Dead Man Walking

The Great Commission…God’s simplicity

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase DEAD MAN WALKING? Do you picture someone on death row with no hope of a reprieve, handcuffed, and walking to the electric chair? Or maybe you imagine an old Western jail cell where the guilty is looking out the window while they build the Hangman’s trap that will soon choke the life out of them. Either way, these men know their fate is death. The unbeliever does not have this in-your-face realization of their fate. They walk out each day unaware of the fate that will befall them. The more important thing is that believers are not ignorant of their fate, and we should be in a constant state of looking at them as DEAD MEN WALKING as is in Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. In knowing this, The Great Commission is labor prompted by love through knowing the Father’s heart.

In our hyper-sensitive world, it is easy for even Christians to fall into the trap of being offended. Moreover, we may feel that offense is justified when we watch the actions of those hostile to God’s ways. Our defense of Him may cause us to point out their behavior instead of pointing to the One that saves. As Christians, precisely what is our role in leading the lost to salvation? To answer this question, we can turn to the one place that every Christian can trust, the Bible. Here is a verse with a good deal to say about how we should interact with the unbeliever.

Romans 10:14 14 How then shall they call on the One in whom they have not trusted? And how shall they trust in the One they have not heard of? And how shall they hear without someone proclaiming?

Our testimony points to whom the unbeliever can call on, whom they can trust, and what His name is. Those three points are the simplicity of our testimony yet the authenticity of the true believer to spark the fire of the Holy Spirit. Let us never forget that we were once A DEAD MAN WALKING and someone shared with us. Also, remember that He, the Holy Spirit, was gentle and respectful to us, so we are to be that way to others. The Holy Spirit uses our testimony as the catalyst to set the unbeliever’s heart toward truth. Let’s look at John 16:8 “And when He (the Helper-Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world (unbelievers) of sin, and of righteousness (our needs for a savior), and of judgment (Jesus the one that took the full wrath of our judgment on Himself)…paraphrased.

DEAD MAN WALKING…see them and share with them, then be amazed at what the Holy Spirit will do.