Studying, Fishing & Becoming Christ-like

 Theme Texts – Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1Pet 3:15. “Follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Mark 1:17. ‘We are being transformed into his likeness. Through God’s mercy we have this ministry.’ 2Cor 3:18-4:1.

We saw that when we run the gospel race, we prove our faith in God, and fulfill our priestly duty to attain holiness. We also realized how our share in Christ’s sufferings for the gospel of the Kingdom gets us a share in his Kingdom glory and authority. We understood that living a life for the gospel is the only way to live a life of doing true goodness to humanity and that even as most of them reject the good news in present times, they would remember it when they resurrect in the Kingdom making it easier for them then. We also studied that sharing Christ’s gospel with the world is how we fulfill the greatest commandments of love towards God and mankind. All those things constitute the multi-fold purpose for which God asks us to run the gospel race. Let us look at other important objectives of the gospel race here.

Study the Word & Grow in Knowledge of God

As we do gospel work, we encounter questions, doubts and debates that kindle us to study the Word deeper. We discover new things about God daily. Fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ results in the same.

• The Petrine epistle tells us – Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1Peter 3:15.
• The Pastoral epistle says – Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season. 2Timothy 4:2. Carefully study to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 2Tim 2:15 DRA.
• The author of Colossians writes – We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will, so that you may live a life worthy, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. Col 1:9-10.

Anyone with just a high school education can’t teach at a high school level. The teacher needs a higher graduate degree! Likewise, to teach the heathen and new believers about Christ & his kingdom, we would study the Bible at a higher level.
And the good Book is a treasure trove that lasts a lifetime!

Fish for the Elect

Another purpose of the gospel race is to win as many elect as possible from the world, for God’s work. Jesus Christ is sending us out to go fish for God’s chosen.
We are his agents in gathering God’s elect. When one follows Jesus, one becomes a fisher of people.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Mark 1:17.

That’s why Paul writes – ‘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 those under the law I became like one under the law, so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law, so as to win those not having the law. 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’ 1Cor 9:16, 19-23.

Become Christ-like!

All of us want to become Christ-like, don’t we? – Well, running the gospel race is the only way put forth in the Bible for us to become Christ-like i.e. to be transformed into his likeness.

Paul elucidates – ‘’God leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those saved and those perishing.
We do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.’ 2Cor 2:14-17, 3:4-6, 17-18, 4:1.

Yes, the Bible tells us that God leads us in Christ to spread the fragrance of his knowledge everywhere as ministers of the new covenant, and as we do his ministry more and more, we are being transformed into Christ’s likeness with ever-increasing glory.

The things we achieve when we run the gospel race are amazing and worthwhile indeed. Read Next: Your fellow runners of the Higher Calling.