be understood in light of the bad news. The Bible teaches both very clearly\u2014that there is bad news out there\u2014that apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, we stand under the sentence of condemnation because of our sin, because of our being out of step with Him\u2014in fact, even in mutiny against the Sovereign Ruler. We\u2019re often not in touch with it, but the Bible says it very clearly that we are resisting. What we need, desperately, is to hear the Good News that God, Himself, has provided the solution to that sin problem\u2014that condemnation. \u201cHe, who has not believed, is condemned already,\u201d we are told. <br><br>Well, we come to the Gospel. The Good News is that, in Christ\u2014Christ died for our sins. He took the penalty upon Himself that we deserve because of our sin. By simply coming and trusting ourselves to Him, we receive His forgiveness. We bow humbly at the foot of the cross, receive His forgiveness, and call Him, \u201cLord,\u201d and set out to serve Him. It\u2019s a life-changing, total revolution in our lives. When we\u2014the Good News is that we\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> It is. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Duane:<\/strong> \u2014can discover forgiveness, and meaning, and purpose, and direction for our lives all because of this Gospel that we\u2019ve been talking about. The Good News of Christ and Him crucified\u2014that He was buried, He was raised from that grave, taken back to heaven. And because of His finished work, on our behalf and in our place, we can find new life\u2014eternal life in serving Him. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThat really is the Good News\u2014that if people really understand their plight before a holy God, apart from Christ\u2014the very thing you were just talking about\u2014there could not be better news. It starts out with bad news; but thankfully, it doesn\u2019t end with bad news. It ends with good news; and that is, the Good News that God loved us enough to send us His Son to die on our behalf\u2014that we can have new life in Him. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And no matter what you\u2019ve done, He died for you to forgive your sins. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<br><strong>Duane:<\/strong> Amen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And when He shows up in your life, and cleanses you, and declares you, \u201cNot guilty,\u201d\u2014you\u2019re exactly right\u2014transformation occurs because where Jesus Christ shows up, He changes lives and gives purpose, adventure. He will enable you to be able to live as He designed you. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes. If our listeners are interested in looking more carefully at what it means to follow Jesus\u2014to commit your life to Him and to become a Christian\u2014you can go to our website, FamilyLifeToday.com. On the left side of the screen, where it says, \u201cResource Center,\u201d open that tab. You\u2019ll see a link to what says, \u201cTwo Ways to Live.\u201d It\u2019ll spelled out clearly what it means to be a follower of Christ and why God calls all of us to submit to Him, to follow Him, to obey Him, and to trust in His Son. Again, the website is FamilyLifeToday.com. Look on the left side of the screen under \u201cResource Center\u201d for the link that says, \u201cTwo Ways to Live\u201d. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd while you\u2019re on the website, you can find out more about Dr. Duane Litfin\u2019s book, <em>Word versus Deed<\/em>. You can order directly from us, online, at FamilyLifeToday.com; or you can call to order <em>Word versus Deed<\/em>. The number is 1-800-FL-TODAY, 1-800-358-6329. That\u2019s 1-800- \u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life, and then, the word, \u201cTODAY\u201d. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, quickly, I want to remind you that tomorrow is the last day for you to order software from our friends at Logos Bible Software. They have put together a special offer for <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> listeners, this week\u201420 percent off the regular cost of any of their theological libraries. But to take advantage of the offer, they need to hear from you by tomorrow. So, go to FamilyLifeToday.com. Click the link for \u201cLogos Bible Software\u201d. You can order the library you are interested in, with the special savings, directly from their website. Again, go to FamilyLifeToday.com and click on the link for \u201cLogos Bible Software\u201d. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAs we wrap up the week, I want to make sure we say, \u201cThank you,\u201d to those of you, who are not just listeners to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>, but you are supporters of this ministry. <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is listener-supported. If it weren\u2019t for folks, like you, getting in touch with us, from time to time, with a donation, we could not cover the costs of producing and syndicating this daily radio program. So, we are <em>so<\/em> grateful when we hear from listeners. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn fact, this month, we\u2019d like to say, \u201cThank you for your support,\u201d by sending you a couple of CDs that feature a conversation we had with Dr. Steve Farrar about what a dad can do to make sure his family is firmly anchored in their faith in Christ. Go to FamilyLifeToday.com. Click the button that says, \u201cI CARE\u201d. You can make an online donation, or call 1-800-FL-TODAY to make your donation over the phone. If you do that, make sure to request the CDs with Steve Farrar so we know to send them to you. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd you can also request those CDs when you send a contribution through the mail. Our mailing address is: Post Office Box 7111, Little Rock, Arkansas. And the zip code is 72223. Again, write to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>\u2014Box 7111, Little Rock, Arkansas; and the zip code is 72223. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, I hope you have a great weekend. Hope you and your family are able to worship together this weekend. And I hope you join us back on Monday. Pastor Dave Stone is going to be here. We\u2019re going to talk about raising kids to love the Lord and about raising selfless kids in a self-centered society. I hope you can tune in for that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, and our entire broadcast production team. On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I\u2019m Bob Lepine. We will see you back next time for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas. Help for today. Hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright <sup>\u00a9<\/sup> 2013 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/302802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=302802"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=302802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=302802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=302802"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=302802"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=302802"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=302802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}