The One Great Lesson

I just finished reading an incredibly thought-provoking interview that was conducted with R. Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Mohler has also been involved with several ongoing initiatives to help Christians think Biblically in a worldly culture and influence it for Christ. In the interview, he was asked what one thing would he share that the Lord has taught him that needed to be passed along to others. From what I'm sure is a vast storehouse of godly knowledge and influence comes this response:

"I think the one great lesson the Lord has taught me over the years is that the importance of the family and the local congregation supersedes every other relationship to which the Christian is called. Christians demonstrate the glory of God and the power of the gospel by the way we marry and stay married, by the way we raise our children, by the way we love each other, and by the way we live faithfully in the congregation of believers. What we have also failed to understand is that Christians in the twenty-first century are being thrown into a world in which just a little bit of Bible knowledge is simply not going to be enough."

Mohler goes on to say, "In the end, I fear that far too much energy is devoted to and far too many hopes are invested in institutions, programs, and projects that will not last. The centrality of Christ's purpose is to glorify himself in His church and the blessings of God that are directed to the precious gift of the family---these far exceed our other allegiances."

Our best hope to reverse the moral slide in our culture is to allow the truth of God's Word to be rooted deeply in our hearts and minds. Then we must take seriously our God-given role as men to be servant leaders in our homes and to faithfully give our spiritual gifts, time and talents to His church. Then, and only then, can we have a gospel influence in a world that desperately needs the saving power of Jesus Christ.