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Why
Do So Many Fail and Give Up?
"If
anyone would come after Me, he must
deny himself and take up his cross daily
and follow Me." Luke 9:23
When
many came to Jesus saying: "I will follow You
wherever You go" (Luke 9:57), Jesus appeared
to discourage them by emphasising the sacrifices and self-denial
necessary. "Foxes have holes and birds of the
air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His
head" (Luke 9:58). "If anyone would
come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross
daily and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). "…
any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot
be My disciple" (Luke 14:33).
One of the most frustrating aspects of missionary work is
the immensity of the task, and the scarcity of the workers.
As our Lord Jesus said: "The harvest is plentiful,
but the workers are few …" (Luke 10:2).
And so many of those workers fail and give up - leaving
the remaining workers with even more responsibilities and
a greater burden.
The Lord Jesus declared: "No one who puts his
hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in
the Kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62). Steadfastness
and perseverance are essential for Christian service.
To the Church at Ephesus, the Lord wrote: "Yet
I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love"
(Revelation 2:4). The writer to the Hebrews, speaking of
the life of faith, writes: "But My righteous
one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not
be pleased with him" (Hebrews 10:38). A strong
devotional life is an absolutely essential foundation for
ministry.
"What can I do with you … your love is like
the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears."
Hosea 6:4
Many
Forsook Christ
The Gospels record many who forsook Christ:
"When the young man heard this, he went away
sad, because he had great wealth." Matthew
19:22
"From this time, many of His disciples turned
back and no longer followed Him." John 6:66
"Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went
to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them."
Mark 14:10
"Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled."
Matthew 26:56
Many
Deserted Paul
In the Pastoral Epistles, which were written to instruct
ministers and missionaries, the Apostle Paul wrote of those
who were teaching false doctrines, devoting themselves to
myths and promoting controversies rather than God's Word,
and of those who had "wandered away"
and "turned to meaningless talk"
(1 Timothy 1:3 - 7).
Paul wrote of those who had rejected the faith and violated
their conscience, having made a shipwreck of their faith.
Some had even blasphemed (1 Timothy 1:19-20).
Paul warned against appointing recent converts or those
who had not first been carefully tested - lest they "fall
into disgrace and into the devil's trap" (1
Timothy 3:7).
Paul warns of "hypocritical liars, whose consciences
have been seared" (1 Timothy 4:2). And against
anyone who "teaches false doctrines … is
conceited and understands nothing … has an unhealthy
interest in controversies and arguments that result in envy,
quarrelling, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant
friction between men of a corrupt mind, who have been robbed
of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to
financial gain … who want to get rich, fall into temptation
and a trap, and into many foolish and harmful desires that
plunge men into ruin and destruction" (1 Timothy
6:3-9).
In these Epistles, which were written to instruct missionaries
and ministers, Paul warned of: "having a form
of godliness but denying its power" (2 Timothy
3:5).
In these Pastoral Epistles, Paul names the names of those
who had been co-workers of his, but who had failed and given
up: "just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses,
so also these men oppose the truth - men of depraved minds,
who, as far as the Faith is concerned, are rejected"
(2 Timothy 3:8).
Paul reported that: "everyone in the province
of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes."
2 Timothy 1:15
"Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me
and has gone …" 2 Timothy 4:10
"Alexander, the metal worker, did me a great
deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.
You too should be on your guard against him, because he
strongly opposed our message. At my first defence, no one
came to my support, but everyone deserted me …"
2 Timothy 4: 14-16
Paul had to warn that: "there are many rebellious
people, mere talkers and deceivers … they're ruining
whole households … for the sake of dishonest gain …
rebuke them sharply … they claim to know God, but by
their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient
and unfit for doing anything good." Titus 1:10-16
Disloyalty
and Betrayal are Normal
"For the time will come when men will not put
up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires,
they will gather around them a great number of teachers
to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn
their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship,
do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of
your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:3-5
The very fact that the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle
Paul to include in these Pastoral Epistles so many warnings
against divisive and disloyal co-workers, false brethren
and deceivers, should be sufficient warning to wake us up
to this reality. When so many of the followers of Christ
Himself fell away and deserted Him, how can we expect anything
less? As our Lord Jesus said: "No servant is
greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will
persecute you also. " John 15:20
Because of the depravity of man, we should expect sinful
selfishness to predominate. Disloyalty is normal. It is
loyalty which is unusual. Rather than flinging up our hands
and asking why so many give up, we should rather fall on
our knees and thank God for those few who steadfastly persevere
against all odds. Such dedication is a work of God's grace.
