“For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” (2 Timothy 1:12).

In the late 1980s when the country of Lebanon was trying to self-destruct and life was hazardous for everyone, President Reagan ordered all Americans out of the country. The edict included missionaries also. And that created a dilemma.

One of my missionary friends protested, “This is when we do our best work, in a national crisis when people are fearful and disoriented. They become open to the gospel. Please leave us here.”

Another missionary agreed. “Whether our lives are in danger or not, we settled this a long time ago, the day we accepted the Lord’s call.  This is no time for us to abandon these people.”

Matters settled long ago do not need constant rehashing.

Our Lord once said, “The prince of this world is coming and he has nothing in me” (John 14:30).  The enemy has nothing to offer Jesus was interested in.  All that had been settled long ago (see Matthew 4:1-11).

Settled matters should be just that: settled.

Someone hands you an alcoholic drink or invites you to a strip joint or offers you a joint of another kind.

You shouldn’t even have to think about what to say.

That decision should have been made long ago, in your heart and in your prayer closet.

A friend put this on his church sign: “A believer shouldn’t have to decide whether he will go to church tomorrow; he should have decided that long ago.”

It’s like marriage.  You stood at the altar and said those “I do’s” and exchanged rings. You pledged your life and faithfulness “for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, til death do us part.”  Thereafter, you do not go into contortions wondering should you go home after work today, should you deposit your paycheck in the joint bank account to take care of family needs, or should you be faithful to your spouse.  None of those are on the table.  You literally have a prior commitment, something you settled previously once and for all.

Those who have committed themselves to Jesus Christ as His disciples are new creatures, born again, and have died to the old self. They have said ‘no’ to the world and ‘yes’ to God, and put on the ‘new man,’ as Scripture calls him. Therefore, some things are true for now and always….

1) The believer does not have to  decide whether to obey Christ. That’s what this is all about.  Jesus said, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not obey what I say?” (John 6:46)  And, “If you know these things and do them, you are blessed” (John 13:17).

It is true, however–and this needs to be emphasized–that believers will have many subsequent decisions to make and followup commitments in order to progress in the Christian life.  God’s children should begin each new day saying ‘yes’ to all the Lord has in store for them that day.

2) The believer does not have to wonder whether to pray.  Prayer is as natural to the disciple as breathing.

We were made for fellowship with the Lord; prayer/praise is how that is done.  “…at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart and quit” (Luke 18:1).

“Pray without ceasing” (I Thessalonians 5:17).

3) The believer has already made the decision about giving to the Lord and to His work.  When he came to Christ, he “left all and followed him.” (see Luke 5:11,28)

Those who struggle with giving to the needy and who do not faithfully support the Lord’s work declare themselves non-believers.   We do not give in order to be saved, but because we are.

4) Believers should not struggle in the decision about loving their brethren, particularly those with whom they have disagreements.  We are given no choice in the matter.  “By this shall all men know you are my disciples, that you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

When we began following Jesus, we turned our back on penny ante nit-picking strife and decided to love all followers of Jesus Christ, regardless of every secondary consideration.  Those who do not love are announcing themselves as not disciples of Jesus.

5) Believers live like Jesus.  That has been God’s plan from the first.  “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (I John 2:6).

We sometimes say the greatest compliment we can receive is for someone to say we are like Jesus. But not so. That ought to be par for the course.  They should be able to say that about every one of us.

Only when we try to undo the commitment, when we look for loopholes in our obligations, when we try to figure out how little we can do as Christians and still be counted faithful, only then do we begin to have great conflict in the Christian life.

I heard of a well-drilling crew that was hard at work when one of their number showed up late. This fellow had had a night out on the town and had not taken time to don work clothes but still wore his dress slacks and starched, white shirt.  All morning he tried to keep clean and avoided anything that could soil his clothes. Finally, a worker lifted a 5-gallon can of muddy water and dumped it on him. As the fellow sputtered and cursed, his friend said, “You will work better after you are baptized.”

We all do better when we are sold out.