I Commend You
by Kenneth A. Frazier
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 19 No. 1, March 1993
"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:32). These were among the last words spoken by Paul to the elders of the church in Ephesus. In these last words, he commends them to not the wisdom and knowledge of men, not their own strength or power, but to God and the word of his grace.
Here is the source and power of all our needs. God, and the word of his grace. Is it not amazing how little we know about the apostle Paul, even though he wrote 13 or 14 of the New Testament books? In his letter to Corinth, he wrote, "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (I Corinthians 2:2). In II Corinthians 4:5, he wrote, "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake." Some men give you their personal and family history in the first sermon they preach. Paul hid behind the cross of Chnst, and rejoiced in the power of that cross (Galatians 6:14). What the world needs most is not the ever-increasing reliance on technology and science, but the return to the preaching of Jesus Christ and him crucified. The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof, but only those that do the will of God will abide in the eternal kingdom of God and Christ (I John 2:15-17).
The word of God is the seed of the kingdom (Luke 8:11). In any and every community where this seed is planted, the divine plant — Christians — will spring up. The unadulterated gospel will always bear the fruit that will please God and satisfy the prayer of Jesus in John 17 for the unity of all believers.
The word of God can save (Romans 1:16; James 1:21). One of the greatest travesties in religion is the preaching of man-made gospels in the name of the real thing. The airways are filled with "isms" in religion. The followers of Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, Herbert W. Armstrong, Ellen G. White, John Calvin, John Wesley, and others, too numerous to mention, promote the preaching of doctrines peculiar to them. But only the faith which was "once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3) can save the lost. All else is vain.
The word of God can build up or edify (Acts 20:32; Eph. 4:14-16). The local body of Christ profits greatly by the preaching of the pure word of God. The nourishment provided by the word of God is just what the body of Christ must have. The preaching of social reform, politics, or the latest in community action will not build up the body. Nothing but the word of God can do the job.
A most comforting fact of the gospel is that it is unchanging. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). If Jesus Christ does not change, then his word, the gospel, does not change. It is not subject to revision year after year. Men cannot tamper with it without the curse of God resting upon them (Galatians 1:6-9). It is reliable and infallible. No wonder, then, that Paul commended this great treasure to them.
Obedience to the word of God, the gospel, must take the form of hearing the word (Mark 16:15-16), believing the word (John 12:48), repenting (Acts 17:30), confessing ones faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 8:36-37), and being baptized into Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 22:16). Arising out of the water of baptism one is a new creature in Christ (Romans 6:3-5).
As newborn babes, feed upon the milk of the word (I Peter 2:2) until you need the meat (Hebrews 5:12-14). But above all, feed upon the word of God daily— growing thereby unto perfection. Let your service be commensurate with your knowledge and desire in the hope of eternal life.