Church history confirms what our Lord Jesus warned about:
"Many will turn away from the faith and will
betray and hate each other." Matthew 24:10
"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father
his child; children will rebel against their parents and
have them put to death. All men will hate you because of
Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."
Matthew 10:21-22
This has to be the hardest part of seeking to be faithful
to the Lord. We expect opposition from the enemies of the
faith, but not from fellow believers, co-workers, church
elders or family members.
"If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure
it … but it is you, … my companion, my close friend,
with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship …"
Psalm 55:12-14
"Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who
shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me."
Psalm 41:9
The prophet Micah warned of the time when one could not
even trust a neighbour, or put confidence in a friend, when
"a man's enemies are the members of his own household."
Micah 7:5-6
Malice, Conspiracy and Murder
King Saul, who once was anointed by the Lord, later gave
in to jealousy and hatred towards David and even attempted
to murder him (1 Samuel 18:8; 19:1).
The treachery which Saul showed towards his faithful servant,
David, was unfortunately also shown by King David, towards
one of his trusted officers, Uriah, whom he conspired to
have killed in battle (2 Samuel 12:9).
King David's son, Absalom, treacherously abused the trust
of his father, and plotted to overthrow King David, leading
to a vicious civil war (2 Samuel 15).
Even one of Jesus' handpicked disciples, Judas, who was
trusted as the treasurer of The Twelve, took money from
the high priests to betray our Lord Jesus into their hands
(Luke 22:48; John 13:21).
Search
My Heart O Lord
Looking at these Biblical examples of treachery, it is easy
for us to associate these with some who may have severely
disappointed us. However, it would be more constructive
if we searched our own hearts before the Lord to see how
steadfast and reliable we ourselves are, first to God, and
then to our family and friends.
"Be on your guard so that you may not be carried
away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure
position" (2 Peter 3:17).
It is all too common for us to see and condemn the same
sin in others that we are blind to in ourselves.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me
and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive
way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”
(Psalm 139:23-24).
Everything in life is a test of character. Extreme situations
expose and bring out the best, or the worst, in people.
A person's character is accurately measured by their reaction
to unfairness or bad treatment. The measure of a person's
character can be seen by the size of those things which
upset him.
C.H. Spurgeon said: "The anvil, the fire and the
hammer are the making of us."
Martin Luther declared: "I never knew the meaning
of God's Word until I came into affliction."
Spurgeon taught: "The Lord gets his best soldiers
out of the highlands of affliction."
What
Kind of Ground Are You?
In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-23), our Lord
Jesus taught that there are four types of people, pictured
as:
the hard ground - which does not understand or respond to
God's Word;
the rocky ground - which hears the Word of God with joy,
"but since he has no root, he lasts only a short
time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word,
he quickly falls away." (Matt. 13:21);
the thorny ground - "the man who hears the Word,
but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth
choke it, making it unfruitful." (Matt. 13:22);
and the good soil - "the man who hears the Word
and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred,
sixty or thirty times what was sown." (Matt.
13:23).
Time, trouble and tribulation reveal our true character.
When trouble or tribulation comes, those with a shallow
Christian commitment, will fall away. Others will endure
much longer, because their roots do go down deep, but they
will also ultimately fail, because they tolerate the thorns
of sin, "… as they go on their way they
are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and
they do not mature." (Luke 8:14).
"the seed on good soil stands for those with
a noble and good heart, they hear the Word, retain it and
by persevering, produce a crop." Luke 8:15
How
Deeply Has God's Word Changed You?
Here, from the clear teachings of Jesus, we see why some
fail and others succeed. It has to do with how deep our
roots go into God's Word, and whether we allow the thorns
of "life's worries, riches and pleasures"
to choke our spiritual life and prevent us from maturing.
Are you responsive to the rebukes, corrections and instructions
of God's Word? How deep do your roots go into God's Word?
What thorns of sin are you tolerating that may be choking
your spiritual life?
