COMMITMENT

"For the sake of The Call."

Commitment: a word we carefully define, and more carefully use. Generally, it’s used to describe a virtue in ourselves, or someone we admire, but seldom binds us to responsibility. When Christ left the glory of heaven to engage the redemption of fallen man, He committed Himself to the most intense suffering, and agony imaginable to achieve the goal. This was not an extraordinary definition of commitment, but rather the epitome of the word; a decision met honor, and commitment was born.

Today, we are offered clothing, cars, furniture, and even homes with nothing down! Those making such offers have already factored in, with profit calculated, the masses who will fall short of their commitment. It's gotten so bad that business has learned to benefit from people’s lack of discipline. Likewise, to secure crowds, messages from pulpits have turned discipleship into membership with no real commitment to learning, just claiming and believing.

True appreciation and desire breeds commitment. Honor (another vanishing virtue) is what binds commitment to completion. Yet the Christian term: “Not by works” has been perverted to deceive the new believer into taking a stamp on the back of their hand, like a club membership, then pretty much continuing as before. However, Scripture indicates rebirth brings about a New Heart with a New Scarlet Tie that indeed binds, through lack, suffering, and even death!

Those born of the Spirit are of a new passion, constrained to their heartfelt commitment to Jesus Christ! Honor becomes a byword, leading to an indescribable commitment that has remained for two thousand years, maintaining the integrity of the True Church of Jesus Christ. This integrity has cost the blood of some, and the lives of all who've taken His Name! Wholly devoted to live and to die - for the sake of The Call.

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So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
~Luke 14:33 KJV

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
~2 Timothy 1:12 KJV

Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
~Acts 21:13 KJV

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
~Philippians 3:7 KJV

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
~Hebrews 12:2 KJV