Have you ever had someone look you in the eye and ask you, “What exactly is it that you do?” People like to know what you do for a living because it gives them a context from which to talk to you and relate with you. I have the same question for you today, “What exactly is it that you do?” But I’m not talking about the secular realm. I’m talking about the spiritual realm. I’m talking about your contribution to the body of Christ and the world around you.
What exactly is it that you do?
You are Christian because you believe Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9). Because of God’s mercy and grace, he has forgiven you all sins and has placed within you his gift of holy spirit. You are sealed for eternal life and nothing is going to stop that. Here are some verses to review if you need some strengthening in what God has done for you.
Ephesians 1:13 In whom [Christ] you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest (down payment or guarantee) of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.
To be ‘sealed’ means to be ‘preserved.’ If God seals you, nothing is going to spoil it, not you and not even God himself because he cannot deny himself.
Ephesians 2:1-10 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesha and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
There’s little to dispute about what God’s done for us but believe me there are plenty who won’t just accept what God has to say about it in his Word. You’re saved my friend! Saved by the blood of the lamb. Saved — not by your faith, oh no — but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Have you realize that yet — that it wasn’t your own faith that saved you? Here’s the proof.
Romans 3:21,22 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all and on all them that believe: for there is no difference (discrimination).
It has nothing to do with you other than your acceptance of what Jesus Christ has done on your behalf. It’s all about Jesus and what he did. That’s what got you saved. Now that you are saved, what about those things we read about in Ephesians — those ‘good works’ that “God has foreordained that we should walk in them?”
What are you doing about those? In other words, “What exactly is it that you do.” Many Christians don’t know what they are supposed to be doing in the body of Christ. If you’re in that situation, I encourage you to find out. As a member of the body of Christ, you have one or more ‘functions’ within that body. Paul lays out a few of those in Romans 12:
Romans 12:6,7 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;
if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously;
if it is leadership, let him govern diligently;
if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
God calls these ‘gifts’ because he gives us the ability to serve in these ways. Do you see yourself in any of the ones Paul’s listed in Romans 12? You might also ask me, ‘What exactly is it that you do?” That’s a fair question to ask anyone in the body of Christ. Primarily I am an evangelist. i didn’t decide this or tell myself I was one, that’s what others have told me as they’ve gotten to know me. Looking at what I’ve done over the years, I have to agree.
The other thing I do is research the Bible and teach. I did nothing but detailed word studies for over 10 years. That gave me a solid scope of God’s plan for the ages which I’m able to easily communicate to others. I share with others whenever the opportunity presents itself — or whenever I can open up the conversation in that direction.
Praise God for his goodness and guidance. He will prepare you and he will help you bring to pass exactly what he wants you to do n your life and in the body of Christ. So often it is also what you like to do as well, but don”t be surprised if he needs you to do something uncomfortable that ‘stretches’ your abilities from time to time. This is not a ‘feel good’ group we’re in, it’s the spiritual body of Christ and some things need to be done that nobody particularly likes to do; however those things still need to be done as well.
The songs I’ve written are primarily encouraging people to believe in Jesus and confess him as Lord. There are a few that build up the body of Christ, but most of them are evangelical in nature. I also wrote a rock opera that shows a 17 year old trying to figure out how to make “Something Better” out of life which leads him to Christ.
If you know exactly what it is you do, then go for it. Do it with all your heart knowing the Lord is with you and within you. On the other hand, if you don’t know what to do in the body of Christ, get doing whatever it is you can. You’ll find your gifts more quickly than you think.
Find your place in the body of Christ by doing.
You will discover what God has made you to be.
So, what is it exactly that you do?