Those who succeed, our Lord Jesus tells us, are those "with
a noble and good heart, they hear the Word, retain it and
by persevering produce a crop."
Weak doctrines are no match for powerful trials and temptations.
"Fix these Words of Mine in your hearts and minds
… " (Deuteronomy 11:18); "I
have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against
You" (Psalm 119:11); "Let the Word
of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish
one another with all wisdom … " (Colossians
3:16); "For I delight in Your commandments because
I love them" (Psalm 119:47); "For the Word of
God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints
and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the
heart" (Hebrews 4:12).
This teaching of our Lord explains why some fall away, but
why others succeed against all odds.
Pioneers
Who Persevered
William Wilberforce, although afflicted with ill health,
and targeted by the most vicious campaigns of sustained
hatred and character assassination, by some of the most
powerful people of his day, persisted and persevered until
the slave trade, and then slavery itself, was abolished.
Against all odds, and although bankrupted by a colleague,
afflicted with tropical diseases, an insane wife and the
death of his son, William Carey succeeded in launching the
modern missionary movement. He established a successful
mission in India, despite this being illegal at the time,
recovered from a devastating fire in 1812, which destroyed
his print house and years of translation work, to produce
and distribute over 200 000 Bibles, New Testaments or Gospels
in 36 different languages.
America's first foreign missionary, Adoniram Judson, despite
twice enduring imprisonment, both by the French and then
by the Burmese, being severely tortured for 18 months in
"Death Prison", losing two wives and five
children to disease in the field, Adoniram persevered. He
completed the translation of the Bible into Burmese, and
the Burmese-English Dictionary, and established 63 churches,
with 100 000 baptised believers, amongst the Karen people
of Burma.
Pioneer missionary, David Livingstone, had to bury both
his wife and daughter in Africa, yet he persevered in 3
marathon missions - on foot - across the length and breadth
of Africa, enduring dangers and diseases which seemed more
than any human being could endure. Yet he persevered and
succeeded in opening up Africa for the Gospel and dealt
a deathblow to the Islamic slave trade in Central Africa.
Plainly, these pioneers were dedicated Christians, whose
lives were deeply rooted in God's Word. Their character
was shaped by obedience to God's Word, and so, with a noble
and good heart, they persevered to produce a great harvest
of righteousness.
Affliction
is the structural steel of character building
By way of contrast, all too many Christians today live in
comfortable homes, travel in comfortable cars to comfortable
churches where they hear comfortable messages. A soft and
sheltered religion, afraid to face the storms and brave
the heights, will end up fat and foul in the cages of conformity.
No wonder so few are able to stand in the day of trouble.
Character
and Courage
General Constand Viljoen, one time head of the South African
Defence Force, was confronted on SATV about the ruined lives
of those psychological casualties suffering from what they
called "the Angola Syndrome." General Viljoen's
answer was most insightful, he noted that those who evidence
character in times of peace are the same people who show
courage in times of war. Those who are moral failures in
civilian life are the same ones who become failures in the
military. It is not the military, or the war, that ruined
them. The severe stresses and crisis only revealed what
was already there - either strength of character or lack
of character. Those who fail in war time would have failed
in life anyway - the intensity of war just revealed it earlier.
Many young people are indifferent to the church today, not
because it demands too much of them, but because it demands
too little. There is no challenge in this soft, shallow
and selfish "bless me" gospel.
Sacrifice
and Service
From New Testament times commitment to missionary service
has meant accepting a greater likelihood of experiencing
hardships and suffering, and a shorter life span. Half of
all the early missionaries who came to Africa in the 19th
century died within the first two years. William Borden
gave first his money and then his life in missionary service
to Egypt. He was dead within four months of his arrival
in the field. Inside the cover of his Bible, he had written
the words: "No reserve, no retreat, no regrets."
Amy Carmichael, the missionary to India who suffered great
physical afflictions, being bedridden for many years, wrote
this: "But as the Master shall the servant be, and
pierced are Thy feet that lead me. Can he have travelled
far, who has no wound, no scar?"
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered
for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow
in His steps." 1 Peter 2:21
"In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly
life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2
Timothy 3:12
"I tell you the truth, Jesus replied, no-one
who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father
or children or fields for Me and the Gospel will fail to
receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes,
brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with
them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life."
