Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

• Matthew 28:19-20

… and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

• Romans 14:23b

“To be a mere observer is actually sin.”

• Søren Kierkegaard, Provocations (from Thoughts that Radically Cure)

I have no idea where Kierkegaard was going with this thought.  The thoughts before and after it seem to not have a direct connection.

But if we are watching someone sin, or observing a friend in a sinful situation, without gently suggesting that there is a better way, that would be a sin of omission on our part.

Jesus makes a command before He ascends into heaven.  It is not a suggestion.  It is not limited only to the daring.  We should spread the Gospel.

The “ends” of the earth or the “corners” of the earth are kind of strange.  After seven and a half years of writing blog posts, the stats of where the views come from seem to establish “corners.”  Those places where no one has viewed one of the posts from this site are the corners.  This blog site has not completely blanketed the world.  Since the earth is round, there are no ends or corners.  So, is there someone in your sphere of influence and you have not shared your faith with them?

But then, if we merely observe…  Regardless of what we are observing, the last part of Romans 14:23 applies.  If what we are doing is not borne of faith, it is sin.

That little line at the end of Romans 14 tells me that merely observing is sin.  I am not carrying out the Great Commission.  I am not praying, studying Scripture, teaching a Sunday school class, or worshipping God.  I am merely observing.  God gave me a limited time here on earth, and I waste that time by merely observing.

Hmm.  Can we apply this to our worship services?  If we just sit there for an hour, we are not really worshipping.  Are we?  We are not taking in the message so that we get closer to Jesus.  We are not sharing our faith, other than attendance.

That is something to ponder for another day.  As a church attender, how do you actively participate in the worship service?  Our church does a few things.  But I am sure we could all do more real worshipping, rather than sitting and observing.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.