Keep Your God To Yourself
I was thinking the other day about how it is such a privilege and an honor to lift up the precious name of Jesus Christ out on the streets. I’m thankful that God compels me to share the Gospel with this lost and dying world. As I was thinking about this, some of the comments people have made over the years popped into my head. The one that stuck that I couldn’t quit thinking about was “Keep your God to yourself.”
My friends and I have heard this said to us many times while out street witnessing. “You believe what you believe and I’ll believe what I believe and we just leave each other alone.” “You shouldn’t force your beliefs on other people.” The main thing I kept thinking about was how people tend to say “Your God”, like somehow this is a god that I dreamed up myself, therefore I should keep my God to myself.
I Didn’t Dream Up God
But I didn’t dream up God. I didn’t imagine the great Creator God. He is not one God among many true Gods. No, there is only one true God and He isn’t just my God. The one true God, the God of the Bible is the great Creator God. He is God and there is no other gods beside Him. Isaiah 45:5 states: I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me.
And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth (2 Kings 19:15). For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone (Psalm 86:10). For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God? (Psalm 18:31). See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand (Deuteronomy 32:39).
Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen (1 Timothy 1:17). As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one (1 Corinthians 8:4). And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (John 17:3).
There Is Only One True God
This is not an exhaustive list by any means of Bible verses that show there is only one true God and there is no other. There is no other god beside the great Creator God. So God is not just “my God”. No, He is God; the God above all. Oh, make no mistake, there are many false gods in the world today. Do you worship a false god? Do you love anything or anyone more than you love the one true God? If so, then that is an idol and you worship a false god. So not only do many unbelievers have it wrong in calling God “my God” but they also greatly err in telling us true believers to keep God to ourselves. Why? Because God tells us to share the Gospel and Jesus also tells us to share the glorious Gospel with others.
Again, this isn’t an exhaustive list, but some Bible verses that tell us to share the Gospel with others. In Isaiah, God tells Isaiah to lift up his voice like a trumpet in the street. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins (Isaiah 58:1). Now if I were literally blowing a trumpet in the street right now, that wouldn’t be very quiet would it? Could I really blow a trumpet and “keep it to myself?” Of course not. Proverbs 1:20 says: Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets.
Preach From The Rooftop
What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetop – Matthew 10:27, Jesus said these words. I have to admit, this is one of my favorite verses to use when it comes to people saying that open-air preaching is wrong. Jesus said preach from the rooftop! If I could stand on top of the Sky Eleven apartment building or one of the other buildings downtown, I’d do so in a heartbeat. I want people to hear about Jesus Chris the Lord because He is the only way of salvation.
The Bible tells us to share the Gospel with others. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16). When Jesus sent His 12 apostles out, He told them to preach and heal the sick, but the main thing was to preach the Gospel. The miracles proved that they were sent by Jesus. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 10:7).
The Opposite Of Keep Your God To Yourself
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things (Luke 24:46-48). Jesus spoke these words to His disciples after He rose from the dead. The Lord also said: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). Jesus said go into all the world. That’s quite opposite from “keep your God to yourself”.
Followers of Jesus should obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). Jesus has commanded us to share the Gospel with this lost and dying world. So if you are a true believer and you never share your faith, then you are being disobedient to God. Does this mean everyone should stand on a street corner and open-air preach? Absolutely not. But every true Christian can hand someone a Gospel tract. You can tell people what great things the Lord has done for you. Share how you were a sinner who repented of your sins and surrendered your life to the Lord Jesus.
Why Is Sharing The Gospel So Important?
Why is it so important to share the Good News of Jesus Christ? Because God made each of us in His very own image. We’ve all sinned against God and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We have all rebelled against God and if you die in your sins, you will be separated from the love of God for all eternity in a very real place called Hell. Those who die in their sins are eternally damned. There is no purgatory. There are no second chances. Each and every one of us will spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. Men and women need to hear this.
We aren’t playing a game tonight. We aren’t asking you to politely consider what we are saying tonight. No, we are warning you that your soul is in danger of eternal torments. There is nothing more important than your eternal salvation or eternal damnation and make no mistake, it will be one or the other. Because we have all rebelled against God, He COMMANDS us to repent.
Acts 17:30-31: And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19).
Repentance Toward God And Faith In Our Lord Jesus Christ
For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not (Isaiah 30:15). And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:31-32). Words from the Apostle Paul: And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:20-21).
We’ve all sinned against God and God commands us to repent. Yes, we are to repent and believe the Gospel. It is the very first message that Jesus preached during His earthly ministry. (Please notice that He preached. He didn’t say “I’ll believe what I believe and you believe what you believe.” No, Jesus preached the Gospel and He has told us to do the same). Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel (Mark 1:14-15).
Oh, tonight, if Jesus is not your Lord and Savior – repent. Repent, repent, repent. Repent of your sins and believe the Gospel. You and I have sinned against God and there’s nothing that we can do on our own to change that. We can’t wipe out a single lie, let alone all the sins that we have committed. God’s standard is perfection. We’ve all fallen short and we can’t save ourselves. That’s why we need a Savior. We need to look to the One who is perfect. Jesus, came to this earth 2,000 years ago, fully God and fully man. He was born of the virgin Mary and the Holy Spirit. Jesus did what you and I could not do. He lived a perfect, sinless life.
Should You Tremble?
Yet He willingly went to the cross to suffer physical pain in the place of repentant sinners. Jesus bore the wrath of God the Father to cover the sins of those of us who repent and trust the Lord. For those who repent and believe the Gospel. Jesus took the punishment that you and I deserve. He was bruised for our iniquities (our sins) and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus suffered, bled and died on the cross and rose from the grave three days later. Salvation is for all who repent and believe the Gospel.
Salvation is for all who have godly sorrow over their sins, who repent and surrender their lives to the Lord Jesus. Oh, do you hear the Savior calling you? Is God convicting you over your sins, your rebellion against Him? How many lies have you told in your life? Thousands? Tens of Thousands? Hundreds of Thousands? How many times have you lusted and coveted? Or how many times have you disobeyed your parents or taken God’s name in vain?
Oh, folks if you saw yourself as God sees you, you would tremble right now. If God is convicting you over your sins and revealing His Holiness to you, do not reject such a great salvation. Do not harden your heart. Admit that you are a sinner. Cry out for God to save you. Repent and put your faith in Jesus. I’m sharing with you tonight the words of life; the words of eternal life. Repent and believe the Gospel and be saved. Receive everlasting life. Then you will understand why I can’t “keep my God to myself.” Once you have been set free from your sins and you receive everlasting life, you want to praise Jesus and lift up His mighty name. Hallelujah! Praise God! For salvation is of the Lord. Turn to Christ and live.
(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on July 3, 2020)