Mark 10:29-30
The
Curse of Selfishness
Interestingly enough, many would apparently rather die for
Christ, than die to self. The biggest hindrance to the missionary
task is self. Self that refuses to go. Self that refuses
to sacrifice. Self that refuses to give. Self that refuses
to die.
Die
to Self and Live for God
The only way to bear fruit is actually to die: "I
tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the
ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it
dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life
will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world
will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves Me must follow
Me …" John 12:24-26
All of our money, all of our time and all of our lives belong
to God. We are only stewards of what belongs to God. Yet
all too often, we act as though the money we have been entrusted
with, the time that is given us and our very lives are actually
ours to do with as we wish, rather than to fulfil God's
will. Too many Christians are mainly interested in what's
good for them, not what is good for God and His Kingdom.
But we are sent as servants. We need Christ's love and we
need Christ's attitude (Philippians 2:4-5).
Those involved in the Lord's service need to learn how to
wrestle and persist in prayer, how to live and work in the
presence of God, how to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
We need to be self-disciplined, humble, teachable, patient,
adaptable and submissive to authority.
We are either those who make a plan, or those who make excuses.
We either take responsibility or we pass the buck (blame).
When we see a pattern of excusing our failings by saying
it's somebody else's fault, or it's somebody else's job,
then we must know that the sinful self is alive and dominant
and we are far from the mind of Christ.
Why do so many fail and give up? Rather than flinging up
our hands and asking why so many give up, we should rather
fall on our knees and thank God for those few who steadfastly
persevere against all odds. Time, trouble and tribulation
reveal our true character. Those with a shallow Christian
commitment will fall away. Others fail because they have
allowed the thorns of sin to choke their devotional life.
The question we should rather be asking is - How do some
succeed and persevere? Those who succeed, our Lord Jesus
tells us, are those: "with a noble and good heart,
they hear the Word, retain it and by persevering produce
a crop."
Let us be humble and teachable, in submission to all godly
authority. Fixing the Words of God in our hearts and minds,
delighting in God's commands, loving His Law, letting the
Word of Christ dwell in us richly, dying to self, denying
self, taking up our cross daily and following in the footsteps
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hope
For Those Who Have Failed
Is there any hope for those who have already failed and
given up? Yes, indeed. In the book of Acts we learn of John-Mark,
who was related to Barnabas (Colossians 4:10) and the son
of a Godly mother, Mary, in whose home the church met for
prayer when Peter was imprisoned (Acts12:12).
When Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, they brought
John-Mark with them to Antioch (Acts 12:25). When Paul and
Barnabas were sent off on the first great missionary journey
by the Church at Antioch, John-Mark went with them.
However, early on in the trip, John-Mark gave up and returned
to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13).
When Paul and Barnabas set off on their second missionary
journey, "Barnabas wanted to take John, also
called Mark, with him, but Paul did not think it wise to
take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and
had not continued with them in the work. They had such a
sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took
Mark and sailed to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas …"
Acts 15:36-40
Happily, however, that is not the last we hear of John-Mark.
From his unpromising beginning, John-Mark came back and
reconciled with Paul, proving himself in the field to become,
in later years, a faithful co-worker with Paul. "My
fellow prisoner, Aristarchus, sends you his greetings, as
does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions
about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)"
Colossians 4:10
"Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him
with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry."
2 Timothy 4:11
From initially being a failure, who caused a sharp disagreement
and division between his cousin Barnabas and the Apostle
Paul, John-Mark went on to repent, to restore, to make restitution
and to rebuild Paul's trust in him. So much so that Paul,
in his pastoral letter to Timothy, describes Mark as "helpful
to me in my ministry." Paul also mentions Mark
as one of his co-workers in Philemon.
He also later became an important co-worker under the Apostle
Peter (1 Peter 5:13), and under his authority, the author
of the Gospel of Mark.
Failure does not need to be final. By God's grace, our sins
can be forgiven and our weakness can be turned to strength
in Him.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a
great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that
hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us and let
us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let
us fix our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of
our Faith." Hebrews 12:1-2
Peter Hammond
This
article is taken from the book Character
Assassins by Peter Hammon and Brian Abshire
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