We are under orders!

I recently visited a Bible teaching church and was introduced to a senior doctor who was a local GP. He said that he did not mix his own beliefs with his medicine as he didn’t want to damage the relationship he has with his patients.   Is that the Christian faith?

For Christians, the way we live must point people to Jesus.  It is all too easy to live attractive lives that only benefit ourselves.   Professor David Short of Aberdeen was the Queen’s Physician in Scotland.  He was very eminent and highly regarded.  One day he overheard some people talking about him; they were saying what a great person he was in so many ways, but he noticed that they did not mention that he was a Christian.  He then realised that much of what he had done in medicine had been for his glory and not for the glory of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus’ emphasis

A group of medical students were asked,

“Why did Jesus enter his world?”

They were stumped and the leader had to explain what Jesus had said to Zacchaeus,

“The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Luke 19:10

The leader reminded them what Jesus came to establish:  When Jesus began his ministry he went about,

“. . . proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said, ‘Repent and believe the good news!’” Mark 1:15

This was his main purpose.  This ministry continued not just with public preaching but also with private conversations.  The good news was how people can be made righteous and so become members of God’s kingdom.  Note the phrase, ‘made righteous’ is key as it is impossible for anyone, however good they are, to make themselves righteous enough for the all-holy God.  Just as Abraham had to have righteousness credited to his account with God, so must everybody.  This status of being made righteous is given as a gift to those who turn to genuinely follow Jesus. Jesus was clear that his disciples would be commissioned to go into all the world to make disciples:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising 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.” Matthew 28:19-20

He had prepared them for this difficult role:

“ . . . and you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:27

They were to go out and tell the world what they had learned about and from Jesus.  This is what Jesus meant when he said that they were to ‘bear fruit’ for him.  In order to do this they would have to go out into the world and not remain in holy huddles.

“You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” John 15:16

The last command he gave to his whole church was:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Paul’s emphasis

He clearly understood why he had been called, it was to persuade as many people as possible to become followers of Jesus and so become members of God’s eternal Kingdom.

“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. . . To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.  Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:19-24

When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church he emphasised the need for all Christians to be ambassadors for Christ.  Talking about all Christians he said:

“So we make it our goal to please him . . . For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

“Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.” 2 Corinthians 5:11

There is no doubt he is referring to all Christians as he goes on to say:

“He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who dies for them and was raised again.” 2 Corinthians 5:15

“All this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18

“He has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:19

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” 2 Corinthians 5:20

The next verse again emphasises who the ’we’ and ‘us’ are:

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

We Christians are now all intermediaries between God and man and all share the responsibility for the gospel to be spread.  Peter stressed this very point,

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

Paul who longs that all Christians should imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Corinthians 4:16) gives us a glimpse of the way he lived.

Old Testament emphasis

Even in King Solomon’s time the importance of sharing the gospel of forgiveness was seen as important.

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and he who wins souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30

We have been given the Spirit of Jesus so we can live like him. We must be excellent doctors but to honour Jesus we must learn to acclaim him.    We will only do this when our whole lives are lived close to and for our Lord.  The psalmist understood these two sides of a Christians life, both are needed for God’s blessing:

“Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence O Lord.” Psalm 89:15

Life was not easy in Daniel’s day and he had much to lose by being faithful to God yet he wrote,

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel 12:3

Just as Jesus had a purpose, so all Christians have been chosen by God for a reason.  I had a patient come to the surgical clinic wearing a beautiful silver cross round her neck.  After sorting out the medical issue, I pointed to her cross and said,

“That’s a beautiful cross.  May I ask you if that means you are a Christian?”

“Yes’” she replied rather hesitantly but then added,, ‘But it depends what you mean by a Christian.”

“Surely a Christian is someone who is sold out to serving the Lord Jesus,” I replied

“Oh, then I’m not,” came the reply.

Too many people seem to think that an intellectual acceptance of Christian doctrines and ethics is what God requires. This is not true, we have been called to promote the standing of our Saviour the Lord Jesus.  We doctors need to find ways to help our patients spiritually as well as with their physical and psychological problems as all are inter-related.  The question is not ‘Should we?’ but  ‘How should we?’  How should we all live and talk so as to advance the cause of Lord Jesus effectively?

BVP