Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Gospel-Produced Reputation

COLOSSIANS 1:3-8 – We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing — as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

THEME OF THE DAY: GOSPEL-PRODUCED REPUTATION. So, we go to our mailbox one afternoon or open an email and it is from a well-established and well-known Christian. He or she is credible having a wonderful testimony of significant influence for Christ and a life reflecting the character of Christ. When this believer speaks or writes, people take notice. This is a big deal to get mail from such a person. We open it and read these words, “I always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when I pray for you, since I heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing as it does among you.” What a word of affirmation of our walks with the Lord! What an encouragement to our hearts prompting even more zealous living for the Lord Jesus! Now the question . . . would such a letter or email be warranted? Would receiving such a letter have merit? Do our lives or better yet, our reputations of having faith in Christ and love to all the saints justify such words about profession and practice as a Christian?

In today’s scripture is such a letter. The Apostle Paul affirmed the Colossian believers that were “walking the talk” having reputations of faith in Christ and love to all other Christians. How would he be able to do so with confidence? The work of the Gospel. It was the Gospel heard, believed, and embraced that made such a glorious reputation among these believers. And it has been the same throughout church history. The gospel transforms lives. The gospel builds a solid and impactful reputation in those truly believing it; a reputation of active faith in Christ leading to an active love for God’s people.

Take time and evaluate our own reputations. Is the gospel transforming us? Are we people known for our faith in Christ and love for His people? Remember, the gospel is not just about being saved. It is the power for Christian living and that the type of living that continually forms a people with a growing reputation of faith in Christ and love to God’s people.

A gospel-produced reputation. May the Lord do such work in us and from us to show a needy world the reality of Him who is the Gospel – the Lord Jesus.

PRAYER: “Father, make my life a reflection of what the Gospel does in the heart of Your people.”
QUOTE: “Faith in Christ and love to His people are the results of the Gospel believed and lived.”

Because of Him,
Pastor Jim