Sermon Central
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Commitment Or Surrender What's The Difference
Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Jun 26, 2023 (message contributor)
Adrian Rogers tells the story of his meeting with Josef T’son who had suffered greatly under communism.
Adrian said: “Josef, tell me about American Christianity.”
Josef responded: “Adrian, I had rather not.”
“No, I want to know.”
“Well, Adrian, since you have asked me, I’ll tell you. The key word in American Christianity is commitment.”
“That is good, isn’t it Josef?”
Josef replied: “No it is not. As a matter of fact, the word commitment did not come into great usage in the English language until about the 1960’s. IN Romania we do not even have a word to translate the English word commitment. When a new word comes into usage, it generally pushes an old word out. I began to study and found the old word that commitment replaced. Adrian, the old word that is no longer in vogue in America is the word surrender.”
Adrian asked: “What is the difference between commitment and surrender?”
He said: “When you make a commitment, you are still in control, no matter how noble the thing you commit to. One can commit to pray, to study the bible, to give money, etc. Whatever he chooses to do, he commits to. But surrender is different. If someone holds a gun and asks you to lift your hands in the air as proof of surrender, you don’t tell that person what you are committed to. You simply surrender and do as you are told.”
He continued: “Americans love commitment because they are still in control. But the key word is surrender. We are to be slaves of the LORD Jesus Christ.” (The Incredible Power of Kingdom Authority, by Adrian Rogers, 2002, p. 60-61).
We will never be over those things that God has set under us until we learn to be under those things that God has placed over us. There is strength through surrender. Are you under the Word of God? Is the Bible your mandate for life? Are you loving it, reading it, obeying it, and living it?
Are you graciously submitting to those human authorities that God has set over you: in the home, in the church, in civil government, and in the workplace?
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