“It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way” (Proverbs 19:2).
Much of the work of Christianity is to be wise. For example, as we apply our faith to our everyday lives, we must understand and obey God’s will. As we share our faith, we must allow God to give us the right words at the right time. And as we look for ways to support the ministries of God, we must carefully measure their work against his purpose and calling.
This quarter, we’ve focused primarily on wisely expressing our faith in our daily lives. Today, John gives us three steps for ensuring we’re wise about supporting the work of sharing the gospel.
Continue in the teachings of Christ (2 John)
“Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son” (v. 9).
Continuing in the teachings of Christ means living a life that’s plugged in to him. In other words, he leads and we follow. This is an important measure for evaluating our own walk with God as well as any ministry we support.
If we follow Jesus, shouldn’t we allow him to lead? Even when we serve God, we must let his Spirit tell us what specific tasks need doing. According to Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God, we must look for what God is doing and join his work—not begin a project that seems good to us and ask God to join us.
Judge wisely who you associate with
“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work” (vv. 10-11).
John is stressing the importance of evaluating the focus of a ministry before supporting it. “Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world” (v. 7).
Sign up for our weekly edition and get all our headlines in your inbox on Thursdays
Most ministries asking for our support won’t deny Jesus. But they might have the wrong focus or use methods that don’t honor God. When we support a ministry, John says we share in the responsibility for it before God.
We must judge wisely before forming relationships with both individuals and organizations. We should only tie ourselves to people who obey Jesus’ teaching and walk in truth. The point is not to avoid interacting with unbelievers, but not to be tied to them. We must relate to them wisely.
Wisely support the work of sharing the gospel (3 John)
“The truth, which lives in us … will be with us forever” (v. 2). Jesus is that truth, and his story deserves to be told.
That’s essentially the mission we all share. As believers, our “job” is to tell the story of what Jesus is doing in our lives. But when it comes to the Great Commission, we may have different assignments. Some are sowers, some reapers and others provide support to extend the reach of a ministry.
Regardless of the assignment, however, we rely on the Holy Spirit for leadership and strength. Paul writes, “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:3). In our personal lives, our very actions are a testimony of our faith. In the same way, any ministry we support must honor God in everything it does.
How to evaluate a ministry
What should we be looking for in a ministry? Most importantly, it should draw people to Jesus and lead them to a closer relationship with him.
It’s also important to evaluate the spirit of the leadership and workers. A ministry should never rely on guilt or fear to motivate you. We’re called to serve Jesus out of love and gratitude for his saving grace.
And finally, look at who receives the glory for the work being done. If any person is the object of the ministry’s focus, the work isn’t being motivated by the Holy Spirit. Yes, God still will be glorified when his name is lifted up. But a ministry has a more powerful reach if its work is inspired by God and ends in his glory.
Food for thought
Many times, the stories of our spiritual growth aren’t for the purpose of leading an unbeliever to Christ. Instead, they encourage other believers. Our job isn’t to decide the outcome, but simply to tell our stories.
Do you have a story that tells what Jesus is doing in your life? Is there someone who needs to hear that story?
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.